Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview

Monthly Archives: February 2024


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My Review of ORDINARY ANGELS

Ordinary Angels, rated PG
***

This film is based on a true story about a family facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles, that took place in Louisville, Kentucky about thirty years ago. The film, which features strong performances by its two lead characters, was written by Oscar nominee Meg Tilly (Agnes of God), and Kelly Fremon Craig (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.), and was directed by Jon Gunn (The Case for Christ).
The film opens with a baby girl being born to Ed Schmitt, played by Alan Ritchson (Reacher), and his wife Theresa.

***SPOILER ALERT***
A few years later though, Theresa dies from a rare liver disease. Then, to make matters worse, Ed finds out his young daughter, Michelle, played by Emily Mitchell, has the same disease. Continue reading →


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Book Launch: Uncommon Greatness by Mark Miller

Uncommon Greatness: Five Fundamentals to Transform Your Leadership by Mark Miller. Matt Holt. 272 pages. 2024
****

I’ve read and benefitted from all of Mark Miller’s books. In his new book Uncommon Greatness, based on research that included more than four thousand leaders from six countries, he explores the five Fundamentals leaders need to study, practice, develop, and pursue. After the introduction of each Fundamental, which includes examples of those who have demonstrated that Fundamental, there is an entire chapter devoted to best practices and strategies to help you apply what you just read about.
In defining Uncommon Greatness, as opposed to common greatness, the author tells us that Uncommon Greatness is evident by the impact the leader has on others. It releases untapped human potential allowing people and organizations to flourish, creating enduring value. The author challenges, equips and inspires leaders to never settle for mere common greatness again, and tells us that the pursuit of Uncommon Greatness will always encounter opposition. Continue reading →


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THIS & THAT: A Gathering of Favorite Articles and Quotes

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
– More interesting article links
– Favorite Quotes of the Week Continue reading →


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30 More Good Quotes from The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership That Matters by Albert Mohler

Albert Mohler recently published a partially revised and updated edition of his 2012 book The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership That Matters. Click here to read my review of the book. Here are 30 more good quotes from the book:

    • The most essential element in determining whether others will follow you is your credibility to lead them and to guide the organization to the right future.
  • Every single day, the faithful leader must be aware that credibility is the essence of leadership, and that it can be both earned and lost.
  • Leadership doesn’t happen until communication happens.
  • The best leaders know that the road to great effectiveness is paved with intentional communications, and the very best leaders are always learning how to be even more effective as communicators.
  • If you don’t have a message, don’t try to lead. If you do have a message, your task is to communicate it effectively.
  • Leadership is a risk, and those who are afraid to take that risk need to stay far away from the responsibilities of leadership.
  • There is no substitute for effective reading when it comes to developing and maintaining the intelligence necessary to lead.

Continue reading →


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FAITH AND WORK: Connecting Sunday to Monday

Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


Live from the Farewell Tour – Third Day
****

Third Day was one of my favorite bands, and I was fortunate to see them in concert a few times. They were an excellent live band, as they demonstrate on this album.

Their final concert was at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado on June 27, 2018. This album, produced by Scotty Wilbanks, the band’s long-time touring keyboardist, was recorded in a number of locations on their farewell tour (Atlanta, Houston, Red Rocks, etc.). The album was originally available only to Third Day’s fan club members but was recently released on digital platforms.

Third Day featured the powerful voice of Mac Powell, who has gone on to have a successful solo career. This album features a wide selection of songs from Third Day’s career and will be enjoyed by all Third Day fans.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More of this review
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ The Lord Is By My Side by CityAlight

Continue reading →


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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS


The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? by Jim Davis and Michael Graham with Ryan P. Burge. Zondervan. 272 pages. 2023
****

This important new book, written by Jim Davis (teaching pastor at Orlando Grace Church, Michael Graham (Program Director at The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics) with Ryan Burge (associate professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University), uses research on some forty million Americans (about 15 percent of American adults living today), who have left the church over the last twenty-five years. They tell us that we are in the largest and fastest religious shift in the history of our country. This would be an excellent book for church leaders to read and discuss and might also be a good topic for an adult Sunday School class.
What began as a desire to equip the primary author’s local church through a podcast called As in Heaven, became a research project that eventually developed into this book. They engaged social scientists Dr. Ryan Burge and Dr. Paul Djupe to do an academic-review-board-approved, nationwide, quantitative study to answer their questions about the dechurching phenomenon. The authors tell us that the size, pace, and scope of dechurching in America is at such historic levels that there is no better phrase to describe this phenomenon than the Great Dechurching.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by  R.C. Sproul
I’M CURRENTLY READING….

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When the “Cancel Culture” Invades the Church

You may be aware of a recent media firestorm regarding a respected pastor, who had just celebrated forty years at his church.  The controversy dates to last summer, and some counsel pastor Alistair Begg, and host of the Truth for Life radio program, gave to a grandmother that he had not met before.
In short, the grandmother had a grandson who had invited her to his wedding to be married to a transgender person. The grandmother asked Begg if she, a Christian, could attend the wedding. Begg replied that the grandmother could attend the wedding, and bring a gift, so long as it was made clear she is not in agreement with her grandson biblically with the marriage or homosexuality.

You can listen to the program at the link below, or here’s a transcript also:
https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/christian-manifesto-interview/ Continue reading →


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My Favorite Books by Tim Keller – Part 2

Tim Keller’s ministry – sermons and books – have had a significant impact on both me and my wife Tammy’s life. Keller died on May 19, after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Here is our brief tribute to Keller, written a few days after his death.

All of Keller’s sermons and talks were recently made available free on the Gospel in Life site. His sermons and books will continue to influence people for many years to come.

I recently wrote about the first six (of twelve) of my favorite books Keller wrote here. Below are reviews and favorite quotes from the remaining six of my twelve favorite books that he wrote:

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Timothy Keller with Kathy Keller. Penguin Group. 288 pages. 2011. Continue reading →


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My Favorite Books by Tim Keller – Part 1

Tim Keller’s ministry – sermons and books – have had a significant impact on both my and my wife Tammy’s life. Keller died on May 19, after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Here is our brief tribute to Keller, written a few days after his death.

All of Keller’s sermons and talks were recently made available free on the Gospel in Life site. His sermons and books will continue to influence people for many years to come.

Below are reviews and favorite quotes from the first six (of twelve) of my favorite books that he wrote: Continue reading →