A Bridge Over Troubled People
Sinners of all stripes find a church home under the I-35.
By Deann Alford

Life Is Unfair (and That's Okay)
When we are battered or baffled by personal injustices, God whispers, If you do what is right, it will go well with you. An excerpt from Your God Is Too Safe
Mark Buchanan

Lessons From Two Sides of AIDS
An HIV-positive woman and a wealthy businessman are reminded of God's expansive love at a unique camp.
Corrie Cutrer

What God Hath Not Joined
Why marriage was designed for male and female.
By Edith M. Humphrey

When Marriage Brings Suffering
The meaning of marital covenants in bleak seasons.
By David P. Gushee

Differently Disabled
Forrest Gump without the extravagance: the ordinary life of Bill Porter.
By Crystal Downing

Wisdom for Ministry
Quotations to stir the heart and mind
Richard A. Kauffman

Currents Shaping Our World: The Purpose-Driven BestSeller
Devotional tops secular charts, and your church is reading it.
With information from USA Today and LeadershipJournal.net

Fun, Friendly Advice
The Unauthorized Guide to Choosing a Church leads church hunters through the liturgy, the lingo, and the lunacy
Cindy Crosby

Matters of Opinion: Free Love Didn't Come Cheap
It's hard to share your body when your heart keeps getting in the way.
by Frederica Mathewes-Green

Appropriate Affection
Michael E. Phillips

BEING MORAL ISN'T ALWAYS ENOUGH
What you may do and what you should do are two different things.
Archibald D. Hart

I Actually Like Elders Meetings!
One question changed my tune and taught me to move in step with them.
Keith Mannes

Too Much to Ask?

Good Neighbor Policies

Books & Culture 's Book of the Week: Getting Ahead in Order to Serve
Why Christian ambition isn't an oxymoron
Beth Henary

A Sureer Footing

The Gallery: The Inner Circle
Huguenot intrigues swirled around a handful of key figures.
Emily Alger; Matt Donnelly

Seen Through
Christ of Sinai and the splendor of Byzantium at the Met.
by Emily Jorjorian Lowe

When Marriage Brings Suffering
The meaning of marital covenants in bleak seasons.
By David P. Gushee

Rainbow Coalitions
African American, Hispanic pastors lead the charge against gay marriage.
Tony Carnes

Letters

The Enigma of Anger
Reflections on a sometimes deadly sin
Garret Keizer

Seven Sirens

All Apologies
Are today's kinda culpas more safe than sorry?
By Nathan Bierma

The Back Page: Guilt Good and Bad
The early warning signs
Philip Yancey

Weblog: Falwell Apologizes For Calling Muhammad a Terrorist
Are clergy likely to be excluded from juries, or just black clergy?
Ted Olsen

Screwtape's Strategies for Pastors

Is Beauty the Beast?
After I stopped hating good looks, I was able to put beauty inits rightful place.
by Karen Lee-Thorp

Is Beauty the Beast? Part 2
After I stopped hating good looks, I was able to put beauty inits rightful place.
by Karen Lee-Thorp

ICONS EVERY PASTOR NEEDS
Six ways to remember your value.
Greg Asimakoupoulos

THE BACK PAGE
Paul D. Robbins

THE SEARCH FOR APPLAUSE
Henri Nouwen

Dropping the Mask
When I blow it, I let my church know it. And they respect me for it.
By Dave Stone

Where Did My Mind Go?
How one pastor faced the loss of… well … ah …
Chris Maxwell

Rush to Judgment?
Israel Antiquities Authority's 'findings' bother many archaeologists.
By Gordon Govier

Clean Air for Ears
The FCC has rejoined the war against indecency.
A Christianity Today editorial

Authentic Fellowship
How do we learn the deep 'one another' community of Scripture without being in close proximity?
Karen Shepard

One Friendship at a Time
Kids Hope USA shows the power of mentoring children
Bert Ghezzi

Hulking Rage
An epidemic of anger at the cineplex
Jeffery Overstreet

Weblog: New York Times Blames Christians for Missionary's Death in Lebanon
CAIR's Ibrahim Hooper says Graham, Falwell, and Robertson are equivalent to Osama bin Laden, and other stories from online sources around the world
Ted Olsen

Good Question: Keys to Forgiving
Lewis B. Smedes

Weblog: How Integrated is Your Church?
Plus: The power of small groups, the Bible goes back to school, and other stories from newspapers around the world.
Compiled by Ted Olsen | posted 6/5/00

The Healing Music of Ladysmith Black Mambazo

In Search of a Multicultural Bottom Line
Chris Rice

Amazing Grace-Filled Gossip

Baptism + Fire
Suffering may build character, but ultimately it's not about us.
By Mark Galli

