|
Monday, April 7, 2008 |
|
|
|
Written by Kevin Boling
|
|
Monday, 07 April 2008 |
|
Putting Meaning in Marriage Today
The secular world has turned marriage into nothing more than a contract to be broken at will. Marriage is conceived of as nothing more than an arena of personal fulfillment. The implications for our culture are massive. As Dr. Albert Mohler noted, “Our culture is so sexually confused that the goods of sex are severed from the vows and obligations of marriage. Thanks to modern technologies, we can have sex without babies, babies without sex, and both without marriage. For many, marriage has become an irrelevancy.”
At the same time, too many Christians have been influenced by this cultural slide. Few are those who understand the greatness attached to marriage in terms of what it is and what its purposes are. Practically speaking, countless Christians fail to take marriage seriously not only to their own detriment, but to the detriment of God’s glory and their witness to the world. We’ve forgotten that marriage is an arena of God’s glory.
The question then becomes, how can we recover the meaning of marriage as Christians and then perhaps as a culture? To put it more simply, how can we put meaning into marriage today? That’s our topic of discussion on today’s edition of “Calling for Truth.”
To listen to the program, click on the words “Read more”Write Comment (0 Comments) |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Thursday, April 3, 2008 |
|
|
|
Written by Kevin Boling
|
|
Thursday, 03 April 2008 |
|
Evangelicals and US Foreign Policy
The question is this, do evangelicals have an opportunity, or even stronger, a responsibility to influence US Foreign Policy?
Specifically, today we are considering what the US response should be to Beijing 2008 (The 2008 Summer Olympics hosted by China), considering China’s notorious reputation for it’s human rights violations.
Our guest on the program today, will be John Whitehead, President of the Rutherford Institute. A recent news headline stated: “Conservative Attorney Calls for President Bush to Boycott the Olympics”.
A copy of the news item provided by the Rutherford Institute reads:
“Attorney John Whitehead believes the rampant greed of large corporations has turned the Olympic Games into a moneymaking enterprise, making it difficult for human-rights activists to call attention to the continued persecution and abuses in the communist Chinese dictatorship.
Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute, says that millions of dollars have already been spent by various companies for the right to sponsor the Beijing Olympics this August. Some of the contributing corporations include Adidas, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Microsoft.
The constitutional attorney says the latest tensions in Tibet illustrate that pouring capitalism into the communist dictatorship has not helped reduce the human-rights violations in that country. "The argument I always heard was that the more [the U.S.] interacted with China, the more they would become like America and revere freedom," he contends. "[But] the opposite has happened. In fact, China is not getting better; they're getting worse."
Whitehead believes President Bush needs to take a strong moral stand and boycott the Olympics, but he does not believe that will happen "because the world is run by greed."
"What we need to do is urge our president to come out and make a moral statement. Evangelicals put him in office, and it's time for him to live up to his professed faith," he argues. "We should not be holding the Olympics in a country like [China]. If we are, at least our president should come out and give a clear voice against it."
Other human-rights activists believe the president should not even attend the high-profile opening ceremonies, which would send an even stronger message to the regime.”
On today’s “Calling For Truth” Radio Program, we will seek to discuss this issues and the role the Evangelicals should play in influencing US Foreign Policy.
To listen to the program, click on the words “Read more”
Write Comment (0 Comments) |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Wednesday, April 2, 2008 |
|
|
|
Written by Kevin Boling
|
|
Wednesday, 02 April 2008 |
|
The Godly Man’s Picture
On today’s “Calling For Truth” Radio Program, we will continue our practice of reviewing one Puritan paperback each month. Each month we joined by Timmy Brister, who founded the 2008 Puritan Reading Challenge.
During the month of March, the book under review was “The Godly Man’s Picture” by Thomas Watson. Watson’s depth of doctrine, clarity of expression, warmth of spirituality, love of application, and gift of illustration enhanced his reputation as a preacher and writer. His books are still widely read today.
“This work is subtitled Drawn with a Scripture Pencil, or, Some Characteristics of a Man who is Going to Heaven. After explaining the nature of godliness, Watson describes twenty-four marks of a godly man, including “moved by faith,” “fired with love,” “prizes Christ,” “loves the Word,” “is humble,” “is patient,” and “loves the saints.” The concluding chapters offer helps to godliness, advice on how to persevere in godliness, counsel, and comfort for the godly, and teaching on the mystical union between Christ and His people.” (excerpt taken from Meet The Puritans).
