Tonight’s debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is expected to be the most-watched political broadcast in American history. One reason is that the race is so close: a new poll puts Clinton ahead of Trump by two points, 46 percent to 44 percent. This is well within the margin of error. Among registered voters, each candidate has 41 percent support.

But another factor is the huge number of “undecideds” at this late stage of the campaign. Nearly 20 percent of voters say they are undecided or plan not to vote for the Democrat or the Republican. What they do on November 8 will likely determine the election.

Pollster Frank Luntz explains that these voters are undecided because they know a lot about both candidates but don’t like either one. As a result, the surprising truth is that the Americans whose impressions of tonight’s debate matters most are those who are least impressed by their options. Luntz likens them to children living through a bitter divorce: they are “watching with a mixture of fear and disdain as their parents argue, knowing they will soon be forced to choose with whom to live—a decision with no good outcome.”

I think such a view of the election mirrors a larger anxiety in our culture today.

We’re worried about the rising drug epidemic after seven people died from drug overdoses in Cleveland last Saturday. We’re worried that attacks such as Friday night’s mall shooting could happen where we live. We’re worried about Zika and superbugs and the global economy.

And beneath our circumstantial fears, there’s something even more visceral. Thomas Kelly: “Over the margins of life comes a whisper, a faint call, a premonition of richer living which we know we are passing by. Strained by the very mad pace of our daily outer burdens, we are further strained by an inward uneasiness, because we have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer and deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity and peace and power.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – A SURPRISING FACT ABOUT TONIGHT’S DEBATE →

Brooke Lowry found herself single three weeks before her engagement pictures were scheduled to be taken. It was too late to cancel the photography session, and her dresses had already been chosen and tailored. So she decided on a solo shoot at Disneyland. Her pictures are amazing. Her attitude is even more remarkable.

She describes the day: “It honestly couldn’t have been a more beautiful experience, and I was filled with the peace and comfort that only comes from above. I’m so glad I decided to go through with the photos, and more importantly, I’m so grateful for the smallest acts of daily kindness that make all the difference in a broken world.”

I’m grateful for Brooke’s gratitude, a gift of encouragement in the midst of challenging days. Perusing this morning’s news: Protests continued last night in Charlotte as the mayor imposed a midnight curfew. Yahoo says hackers stole information from 500 million users. A strong earthquake struck southeast of Tokyo. Another migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean, killing at least forty-three people.

As difficult as the news is, tragedy can be used for good if it turns us to faith in God and service to others.

The psalmist noted, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust'” (Psalm 91:1–2). This is an uplifting testimony, but it requires an unstated admission on our part. We don’t carry an umbrella on sunny days or retreat to a fortress when there is no enemy. As with any refuge, we dwell in the shelter of God to the degree that we recognize our need to do so.

This is a primary way God redeems challenges—by using them to show us our need of him. In this sense, we can count ourselves blessed when we face problems. “Blessed are those who know their need of God,” Jesus taught us (Matthew 5:3, NEB).

There are two ways to experience the omnipotence of God. One is to admit that we face challenges we cannot solve without his help. Such humility positions us to receive all his grace intends to give. The other is to attempt things we can do only in his power. As my mentor John Edmund Haggai often says, “Attempt something so great for God it’s doomed to failure unless God be in it.”

What challenges will you trust to your Lord’s power today? What God-sized goals will you seek to fulfill?

Seventeenth-century minister William Gurnall noted, “Let this encourage those of you who belong to Christ: the storm may be tempestuous, but it is only temporary. The clouds that are temporarily rolling over your head will pass, and then you will have fair weather, an eternal sunshine of glory.”

Be faithful to God today, for he is faithful to you forever.

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I’ll never forget the first time I saw Michelangelo’s frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. They are more stunning than any movie or photograph can depict. Soon, however, you won’t have to go to Rome to view them. You will be able to see them in Dallas instead.

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition makes its first stop in the US at the State Fair of Texas, which opens in Dallas on September 30. The works will be displayed in their original size, reproduced as thirty-four photographs displayed on sixteen-foot panels.

In a way, it’s surprising that Michelangelo’s masterpiece will be displayed at this city-sponsored event. The frescoes are overtly religious, depicting God’s creation of Adam and Eve as well as a variety of biblical prophets and heroes. Given the rising tide against religious freedom, we can envision a day when such depictions will be allowed only inside church buildings.