Smuggling Cats for a Gay Celebrity
Love took an unusual expression for this man dying of AIDS.
By Jonathan David Taylor

The Visit
An almost clichéd form of Christian service to the elderly remains one of the most vital.
By Virginia Stem Owens

Eat, Drink, and Relax
Think the Pilgrims would frown on today's football-tossing, turkey-gobbling Thanksgiving festivities? Maybe not.
Elesha Coffman

The Lord Our God Is One
Three Christians trace their roots back to the Hebrew Bible-and encounter God's present-day chosen people.
By Steven Gertz

What Makes This Week Holy?
Jewish and Christian celebrations this week aren't just springtime rituals.
By Timothy George

Christianity Today News Briefs
Booting the Salvation Army, falling giving, and suing for rights.
By CT staff

Silencing Rights Talk
Law would shut down many faith-based groups.
By Sue Sprenkle

Weblog: Democrat Says He Was Fired From Catholic Charities Over Abortion
Plus: Another blow to the partial-birth abortion ban, church attacks in India and Cyprus, and other stories from online sources around the world.
Compiled by Ted Olsen

Community and Conscience
Catholics and contraception.
Jenell Williams Paris

Praying for Terrorists
Christians seek healing in Beslan.
By Dawn Herzog Jewell

Weblog: Ravi Zacharias, Rich Mouw Speak in Mormon Tabernacle
Plus: Couple attempts to sacrifice children at church altar, the new head of the Catholic bishops' conference, a focus on Dobson, and other stories from online sources around the world.
Compiled by Ted Olsen

Christian History Corner: Is Christianity Oppressive to Women?
Sometimes our Christian heritage must be overcome, not celebrated.
By Linda Hartz Rump

Lonesome Blues
The consolations of frontier religion
Barry Hankins

Good & Evil in Middle-earth
The characters are mythic, but the epic sweeps across a Christian moral landscape.
Ralph C. Wood

Compassionate in War, Christian in Vision
The man behind the Geneva Conventions knew the heights of success and the depths of failure
By David Neff

Slaughter of the Innocents, 2004
The Netherlands celebrates Christmas by reenacting Herod.
By Frederica Mathewes-Green

An Alternative Africa
The world of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.
By Susan VanZanten Gallagher

My House, God's House
Hospitality is not merely good manners but a ministry of healing
Marilyn Chandler McEntyre

Reflections: Quotations to Contemplate
Quotations to contemplate on listening

Bill Moyers's National Bible Study
This Southern Baptist preacher-turned-journalist wants to get America talking about the stories of Genesis.
by David Neff

Doing Time
Do correctional facilities correct anything?
by Nathan Bierma

The Gift of Rebuke

Three Ways to Bring About Repentance

Ecumenism: Pope Apologizes
Ecumenical News International

Fashion Statement
Missionaries who dressed like the Chinese suffered a few snags.
Alvyn Austin

In Search of the Good Marriage
It's not just couple-centered.
By Lauren F. Winner

What the Rules Don’t Cover
Jared Mackey

Surf Here Often?
Online matchmaking is changing the Christian dating game
Amber L. Anderson

When Marriage Brings Suffering
The meaning of marital covenants in bleak seasons.
By David P. Gushee

Divine Theater
God's weightiness in worship.
by Sue A. Rozeboom

The Blessed Evangelical Mary
Why we shouldn't ignore her any longer
Timothy George

Would a Christian Bachelorette Be Different?
A panel of Christian singles discusses the proliferation of reality dating shows and the turn from seeking one-night stands to seeking spouses

What the Rules Don’t Cover
Jared Mackey

Did You Know?
Interesting facts about the history of recorded history.

Forgetting God
Why decadence drives out discipline.
By Philip Yancey

Anglican Priest Hopes to Boldly Go Where No Clergyman Has Gone Before
Ken Clapham wants to be the international space station's chaplain.
Cedric Pulford

The CT Review: Andy Griffith Is My Copilot
Joey Fann's popular TV-based Bible study spins off an episode guide/devotional
Edward Gilbreath

Can We Talk?
A project sponsored by Gordon College's Center for Christian Studies offers models for constructive engagement across lines of division.
By John Wilson

Water from Home
Parched and hurting, I stood alone.
By Ted Traylor

Too Much to Ask?