To listen to the program, click on the words “Read more”
Write Comment (0 Comments) |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 |
|
|
|
Written by Kevin Boling
|
|
Tuesday, 01 April 2008 |
|
Speechless: Silencing the Christians
Anyone who has followed the development of our increasingly secular society knows that the Christian message has been gradually marginalized.
Recently while attending the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville, TN, I had the pleasure of meeting Janet Parshall (she had just moderated a debate between Dinesh D’Souza and Michael Shermer). I thanked her for her role in hosting a new DVD series entitled “Speechless: Silencing the Christians”. Here is a brief synopsis of the first DVD in the series…
“Americans are at greater risk of losing their basic freedoms today than ever before. In this episode of “Speechless. . .Silencing the Christians,” renowned author and commentator Janet Parshall takes you on a journey across the country.
You’ll see how a liberal minority and a misguided concern for political correctness are undermining the morals and values of mainstream America. You’ll meet citizens who have been arrested for speaking at a public rally. You’ll hear from students who have been required to learn verses from the Koran (while Bible reading is banned). You’ll learn about activists pushing social tolerance to such an extreme that the Bible is being labeled “hate speech.”
Follow these cases and learn how you can take action to stop the erosion of your personal freedoms.”
On today’s “Calling For Truth” Radio Program, we will listen to, and then discuss the audio file from this DVD.
To listen to the program, click on the words “Read more”
Write Comment (0 Comments) |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Thursday, March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
Written by Kevin Boling
|
|
Thursday, 27 March 2008 |
|
Expelled – No Intelligence Allowed
A press release that I received yesterday from Angel Picture news stated: “Forget Britney, Obama's pastor and J-Lo's twins: According to “BlogPulse” which surveys the hottest topics and sites in the world of blogs, a site featuring Ben Stein's controversial new film Expelled is the #1 blog on the net.”
Well what is all the fuss about? What is “Expelled” and what is designed to do?
“Expelled – No Intelligence Allowed” is an upcoming feature film in which host Ben Stein goes on a quest to expose the suppression by science's anti-theist elite, and unveil new scientific facts that may suggest evidence of intelligent design in the universe. The film is scheduled to be released in theaters nationally on Friday, April 18th.
According to Mark Mathis, a producer of the documentary, “The film is about what happens to university scientists, professors, researchers who dare to question the theory of neo-Darwinism. The university system is supposed to be a place where you can challenge any idea. We’ve hit a time when that’s not the case; certainly not in the area of biology, paleontology, or astronomy. The academic elitists believe that they have the answer, and you cannot doubt their answer, you cannot question their answer; they will turn your life upside-down if you do. They will deny your tenure; they will not renew your teaching position; they will create a hostile atmosphere, mock you, or destroy your credibility—all of these things for simply challenging the veracity of an idea.
Wait a minute! The university is supposed to be a place where you advance any idea and you are allowed to attack any idea...The freedom of inquiry that’s supposed to take place in academia today in this area has been replaced by a monopoly view that is very dogmatic.”
“According to a story to be published in the May 26, 2007 edition of World Magazine (available online here), two faculty members of the department that denied tenure to Guillermo Gonzales at Iowa State University have admitted that his work on ID played a role in the denial. While Prof. Eli Rosenberg, Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, insisted to the magazine that intelligent design "was not an overriding factor", he then conceded according to the magazine that Gonzalez's pro-ID book The Privileged Planet "played into the decision-making process. He also explained that the reputation of a professor among others in his field is a significant factor." Of course, if "reputation" is used as a code word for whether one's views are popular among fellow scientists, then this is another way anti-ID bias entered into the decision.” (excerpt from the Expelled Chronicle)
On today’s “Calling For Truth” Radio Program we will speak with “Expelled” producer Mark Mathis
To listen to the program, click on the words “Read more”
Write Comment (0 Comments) |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 |
|
|
|
Written by Kevin Boling
|
|
Wednesday, 26 March 2008 |
|
Whatever Happened to Sin?
