Gracepoint Readings

Can Women Teach?

An Exegesis of 1 Tim 2:11-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:33-40
A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry
by James Choung
“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?”
-John Maynard Keynes, responding to an accusation of inconsistency
While I was in college many years ago, I could never get myself to say it. I didn’t [...]

Breakpoint: Bystanders and Civilization

The Richmond Rape Case
November 9, 2009
 
This commentary was delivered by Prison Fellowship president Mark Earley.
On the night of October 23rd, a 15-year-old girl in Richmond, California, was brutally assaulted by as many as seven young men between the ages of 15 and 20.
One policeman called the events of that night a “barbaric act” and “one [...]

Stop Going to Church

From Boundless Webzine by Jonathan Dodson
For years I went to church. Religiously. I actually went to church for about 25 years. Then I stopped. I’m so glad I did. Instead of going to church, I started being the church. It’s radically changed me. They have changed me. My family has gotten bigger.

Excerpt: Lives Given, Not Taken

21st Century Southern Baptist Martyrs
by Erich Bridges and Jerry Rankin
Click here to download the introduction of this incredible book

Lives Given, Not Taken: 21st Century Southern Baptist Martyrs by International Mission Board President Jerry Rankin and IMB senior writer Erich Bridges, tells the story of eight Southern Baptist workers killed in the past three years.
Bill Koehn, [...]

The Three Conversions

From Boundless Webzine by Jonathan Dodson
For years Kerry coasted in his Christian belief. Burned out by the legalistic culture of his Christian college experience, his post-grad years were a combination of disillusionment and disengagement with church. Church attendance was infrequent. Instead of investing in spiritual things, he decided to pursue his career, start a family, [...]

The Leading Edge

From Touchstone Magazine by Phillip E. Johnson
“My internet reading has once again led my attention toward Africa. On December 27, 2008, the London Times published a short article by Matthew Parris with the long and attention-grabbing title, “As an Atheist I Truly Believe Africa Needs God.” The even longer subtitle summarizes the bottom line: “Missionaries, [...]

Finding and Keeping the Next Generation

From Outreach Magazine by Rob Wilkins
Two our of three high-school students leave church after graduation. How can we reverse the trend?

Forgiven, not forgotten

From World Magazine by Jamie Dean
North Carolina ministry seeks to build ties between prisoners and their children
MAURY, N.C.—Along the back roads of eastern North Carolina, the 1,500 residents of Maury barely outnumber the population of the tiny town’s largest residential facility: the Maury Correctional Institution, a close-security prison holding nearly 1,000 men facing long, hard [...]

Excerpt: Engaging the Powers by Walter Wink

Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination
“This is the most important and exciting theological work to emerge in a generation. It will have a profound effect on Christian thinking well into the next century.” – Charles Elliot Cambridge University

Breakpoint: Sex and the iWorld

Recovering Healthy Relationships
October 5, 2009
This commentary contains material that may not be suitable for children.
A few years ago a pastor named Dale Kuehne took some college students to work in a farming village in Costa Rica—a poor village that lacked electricity and running water. The locals did have a generator, however; once a week, they [...]

Faith & Therapy

By William Kilpatrick
From First Things, February 1999
Seventeen years ago in Psychological Seduction I wrote about the dangers of mixing psychology with religious faith. Such a mixing, I cautioned, would result in a dilution of faith. Six years before that, Paul Vitz had made a similar point in Psychology as Religion: psychology, he wrote, had become [...]

Confession in the Age of Self Esteem

Talk for the Fellowship of Saint James, All Saints Orthodox Church, Chicago, 7 November 2002
by Jim Forest
Among the hottest best-sellers of the 1970s was a book that had the catchy title, I’m Okay, You’re Okay. One of its enthusiastic readers, a young priest in Boston, gave a sermon about it which was a rave review. [...]

Missionary Dating

From Boundless Webzine by J. Budziszewski
“Mark —”
I stopped and rubbed my eyes.
“Mark, about the girl you were going to share an apartment with —”
I stopped again. How do you explain the obvious?
“Look, I’m glad you’re not going through with the idea. And I understand that you weren’t planning to sleep with her. We don’t have [...]

Unhappy Fault

From Touchstone Magazine Webzine by Leon J. Podles on the Integration of Anger into the Virtuous Life
Any institution tends to preserve itself by avoiding conflict, whether external or internal. In addition to this universal tendency, many Christians have a false understanding of the nature and role of anger. It is seen [...]

Who’s on First?

Need perspective on God’s view of dating and courtship? In this article from boundless.org, Author J. Budziszewski tackles this issue head on, recounting a conversation he had with a student in narrative form.

Does It Matter Who You Live With?

From Boundless Webzine by J. Budziszewski
I must have jumped when Mark spoke, because he said “Did I startle you, Professor Theophilus?”
“Yes,” I confessed. “Usually I hear people coming. You just shimmered in, like Jeeves.”
“Who’s Jeebes?”
“Never mind. Are you looking for someone?” He’d glanced over his shoulder.
“Yes, Sarah and Mary were supposed to be right behind [...]

Boyfriend Is Not ‘Outwardly Christian’

From Boundless Webzine by Candice Watters

DEAR BOUNDLESS ANSWERS
One of my closest Christian friends introduced me to your column, and even though I’ve NEVER written to a column editor before, I thought I would give it a try.
I’m 24 years old, currently in my third year of medical school. I’ve been a Christian for most of [...]

BA: Unequally Yoked & Call Me Beautiful

From Boundless Webzine by Candice Watters
DEAR BOUNDLESS ANSWERS
In one of my calculus classes, I met a young man (I’ll call him Jeremy), who offered to help me on a project. At the end of the term, I gave him a Christmas card. To my surprise, he emailed me and told me I could email.
I did [...]

An Immodest Dilemma

From Boundless Webzine by Candice Watters
DEAR BOUNDLESS ANSWERS
I am a Christian guy. I came to know Christ later in life (31 years old) and God has put me through a crash course, so to speak, in the Christian worldview. Now I am dating a wonderful Christian woman who is 28 years old and has known [...]

The Importance of Modesty

From Back to the Bible with Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot: “Although I cannot control what other people wear, especially on the outside world, it seems disrespectful to me to see ladies in church in very short skirts or skimpy, sleeveless tops. I would imagine that it could be distracting to men who are trying to keep [...]