The Longest Saturday
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down
Evelyn Bence

This Poor Gray Ember of Creation
Marilynne Robinson's Gilead is a novel to savor
Thomas Gardner

Faith, Fear, War, Peace
Snapshots of the grim and 'happy' ministry of today's military chaplains.
By Deann Alford

Limit Conditions
How to portray the Holocaust on stage and film.
By Jan Lüder Hagens

Back to the Basics
Christian-Muslim violence requires a 'new' missions strategy: Forgiveness and love.
By Obed Minchakpu in Jos

Praying for Terrorists
Christians seek healing in Beslan.
By Dawn Herzog Jewell

Weblog: Not Just Entertainment
The RAND Corporation claims TV is teaching kids healthy views of sex. The New York Times Magazine offers a reality check
Ted Olsen

Australia's Churches Call On Nation to Acknowledge 'Stolen Generations'
"Country's National Council of Churches demands apology, compensation to Aboriginals"
Margaret Simons

Why Our Friends Won't Stop, Look, and Listen
We try too hard to convince people that Christianity is true without first convincing them that it might be true.
by John G. Stackhouse, Jr.

Faith, Fear, War, Peace
Snapshots of the grim and 'happy' ministry of today's military chaplains.
By Deann Alford

Smuggling Cats for a Gay Celebrity
Love took an unusual expression for this man dying of AIDS.
By Jonathan David Taylor

The Nightmare of North Korea
One man's story of brutality, courage, love, and freedom.
By Kang Hyeok

Yancey: Getting to Know Me
In most ways important to God, I had failed miserably.

Trying Patience on for Size
If Christians are to be clothed with patience, why do so many of us feel naked?
Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.

Rediscovering the Holy Spirit, Part 1
Bible scholar Gordon Fee thinks we have domesticated the Holy Spirit and missed the point of his mission
By Wendy Murray Zoba

First Things First
Teaching about worship by asking the right questions
Ron Rienstra

A Discerning Spirit
Making good choices in an era of liturgical change
John D. Witvliet

Road-Test
Andrw Jones

Toxic Maxims
Misleading advice about business ethics from America's leadership expert.
by David W. Gill

Weblog: Can a Government Love Its Neighbor as Itself?
The Weekly Standard examines Bush's Golden Rule
Compiled by Ted Olsen

"In Custody Dispute Between Church Attendee and Alleged Pedophile, Church Attendee Loses"
"Suing over the golden rule, and Jabez's territory continues to expand."
Ted Olsen

Autumn Books
Some that stand out in this season's plenty.
By John Wilson

Can We Be Good Without Hell?
Jerry L. Walls

The People's Prophet
Simon Kimbangu's brief but powerful ministry inspired faith in Central Africans and fear in white authorities. Imprisoned for stirring up the Congolese people, Kimbangu became the catalyst for Africa's largest independent church.
Steve Rabey

A Taste of Thomas
With systematic seriousness, the doctor answers a key question of faith: If God predestines, why should we pray?
Thomas Acquinas

Attack of the Bible-Moths
From the way Oxford scorned the Holy Club, you would think the Wesleys had created a monster.
Elesha Coffman

Florida Bishop Defies Episcopal Church Head
The consecration of a new bishop becomes the latest battleground between Frank Griswold and the American Anglican Council
Douglas LeBlanc

What Will Heaven Be Like?
Thirty-five frequently asked questions about eternity.
Peter Kreeft

A Regular Purpose-Driven Guy
Rick Warren's genius is in helping pastors see the obvious
Tim Stafford

Every Fraud Needs a Cure
How perpetrators are more gullible than their victims. An excerpt from Cleaning Up.
By Barry Minkow

Pop Love for a War-Torn World
Atomic Bomb is classic U2, with a prescription for healing the world.
By Scott Calhoun

Praying for Terrorists
Christians seek healing in Beslan.
By Dawn Herzog Jewell

Making Disciples by Sacred Story
Biblical storytelling conveys the realities of our faith better than almost any other form of communication.
By Walter Wangerin Jr.

Fresh Insight
Hearing with the Heart reflects on discerning God's direction
Cindy Crosby

The Pain of Gain
How Much is Enough? describes how we turn to fleeting satisfactions and away from God
Cindy Crosby

Too Much to Ask?