A recent USA Today article asked the question “Has the ‘notion of sin’ been lost?” The article, which also quotes from a number of Evangelical leaders (such as Michael Horton, Tim Keller, Al Mohler, etc.) builds its case against the lax attitude about sin from a new Ellison Research poll that found that while 87% of U.S. adults believe in the existence of sin, (which is defined as "something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective.") most have skewed viewed of what sin really is.
The poll listed the items and the percentage of Americans that still consider these items to be sin. Topping the list at 81% was Adultery, with Racism a close second at 74%. Other behaviors however don’t seem to still be viewed as sinful, for instance, only 45% consider premarital sex to be sinful and just 30% say gambling is sinful.
The president of Ellison, commenting on the poll results, is quoted as saying, “A lot of this is relative. We tend to view sin not as God views it, but how we view it.”
Ironically, this low view of sin comes at a time when Americans are quite optimistic about their prospect of going to heaven. In a 2003 Barna Research survey, 65% of U.S. Adults said they believed that they would go to heaven and only 5% believed their behavior would be cause to send them to hell.
The president of Barna Research, David Kinnaman noted, “People give intellectual assent to the story of Jesus… but don’t have any application of this Monday through Saturday.”
Tim Keller, Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan (who congregation consists of mostly singles under the age of 40) and author of “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism” says that when he speaks about sin to his audiences he does so with “lots of explanation, because the word is essentially obsolete.”
In this world where the concept of sin is increasingly being redefined or even ignored all together, the church must speak clearly and consistently about what the Bible has to say about sin.
On today’s “Calling For Truth” Radio Program we will discuss the doctrine of sin, using a simple five-point outline. First we will discuss The Explanation of Sin (defining what sin is), The Entrance of Sin, The Extent of Sin, The Effects that Sin has had upon mankind and finally The Expiation of Sin (how the effects of sin can be removed).
To listen to the program, click on the words "Read more"
Write Comment (0 Comments) |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Monday, March 24, 2008 |
|
|
|
Written by Kevin Boling
|
|
Monday, 24 March 2008 |
|
The Importance of a Literal Resurrection
The editors of the “Washington Post” and “Newsweek” sponsor a weekly “On Faith” discussion. This week’s question was straight forward: “Do you have to believe the resurrection is literally true – that Jesus came back to life in his body – to be a Christian?” Religious leaders commented on the question and some of the answers were quite surprising, or perhaps not, if you have followed contemporary trends in the larger Christian world.
Some of the answers demonstrated an ambivalence about the issue while others were revitalized from classic liberalism. Of course, there were the voices of truth affirming that one must indeed believe in the literal resurrection of Christ in order to be saved. It is interesting that the responses were not unlike those the apostle Paul received when He proclaimed the resurrection to a Greek culture: “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter (Acts 17:32).’”
What does the Scripture say about the literal resurrection of Christ? Is the issue of whether or not one must believe in such actually addressed? These questions will be discussed on today’s edition of “Calling for Truth.” In the end, we’ll give you at least a dozen dynamics that point to a literal resurrection.
To listen to the program, click on the words "Read more"
Write Comment (0 Comments) |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Friday, March 21, 2008 |
|
|
|
Written by Kevin Boling
|
|
Friday, 21 March 2008 |
|
Why was Jesus Christ Crucified?
In his popular little book, “The Passion of Jesus Christ”, John Piper seeks to answer the question, “Why was Jesus Christ crucified?” In his response to this question, he lists fifty reasons (drawn from an even greater number of Scriptures) why Christ suffered and died the death of the cross.
Some of those reasons include:
To Please The Father
To Show the Wealth of God’s Love and Grace for Sinners
For the Forgiveness of Our Sins
To Provide a Basis for Our Justification
To Reconcile Us to God
These, of course, these are just a few of the reasons listed in the book, but even this short list of five statements about the cross-work of Christ, provide us with plenty of content to answer the question about the intent of Christ’s crucifixion.
So on today’s “Calling For Truth” Radio Program, we will examine these five statements and discuss the Scripture that supports each statement.
To listen to the program, click on the words “Read more” Write Comment (0 Comments) |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Audio 
