September (Web-only) 2016

The Beard-Battle that Almost Split Christendom
A fond look back at the time when growing facial hair was an excommunication-worthy offense.

How Science Became a Weapon in the Mommy Wars
Peer-reviewed research intensifies parenting debates… and can leave us even more confused.

Why the Whole Church Needs Psalm 137, Violent Imagery and All
A protest song for Syrian refugees and suburban soccer moms.

Church Apps: Distraction or Attraction?
How two Georgia churches are using mobile technology to connect to a new generation of churchgoers.

Melinda Gates: Why Women Are the Best Investment
Women have the power to transform society. But here’s what they need to make it happen.

What to Make of the First Presidential Debate
Things we're reading and discussing this week.

Randy Alcorn: God Wants You to Find Your Happy Place
Why happiness and holiness don’t have to be in conflict.

Why We Keep Ministering in a City Haunted by Violence
Church planter Brian Dye on how the church is helping to heal a troubled Chicago.

The Precarious Future of Assisted Suicide
'Culture of Death' sounds the alarm on pending medical bioethics legislation and other troubling trends.

My Search for a Truly 'Creative' Church
What a 7-month tour through nearly 20 congregations taught me about God's imaginative people.

What Happened When Christian Writers Watched an All-Muslim Movie?
Introducing a new series from film critic Jeffrey Overstreet.

Old Hollywood’s Abortion Secret
What a culture of death tells us about a culture of life.

Save Your Soul: Stop Writing
In the age of push-button publishing, self-disclosure isn't always God's best.

How Uncensored Storytelling Helped Cincinnati Churchgoers to See Their Real Neighbors
What started as a pastor's unorthodox 'community outreach' is now bringing strangers together in the name of narrative.

How Sewing Saved My Sanity
I took up quilting as a hobby. I had no idea it would become a tool for soul care.

How Methodists Invented Your Kid's Grape Juice Sugar High
The weird story behind the church's go-to communion wine substitute.

Stop Snacking on ‘Scripture McNuggets’
A Bible expert diagnoses the bad habits that keep us from feasting on God’s Word.

Q+A: ‘To Joey, with Love’
Country musician Rory Feek shares about faith, heartbreak, and his new film.

Three Theological Reasons Why We Can't Afford Not to Pray for Each Other
Classic doctrines that show us why we must intercede for Christians who are struggling with sin.

Coffee: The Beverage That Fuels the Church
How the church has transformed a cup of joe into a universal display of hospitality.

Disney Made a Film about a Ugandan Christian Female Chess Champion
Movie one of three telling stories of sub-Saharan Africa this year.

'Praying for Our Candidates' During a Hostile Election
We asked pastors how they've been praying for America's office-seekers. Here's what they had to say.

We’re So Unashamed We Wrote a Book on It. Three of Them, Actually
Christians still need a better understanding of the complexity of shame.

I Saw Jesus in Detention
We’re all so busy debating immigration policy that we’ve forgotten something essential.

How Churches Rebuilt a Town After Its Fertilizer Plant Exploded
Three years ago, an industrial disaster nearly blew the city of West off the map. Today, local congregations are at the heart of its recovery and revival.

Why Conservation Is a Gospel Issue
Christians who care about conservation are still too rare a species. A report from the World Conservation Congress.

Phyllis Schlafly Defended Women Like Me
Even with her flaws, the “first lady of the conservative movement” understood a fundamental human desire.

Who's Afraid of Her Own Authority?
As women, we’re often taught to fear power. Here’s how I’ve overcome that fear.

Shoving Your Church Rivals out of Windows for Fun and Profit
Fear of persecution got you down? Seventeenth-century Prague has an elegant solution.

How Mother Teresa Changed Missions
Every outreach-oriented believer should know the secret of the 'Saint of Calcutta.'

Let's Tell the Church's Untold Stories
How you can help us celebrate God's work in the local church.

A Great School Year Begins at—Church?
My church kicks off every new school year with a celebration—Education Sunday
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