One Last Thought

Bearing The Cross: 'Deceitful Propaganda'
What you can do to help persecuted Christians in Laos
Jeff M. Sellers

Good Boundaries Make Good Christians
The difference between welcome and inclusion
Good Fences, reviewed by David Neff

Meeting Professor Tolkien
An American professor spent a summer with Tolkien. He remembers the man, his faith, and his writings.
Clyde S. Kilby

Currents That Shape Your Soul

Soft Patriarchs
A conversation with Brad Wilcox.
Interview by Michael Cromartie

Where Stormie Finds Her Power
Stormie Omartian is a bestselling author precisely because she doesn't have a picture-perfect life
By Tim Stafford

Nuptial Agreements
Two models of marriage claim biblical warrant and vie for evangelicals' allegiance. Advocates of both claim good results. But do we have to choose?
Agnieszka Tennant

Baptism + Fire
Suffering may build character, but ultimately it's not about us.
By Mark Galli

When Backward Is Forward
Christmas may be the best argument against genetic enhancement.
by Andy Crouch

Serious Love
Love That Works: seeking a better understanding.
Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Minutes From Death

Preacher in the hands of an Angry Church

A Community of Foes
Andy Crouch

Too Racy for Bible Study
Origen could not believe the Song of Songs was a hymn to erotic love. So what did it mean?
Warren Smith

The Re-Invention of Love
Piecing together the ancient poetic fragments of Sappho
Alan Jacobs

Skeptical Resurrection
A sci-fi—and psy-fi—journey into space
Phil Christman

Seen Through
Christ of Sinai and the splendor of Byzantium at the Met.
by Emily Jorjorian Lowe

A Bridge Over Troubled People
Sinners of all stripes find a church home under the I-35.
By Deann Alford

Healing Genocide
Ten years after the slaughter, Rwandans begin to mend their torn nation with a justice that is both biblical and African.
By Timothy C. Morgan

Defending Our Neighbor
Can we start a war to protect others?
By Stephen L. Carter

Like a Good Neighbor
Six keys to improve your church's reputation within the community.
John Beukema

Won't You Be Mine?
A Story of Neighbors
Chris Friesen

One Friendship at a Time
Kids Hope USA shows the power of mentoring children
Bert Ghezzi

How Good Parents Give Up on Their Teens
And why they need to take responsibility for the spiritual nurture of their kids.
Carla Barnhill

Becoming a Healing Community
How the church can develop a climate of help to the hurting.
By Margaret Josephson Rinck | posted 8/31/00

Reflections: Discipleship
Quotations to stir heart and mind
Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman

Weblog: Pope Warns Archbishop of Canterbury of Unity 'Difficulties'
"Meanwhile, Rowan Williams speaks of a clear sense of limits in the Anglican Communion"
Ted Olsen

Coming Attractions
Gay activism is not just found in liberal churches
Christianity Today editorial

Coping with Christmas
For adult children of divorced parents, the holidays aren't as happy as they are supposed to be. Author Jen Abbas has some advice.
By Ann Byle

Court Guts Porn Law
Activists promote other methods
By Ken Walker

The Visit
An almost clichéd form of Christian service to the elderly remains one of the most vital.
By Virginia Stem Owens

Dirty Hands and Concrete Action
A conversation with Jean Bethke Elshtain
Michael Cromartie

Reflections: Quotations to Stir Mind and Heart
Reflections on the occasion of John R.W. Stott's 80th birthday
Richard A. Kauffman

Anonymous Are the Peacemakers
For the past century, the Nobel Peace Prize has spotlighted those who work for fraternity among the nations. But strife and warfare are often thwarted by Christians working quietly and prayerfully.
By Gerald Shenk

Ambassador: Sudan Accords Only One Step in Peace Process
Continued effort to implement and monitor Sudan's peace agreement will be necessary to ensure safety for its population, Michael Ranneberger says.
Interview by Rob Moll

Peace in the Trash Can
Protestants disillusioned with Good Friday Agreement.
By Mary Cagney

Dirty Hands and Concrete Action
A conversation with Jean Bethke Elshtain
Michael Cromartie

The Perfect Blend
An earthier version of a veteran musician brings heaven closer.
Reviewed by Russ Breimeier

Good Question: Vegetarians in Paradise
Based on Isaiah 11:6-7 and 65:25, will we be vegetarians in the new heaven and earth as Adam and Eve were before the Fall?
Answered by Bill T. Arnold

Sometimes You Just Need to Disappear
The best pastoring doesn't happen in the office.
Gordon MacDonald

CT Classic: Forgiveness—The Power to Change the Past
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you
Lewis B. Smedes

CT Classic: Controlling the Unpredictable—The Power of Promising
When you make a promise you have created a small sanctuary of trust within the jungle of unpredictability
Lewis B. Smedes

Editor's Bookshelf: Truth and Hope Are Partners
An interview with David Kuhl, author of What Dying People Want
David Neff and Todd Hertz

1997 Book Awards

NEWS: Politicians Pay Homage to America's Preacher
Evangelist Billy Graham issues call to repentance.
By John W. Kennedy in Washington, D.C.