Consider the frightening US Commission on Civil Rights report making headlines today. It states clearly that if someone alleges discrimination relative to their sexual orientation or gender identity, their claim takes precedence over religious freedom. The Commission’s chairman summarized the report: “The phrases ‘religious liberty’ and ‘religious freedom’ will stand for nothing except hypocrisy so long as they remain code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, Christian supremacy or any form of intolerance” (my emphasis).

Here’s my question: If the Commission’s report becomes reality, will Christians be unable to engage in any public faith expression that someone considers intolerant? What would an atheist say about the Sistine Chapel display at the State Fair of Texas? What would a same-sex couple say about my refusal to perform their wedding?

Continue reading Denison Forum – SISTINE CHAPEL FRESCOES ARE COMING TO DALLAS   →

Ahmad Khan Rahami was arrested yesterday. Wanted in connection with bombings in New York and New Jersey, he has been charged with five counts of attempted murder after a shootout with police.

His family operates First American Fried Chicken in Elizabeth, New Jersey. One of the restaurant’s patrons said of Ahmad, “He’s a very friendly guy, he gave me free chicken. He was always the most friendly man you ever met.” The patron was deeply rattled by news that Rahami has been connected to the bombings. “He’s a guy you would never expect,” he said. “This is sad, terrifying, scary.”

When terrorists strike anywhere, people become alarmed everywhere. For instance, West Point was locked down yesterday after a “concerned citizen” reported seeing a man “who fit the description” of Rahami, according to a spokesman. The man was eventually identified as a West Point resident and the lockdown was lifted.

We can expect more of this. FBI Director James Comey has warned that hundreds of terrorists will fan out to infiltrate western Europe and the US as attacks escalate against the Islamic State’s so-called caliphate in Syria. “At some point there’s going to be a terrorist diaspora out of Syria like we’ve never seen before,” he warned. Referring to recent attacks in Brussels and Paris, Comey said that future attacks will be “an order of magnitude greater.”

Clearly we must protect ourselves from those who would harm us. ISIS must be destroyed before it destroys our civilization. But there is a spiritual battle inside this military conflict. God redeems all he allows. How is he redeeming the escalation of terrorism in these days?

First, he is using radical Islam to turn Muslims to Christ. As Muslims around the world see the atrocities of ISIS and similar groups, they are drawn from such hatred to the love found in Jesus. More Muslims than ever before are coming to faith in our Lord, many in regions dominated by jihadists.

Second, he is calling Christians to pray for Muslims with greater fervor than ever. We now know that jihadists are an existential threat to our families and nation. We also know that the ultimate answer to this spiritual conflict is the power of the Spirit. So Christians are praying for millions of Muslims in America and around the world to follow Christ.

Third, he is calling Christians to love Muslims at a time when hate crimes against them have soared to their highest levels since 9/11. Satan wants to use radical Islam to make us hate Muslims at the very time when we need to love them. If Americans attack innocent Muslims, we are no better than Muslims who attack innocent Americans. It is time for Christians to be salt and light in a culture desperate for both.

Jesus’ commands were clear: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:28–29). We love our enemies to the degree that we serve them, bless them, and pray for them.

Which enemy is Jesus calling you to love today?

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ABC News is reporting that as many as five people were taken into FBI custody last night in connection with Saturday’s bombing in Manhattan. In addition, multiple bombs were discovered overnight at a New Jersey train station. A pipe bomb exploded along a racecourse in New Jersey, though no one was injured. And ISIS has claimed responsibility for a stabbing at a Minnesota mall that injured eight.

Life in the age of terrorism seems more fragile than ever.

Our fears are not necessarily based on facts. According to security experts, ninety-four Americans have been killed by jihadists since 9/11, more than half of them in the Orlando nightclub shooting. An additional forty-eight have been killed by other extremists such as the Charleston church shooter. As tragic as these deaths are, more Americans die in car accidents every two days.

However, the fear of terrorism can be debilitating. Experts say that living with such fear can trigger obsessive thinking and alter our mood, temperament, motivation, and personality.

The best way to respond to the fear of terrorism is to acknowledge our mortality and then to live for what matters most. Watching last night’s Emmys, my wife remarked after the “In Memoriam” tribute that many of the deceased actors were our contemporaries. As we grow older, death becomes more real.

