December 19, 2022
Traveling by Starlight
Ignatius wrote words about a birth on his way to his death . . .
Articles for tag: Martyrdom
March 28, 2022
Not My Will
How do you respond when life presses down on you and your situation overwhelms you? How do you cope with hard news that takes your breath away? Where do you find the strength to take the next step?
August 15, 2020
Unstoppable
What Acts Teaches Us About Persecution as a Catalyst for Spreading the Gospel By John Whittaker In a great stone room, the apostles stood surrounded by the entire council and senate of Israel—12 ordinary men enveloped by the nation’s most powerful leadership body. “We must obey God rather than men,” Peter and the apostles declared. And the ruling body became like a lynch mob until a single member intervened. “If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail,” Gamaliel said, “but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will
November 1, 2019
How to Stoke a Passion for Living Out Christ’s Mission in Your Church
By Michael C. Mack We planned this issue to tell the stories of mission works located on six of the seven continents around the world. (We know of no mission to the 4,000 people who live in Antarctica during the summer months!) The idea is to demonstrate the ongoing fulfilling of Jesus’ mission to “go and make disciples of all nations” and to be Christ’s “witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth.” We hope these stories help kindle a passion for preaching the gospel message to the whole world . . . but let’s not get ahead
December 25, 2018
Traveling by Starlight
(This Communion Meditation originally appeared online in December 2012.) By Lee Magness For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:16, 17). About AD 110 in the ancient city of Antioch, a revered Christian leader named Ignatius wrote these words: A star shone forth in the heaven above all the stars; and its light was unutterable, and its strangeness caused
February 13, 2017
St. Valentine
By Joe Boyd I am pretty good about remembering my wife”s birthday and our anniversary. Christmas is hard to overlook. But Valentine”s Day always sneaks up on me. If you”re like me, your February 14th may involve a frantic stop at the flower shop to overpay for roses and chocolates. The cynics among us like to claim that Hallmark invented these pop-up holidays to sell greeting cards. Our consumer culture undoubtedly pours a massive amount of gas on the Valentine”s Day fire. But is that all this is? Is there a bigger story at play here? (Hint: there is always
September 21, 2015
Lesson for September 27, 2015: Standing Firm Against Opposition (Acts 7:1-53)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado. This lesson treatment is published in the September 20 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott Opposition always hurts. It especially hurts when it comes from kin. Stephen found that out. The second internal challenge that the church faced (certain widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food) caused the church to select seven men to handle this oversight (Acts
February 14, 2014
Valentine Love
By Tom Claibourne Legends abound regarding the origin of Valentine”s Day and the namesake for the holiday. At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early martyrologies associated with February 14. The best-known account features a Roman priest who was martyred during the reign of Emperor Claudius for refusing to renounce his faith and for defying an edict issued by the emperor. The Roman Empire under Claudius was involved in many bloody, unpopular military campaigns. As a result, it became increasingly difficult to recruit soldiers. The emperor reasoned that the Roman men did
October 28, 2011
You Must Read This . . . Contemplating the Image of Christ
By Patricia Magness Silence Shusaku Endo (translated into English by William Johnston in 1969) Marlboro: Taplinger Publishing, 1980 “Everyone should read this book!” was the emphatic conclusion of class discussion””not coming from the professor, but from a student. The rest of the class agreed, and someone added, “It is painful, but it has changed me.” The comments were like an echo of the very words I had spoken when I finished the book. And each person who reads this book on my recommendation thanks me, even if the thanks is accompanied by tears. Silence, by Japanese Christian writer Shusaku Endo,