ARTICLE: 1996 Book Award Winners

Jilted Again
Candidating means you gotta handle rejection.
Bob Myers

A Soul of Fire
William Wade Harris - a Liberian activist - left an unsuccessful local ministry to trail across the Ivory Coast. In 18 months, he baptized 100,000 converts.
Elizabeth Isichei

Left Behind
A life of fabulous privilege lost its grip on Thomas.
Robert Payen

This Poor Gray Ember of Creation
Marilynne Robinson's Gilead is a novel to savor
Thomas Gardner

Cheated by the Affirming Church
Contrary to what some churches teach, it is homosexuality—and not its suppression—that enslaves people like me.
by Anonymous

The Spy Who Loved Me
What's real in espionage fiction?
by Jim Ohlson

Weblog: Arthur Andersen Reaches Deal (Again) With Baptist Foundation of Arizona Investors
New TV priests won't be like the Flying Nun, and other stories from online sources around the world
Ted Olsen

Government Decision To Settle Residential School Cases Upsets Churches
Religious leaders complain that the settlement proposal was made without their input.
Ferdy Baglo

Australia's Churches Call On Nation to Acknowledge 'Stolen Generations'
"Country's National Council of Churches demands apology, compensation to Aboriginals"
Margaret Simons

The Dick Staub Interview: Serving God Without God
The author of Running on Empty discusses his life in ministry with and without a walk with God.

The Leprosy Doctor
Paul Brand showed how to serve others sacrificially and emerge with joy
Philip Yancey

The Back Page: Humility's Many Faces
Everyone I've looked up to has shared one trait.
By Philip Yancey

In Search of the Good Marriage
It's not just couple-centered.
By Lauren F. Winner

Wildheart
John Eldredge thinks too many Christians are weak, and churches are often insipid-and he's not going to take it anymore
By Douglas LeBlanc

Food Porn
The secret life of chick lit.
by Susan Wise Bauer

From Ewww ... to Wow!
What a big difference a small spider made.
By Bethany Torode

Shock-jock Preaching

From the Editor

Weblog: FRC Blames White House for Cloning Patent Ban Failure
"More on Anglicans blessing same-sex unions, and other stories from online sources around the world."
Ted Olsen

The CT Review: Machiavelli Marooned
The church offers something that transcends the reality of television.
Robert Pyne

Healthcare: Bearing (some but not all) Burdens
Clean-living Christians create an unusual way to share medical expenses.
By Chuck Fager

Changed by the Unchanging
A new take on the spiritual disciplines calls for a little more action and a lot more love.
Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Christian History Corner: Is Christianity Oppressive to Women?
Sometimes our Christian heritage must be overcome, not celebrated.
By Linda Hartz Rump

Headship with a Heart
How biblical patriarchy actually prevents abuse
Steven Tracy

One-and-One-Half Cheers for the Anglican Primates' Statement
An interview with theologian—and longtime Anglican—J.I. Packer
Mark Galli

Time-and-Emotion Studies
A little historical perspective helps us get a grip on our emotions.
Trey Buchanan

The Day I Brought a Skunk to Church
Gordon MacDonald

Growing Edge: Book Reviews

Editorial: Billy Graham's Soulmate
T. W. Wilson exemplified the sacrificial spirit that makes team ministry work.
Christianity Today Editorial

Editorial: Billy Graham's Soulmate
T. W. Wilson exemplified the sacrificial spirit that makes team ministry work.
Christianity Today Editorial

Roads to Recovery
Following God On Broken Legs
Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Cheated by the Affirming Church
Contrary to what some churches teach, it is homosexuality—and not its suppression—that enslaves people like me.
by Anonymous

The Virtue of Vulnerability
It can be hard to trust, but failing to is worse.
Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Reflections: Classic & Contemporary Excerpts

CONTENDING FOR THE TRUTH...IN CHURCH PUBLICITY
When you tell others about your church, is honesty the best policy?
Wayne Kiser

Mythical Proportions
America is not so generous, free, and innocent as it imagines itself.
Myths America Lives By, reviewed by Greg Taylor

Worldview Boot Camp
Evangelical young people need training in the truth about truth.
By Charles Colson with Anne Morse

Word Power
A little knowledge of New Testament Greek can be a dangerous, or edifying, thing
Gary M. Burge

Theology of the Body
Pope John Paul II on the biblical foundations of marriage and sexuality.
By Laura Merzig Fabrycky

Soft Patriarchs
A conversation with Brad Wilcox.
Interview by Michael Cromartie

Christian History Corner: Is Christianity Oppressive to Women?
Sometimes our Christian heritage must be overcome, not celebrated.
By Linda Hartz Rump