And living on purpose becomes more urgent. Julia Louis-Dreyfus won an Emmy last night for her work in Veep. In her acceptance speech, she revealed that her father had died two days earlier. She said, “I’m so glad he liked Veep because his opinion was the one that really mattered.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – NY BOMBING: UP TO 5 NOW IN CUSTODY  →

It’s not often that an academic report changes the conversation about religion in America, but one just did. Georgetown University professors Brian Grim and Melissa Grim of the Newseum Institute have unveiled their groundbreaking study: “The Socio-economic Contributions of Religion to American Society: An Empirical Analysis.” Here’s the summary:

• Religion in the US contributes $1.2 trillion each year to our economy and society.
• Despite declining religious affiliation in the American population, religious organizations have tripled the amount of money spent on social programs in the last fifteen years—to $9 billion.
• Religion’s $1.2 trillion impact is more than the annual revenues of Apple, Amazon, and Google combined.

The study notes that congregations and religiously affiliated charity groups are responsible for:

• 130,000 alcohol and drug abuse recovery programs.
• 94,000 programs to support veterans and their families.
• 26,000 programs to prevent HIV/AIDS and to support those living with the disease.
• 121,000 programs to provide support or skills training for unemployed adults.

While religion contributes $1.2 trillion each year, religious tax-exemptions cost the US $71 billion. In other words, religion contributes seventeen times more to America than it costs.

This good news comes as we are facing unprecedented attacks on religious liberty and increasing skepticism regarding our contribution to the common good. For instance, 63 percent of atheists and agnostics believe that religious institutions contribute not much or nothing at all to solving social problems.

Continue reading Denison Forum – US RELIGION WORTH $1.2 TRILLION →

About three million Americans are diagnosed with pneumonia each year. Only one of them is running for president of the United States.

Hillary Clinton’s pneumonia continues to generate headlines this morning. According to her physician, she was diagnosed last Friday and put on antibiotics. After she collapsed Sunday morning, she was taken to her daughter’s New York City apartment. She exited the building ninety minutes later and told the press she was “feeling great.” A few hours later, her campaign announced that she has pneumonia and is recovering.

Her campaign is now working with her doctor to release “additional medical information,” according to her press secretary. He assured the public that “there is no other undisclosed condition.” However, many are skeptical. As Damon Linker notes in The Week, “Political trust is a fragile thing. Once it’s gone, it’s exceedingly difficult to get back.”

Mrs. Clinton is not the only candidate with trust issues. Donald Trump is facing his own questions regarding his health, his taxes, and his much-disputed statements on the war in Iraq. According to a recent poll, 60 percent of Americans believe Hillary Clinton is “not honest and trustworthy”; 58 percent say the same about Mr. Trump.

You might think that our trust issues begin and end with our presidential candidates, but the facts say otherwise.

According to David Brooks’s latest column in The New York Times, a generation ago, about half of all Americans felt they could trust the people around them. Now less than a third of us think other people are trustworthy. Only 19 percent of millennials believe other people can be trusted. As Brooks notes, “We set out a decade ago to democratize the Middle East, but we’ve ended up Middle Easternizing our democracy.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – WHAT HILLARY CLINTON’S HEALTH CONTROVERSY SAYS ABOUT US →

North Carolina adopted legislation in March 2016 which mandates that in government buildings, individuals may use only restrooms and changing facilities that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates. Gov. Pat McCrory defends the law as a way to protect young girls from potential predators.

The National Basketball Association and other groups are already boycotting the state because of this law. According to today’s Wall Street Journal, the NCAA has announced that it is pulling seven tournament games from the state for the same reason. This after attempts were made over the summer in California to remove funding from religious universities that defend biblical sexuality and marriage.

As ethicist David Gushee warns, “On LGBT equality, middle ground is disappearing.” Gushee is himself a convert to the LGBT cause and advocate for same-sex marriage. While I disagree strongly with his reasoning, I agree that discrimination against Christians who “discriminate” against the LGBT community will continue to escalate.

As with all challenges, the time to decide we will act with courage is before courage is required. Case in point: “Sully” Sullenberger and the “Miracle on the Hudson.”

Chesley B. Sullenberger III was a fighter pilot with the US Air Force before serving as a commercial pilot for twenty-nine years. Then came January 15, 2009. His actions after birds knocked out both engines of his jet saved the lives of all 155 people on board US Airways Flight 1549.

Continue reading Denison Forum – NCAA TO MOVE 7 EVENTS FROM NORTH CAROLINA, CITES BATHROOM LAW →

Remember the three firefighters who raised the American flag over the rubble of Ground Zero on September 11, 2001? The flag had been taken from a yacht moored in lower Manhattan. Shortly after its iconic photograph was taken, however, it disappeared.

