A Better Story Archives - Page 2 of 2

July 15, 2016

By Tim Spivey Greg came to live a better story even through the tragedy of losing an infant child just hours after birth. Greg and his wife (who was a Christian) suffered that unspeakable loss. After I preached the funeral for their dear child, Greg surprised me by asking to study the Bible, and I was thrilled to baptize him into Christ a couple of months later. He eventually became a drummer in our worship band, sporting a large, lifelike tattoo of his recently passed daughter on one arm. He and his wife conceived a second child but were told

July 14, 2016

Christian Standard

Discipleship & Spiritual Formation

From the Mess to a Message of Hope

By Dave Stone Lindsay Knight remembers the hopelessness. It stalked her as a college student, when she had seen too much and been loved too little. It was in the back of her mind as she chased self-worth in being pretty, thin, a good athlete, popular, and successful. After a long string of abusive, destructive relationships left her homeless, alone, and broke, she took the one “yes” she found””to work at a local strip club. It didn”t take long for her to see life at the club wasn”t so glamorous””she didn”t make a lot of money and she didn”t like

July 14, 2016

Christian Standard

Discipleship & Spiritual Formation

Transformed by God”s Grace

By Pat Magness The before and after photographs probably wouldn”t look that different. Both pictures would show a handsome, tall, athletic young man with a big smile. Unlike the transformation depicted in before and after pictures for a weight loss promo or exercise video, this transformation was not in looks, but in attitudes and actions. When I knew him “before,” he was self-absorbed, careless with the feelings of others. Some might have called him arrogant, and while he was never lazy, he often looked for the easy way. Perhaps most disturbing, he treated his sweetheart of a girlfriend with a

July 12, 2016

Mark A. Taylor

Miscellaneous

Your Story Is Not About You Alone

By Mark A. Taylor Like every great novel or memorable movie, your story has a cast of compelling characters. And no matter how much you may hear about telling or improving your story, it will never be about you alone. These other characters in your story set its plot even before you were born. Your parents and theirs, your siblings and your childhood have all colored and directed your story, probably in ways you don”t realize. This is why your counselor pokes and prods to know more about your family and your growing-up years. Your story is not about you

July 11, 2016

Christian Standard

Christian Living

Bad News or Good News?

By T.R. Robertson The narrative of bad news dominates our culture, a cultureÂ that increasingly sees religion as a major purveyor of bad news. “We”re living in a day and age that the news media is a drug-pusher. And negative news is their drug,” says Dr. Peter H. Diamandis. “And on every device that we get””our cell phones, our smart phones, our laptops, our newspapers, our radios””we are fed negative news 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over and over and over again.” Diamandis, speaking in 2013 at a conference called “Global Future 2045: Towards a New Strategy for

July 10, 2016

Christian Standard

Theology & Bible

The Gospel: God”s Better Story

By Rubel Shelly The BibleÂ is a six-actÂ dramaÂ reflectingÂ the lightÂ of our Creator. Ivan Illich (1926″“2002) was an Austrian philosopher and former Catholic priest. As he became increasingly critical of modern education, consumerism, health care, and Western social values in general, he pondered the larger question of how to change society. When asked whether violent revolution or gradual reform was the better way to effect change, he replied: Neither revolution nor reformation can ultimately change a society, rather you must tell a new powerful tale, one so persuasive that it sweeps away the old myths and becomes the preferred story, one so inclusive