Somehow it made its way to Washington State. In 2014, a man gave it to a local fire station; police determined its authenticity and returned it to its original owners. They later donated it to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, where it was unveiled yesterday.

The flag symbolizes the resolve of the American people in responding to the worst terrorist attack in our history. This Sunday will mark fifteen years since 2,996 people were killed and more than 6,000 were injured. Like me, you will never forget where you were on that horrific day. You may have wondered across the years what you can do to honor those who died and to prevent future attacks on our nation.

Let’s consider the second question first. Since 9/11, we have seen the rise of ISIS and multiple other radical Islamist groups across the world. They threaten our lives and our way of life. We must respond with our best military, economic, political, and cultural resources.

At the same time, this is ultimately a spiritual conflict with enemies who are motivated by an apocalyptic spiritual vision. That’s why it is imperative that God’s people pray for God’s Spirit to reveal God’s Son to Muslims the world over. In response to such visions and dreams, more Muslims than ever before are coming to faith in Jesus. We must increase our intercession as we fight this battle on our knees.

Now to the first question: How can we honor those who serve and those who have died? A dear friend of mine has made me aware of one specific answer to this vital question: the 9/11 Heroes Run.

This is a national race series that will be held in more than fifty locations across the US and abroad. Its purpose is to honor and remember the heroes of 9/11, those who fought in the wars since, and local heroes in each community where a race will be held: police, fire, military, veterans, and their families.

The 9/11 Heroes Run was inspired by Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, who lost his life in service to our country in 2007 as he selflessly protected his battalion in Iraq. Before his final deployment, Travis visited Rescue One in New York City—the station which lost nearly all its firefighters on 9/11—and developed a deeper passion for his service in Iraq.

His brother, Ryan, is president of the Travis Manion Foundation and explains: “Knowing that so many people gave their lives during the 9/11 attacks touched my brother Travis in a way that would forever change him.” The 9/11 Heroes Run is a tribute to Travis’s personal commitment to the heroes of that day.

Across its history, the 9/11 Heroes Run has raised over $3 million to facilitate programs for more than 60,000 veterans and family members of the fallen. It has invested more than $500,000 in local race communities to support police, fire, military, veterans, and their families. To donate or find other ways to support this effort, visit http://www.911heroesrun.org.

This weekend, let’s make time to pray. Let’s find a way to honor those who died and those who serve our nation and people. And let’s find practical ways to honor God’s call: “Through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). As the song says, “They will know that we are Christians by our love.”

Denison Forum

People are talking today about the new Apple iPhone, congressional debates over legislation to battle Zika, and Gretchen Carlson’s $20 million settlement with Fox. But the news that most caught my eye this morning has to do with a movie that won’t be in theaters for two more months.

Hacksaw Ridge is Mel Gibson’s new film. It tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a World War II army medic who refused to bear arms but received the Medal of Honor after he saved dozens of his fellow soldiers. The movie was shown at the Venice International Film Festival last Saturday. According to USA Today, the audience gave Gibson a ten-minute standing ovation when the film ended.

It was my privilege to see Hacksaw Ridge at a private showing a few days ago, then participate in a discussion with Gibson. I don’t remember ever being as moved by a movie as I was by his film. Looking back, I can identify three reasons for my response.

Part of my reaction was the realism with which Gibson depicts the violence of the battle scenes. Hacksaw Ridge is a cliff-like formation on the island of Okinawa, Japan. It was the scene of a two-week struggle between US and Japanese soldiers. Gibson told our group that he depicted the war violence with such realism in order to demonstrate the atrocities Doss faced and the courage he displayed.

A second reason for my visceral reaction is the fact that my father, a World War II veteran, fought with the Army in the South Pacific. He would not discuss what he experienced with our family. Like so many veterans, he could not put into words what he went through. I have visited several World War II museums and had a sense of what the Pacific theater was like, but the movie brought home my father’s suffering in a way that moved me deeply. It made me realize again the immeasurable sacrifice so many continue to make in defending our nation and our freedoms around the world.

Continue reading Denison Forum – MEL GIBSON RECEIVES STANDING OVATION FOR NEW FILM →

“We knew our father may not be alive for our future wedding, so we decided to capture the poignant moment before it was lost forever.” This is how Becca Duncan explains the decision she and her twin sister Sarah made to have wedding photos made with their father, even though neither is engaged. Their dad is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, so they staged their wedding pictures with him while they can.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports that basketball great Charles Barkley traveled to Craig Sager’s bedside as the broadcaster recovers from a third bone marrow transplant. Sager is battling aggressive leukemia, and Barkley wanted to show his support. This despite Barkley’s recent hip surgery and his doctor’s warning that he should not yet travel. Sager’s wife had a cold and couldn’t be with him in the hospital, so Barkley flew to Phoenix to take her place.

I often encourage Christians to use our influence for the greatest public good. As our culture becomes increasingly hostile to biblical truth and faith, our courageous public witness becomes increasingly vital. We can learn from the Duncan twins and Charles Barkley—their public actions called attention to dread diseases and gave us compassionate examples to follow.

But there’s another side to the story: those who serve far from the limelight are as important as those who make the news. Heroes who are unsung on earth are applauded in heaven.

In 1 Samuel 9, an unnamed servant led Saul to Samuel, who anointed him the first king of Israel (vv. 5–6). Gideon’s three hundred heroes are unnamed in Scripture, but their actions preserved the nation (Judges 7:6–8).

Paul’s unnamed nephew prevented a plot to murder the apostle (Acts 23:16–22). Without his bravery, Paul would have been killed before writing the books of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and 2 Timothy.

Continue reading Denison Forum – TWINS TAKE WEDDING PHOTOS WITH FATHER, WHO HAS ALZHEIMER’S →

It’s been a busy holiday weekend. Here are some of the headlines: the Catholic Church declared Mother Teresa a saint. Hermine is ruining holiday plans on the East Coast. College football has seen a weekend of upsets: Wisconsin beat LSU, Houston won over Oklahoma, and Texas defeated Notre Dame in overtime. Serena Williams won her 307th match in a Grand Slam tournament, the most in the history of women’s tennis. And North Korea fired three ballistic missiles this morning.

Now we’ve come to the most oxymoronically named day of the year. According to the United States Department of Labor, Labor Day “is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”

So workers are honored by a day in which we do not work. That’s like a music awards show in which there is no music. The fact that we reward laborers by giving them a day without labor says something important about the way our culture views work.

Many people see work as a means to a better end, a necessity that pays the bills for the things we’d rather be doing. We bifurcate work and the rest of life. Is this how God sees work?

According to the Bible, “God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). “Put” translates a Hebrew word meaning “place, situate, settle down.” This was intended to be his permanent station, not just his temporary location.

God settled Adam in Eden “to work it and keep it.” “Work” translates a word meaning “to cultivate, labor, serve.” “Keep” means “to watch, guard.” The syntax makes clear that this was to be his ongoing lifestyle, not just his occasional activity.

Note that God’s call to work came before the Fall. In the perfect paradise of Eden, men and women were intended to work. This was not just what they did in the Garden—it was their purpose and lifestyle there.

From this fact we can conclude that God’s perfect plan includes a “garden of Eden” for each of us, an assignment we are to “work” and “keep.” We have a calling that makes our lives relevant today and significant eternally. He wants to fill every moment of every day with purpose and fulfillment.

So choose to see your work as your ministry. Know that the division between “clergy” and “laity” is unbiblical. There is no distinction between the “secular” and the “sacred” to the God who made everything and calls it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). The first person you see tomorrow is someone for whom Jesus died. Your work is your service to your Father and your gift to his children.

Labor Day is a great day to make Jesus the Lord of every dimension of your life and ask his Spirit to redeem every hour for God’s glory and our good. Andrew Murray noted, “God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to him.”

Will yours be that life?

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According to Vox, the average restaurant meal is four times larger than in the 1950s. Apple will reportedly allow customers to order their new iPhone 7 in the color black. Ikea says that future homes will have vegetable planters lining their kitchen walls, furniture will double as exercise gear, and sensors throughout the house will respond instantly to our actions.

These stories illustrate the first rule of marketing: give the people what they want. Successful businesspeople know that they must connect their products to our interests, needs, and hopes before we will buy what they are selling.

Atheists are learning the same lesson.

Sean McDowell teaches apologetics at Biola University and is the author of over eighteen books. His latest blog post is titled “The New Face of Atheism.” According to Dr. McDowell, this “face” isn’t a person but a movement.

Rather than seeking to eradicate churches, this movement wants to create secular communities alongside them (the growth of atheist churches is an example). It emphasizes relationships and rituals more than rational arguments. While rejecting the truth of Christianity, it focuses more on practical issues than the big questions of life.

These atheists are on to something. Our postmodern culture is convinced that “truth” is personal and subjective. You cannot have a logical debate with someone who doesn’t trust logic. Of course, the claim that there is no such thing as truth is itself a truth claim. Nonetheless, more people than ever are focused on practical issues rather than philosophical arguments. Many atheists are riding the tide of this cultural shift.

Continue reading Denison Forum – A VITAL LESSON CHRISTIANS CAN LEARN FROM ATHEISTS →

“Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world” (John Milton).

Yesterday was a “transcendent moment of awe” for our family as we welcomed Wesley Noah Denison into the world. Our lives are changed forever by this baby boy. He will never remember the day of his birth, but we will never forget it.

Wesley’s parents are our younger son, Craig, and his wife, Rachel. Craig directs brand strategy for our ministry and writes First15, our daily devotional. Rachel writes for their website, Craig + Rachel Denison, and for http://www.christianparenting.org. Both are remarkable musicians and worship leaders. And both love Jesus as passionately and intimately as anyone I have ever known.

Today they can say with Hannah, “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him” (1 Samuel 2:27). From the moment we knew of Wesley’s conception, our family has prayed diligently for him. Today we are rejoicing in the miracle of his birth with hearts overflowing with gratitude to God.

Carl Sandburg was right: “A baby is God’s opinion that life should go on.”

God did not make this little boy because the world needed another human to join the 7.4 billion of us already here. The Lord made Wesley because he wanted another child he could love. As much as we already love this baby, his heavenly Father loves him more. In fact, he loves Wesley as much as he loves his own Son (John 17:26).

We cannot imagine the world Wesley will know. The technological advances, the cultural changes, the geopolitical shifts ahead are all unseen to us and to him. As John F. Kennedy noted, “Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – WELCOMING OUR GRANDSON INTO THE WORLD      →

This morning’s ABC News headline caught my eye: “Dog Swims Over 6 Miles to Reunite With Family After Falling Off Boat in Lake Michigan.” The ten-month-old puppy fell overboard, swam to shore, then walked over twelve miles to a campground where she was reunited with her family the next day.

Now consider another story of resilience. Humans have long aspired to go to Mars, but six months of travel and life in claustrophobic conditions make the psychological part of the expedition as daunting as the physical. ICE environments (isolated, confined, and extreme) have long challenged explorers.

That’s why six astronauts spent twelve months in isolation on a simulated Martian plain. The three-woman, three-man crew lived in a dome-shaped habitat on a lava plain on the flank of Mauna Loa in Hawaii. They worked in conditions as close to Martian as science could make them. And they proved that humans are often as resilient as we need to be.

To many Christians, our culture feels more Martian by the day. As a recent article noted, “Many conservative Christians just don’t feel welcome in their own country. They say they are either mocked or erased in popular culture.” One pastor asked, “When was the last time you saw an evangelical or conservative Christian character portrayed positively on TV?”

But God promises, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Scripture enjoins us: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

Rather than viewing negative cultural shifts as cause for retreat, let’s use them to strengthen our commitment to serving Jesus. In this context, consider David Brooks’s latest column in The New York Times. In his view, personal strength is a product of personal significance.

Continue reading Denison Forum – TWO AMAZING STORIES OF RESILIENCE     →

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is generating headlines with his refusal to stand during the national anthem at football games. He explained his decision to reporters: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.”

He later added: “This is because I’m seeing things happen to people that don’t have a voice, people that don’t have a platform to talk and have their voices heard and effect change. So I’m in the position where I can do that and I’m going to do that for people that can’t.” Response from NFL players and fans has been as varied as you’d expect, some voicing support for his position and others protesting vehemently.

Let’s begin with the obvious: Kaepernick has the right to stand or sit when the national anthem is played. He also has the right to express his views on our national challenges regarding racism, violence, and poverty. And it’s tragically clear that America has not yet achieved the racial and economic equality we should all seek for our country.

However, I disagree with the way Kaepernick has expressed his convictions, for two reasons.

One: He is wrong to redefine the meaning of the flag.

Kaepernick claims that the American flag represents justice and that so long as oppression remains, he will sit while the flag is honored. That may be what it means to him, but it’s not what the flag means to the vast majority of Americans.

To most of us, our flag represents freedom and those who have died in its defense. While Kaepernick has expressed his gratitude for the military, he should know that many see his actions as disrespecting the people who have died for our country. The anthem Kaepernick refuses to honor calls America “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” This is the land of the free precisely because it is the home of the brave.

Continue reading Denison Forum – 2 REASONS WHY I DISAGREE WITH COLIN KAEPERNICK              →