Why Is Hope Delayed?
by John W. RitenbaughIt may sound impossible, but we can have hope in the face of the monumental problems facing, not just the United States, but also the entire world. ...
13-Feb-09
The Nanny Church (Part Three)
by David C. GrabbeCharacter is born out of struggle—out of pitting ourselves against events and circumstances or against our own nature. Without something to struggle against, we will never develop discipline or self-control, nor hone our wisdom or foresight. Our prioritization skills languish and become muddled because they are unneeded. Perseverance atrophies from lack of use.
06-Feb-09
What Has Happened to Deference?
by John W. RitenbaughIn a crowded restaurant not long ago, I noticed that a large number of male patrons entered wearing a hat of some kind, but almost none ever removed it from his head, even after being seated and served. ...
23-Jan-09
Jesus, Paul, and the Christian Right
by John W. RitenbaughThe pages of history are amply sprinkled with records of clashes between church and state over who should bear the greater authority in the land. ...
16-Jan-09
The Nanny Church (Part Two)
by David C. GrabbePart One showed that wherever there is a government of man, it tends to take on greater power and responsibility as the governed relinquish their liberty for the sake of being taken care of. ...
09-Jan-09
The Nanny Church (Part One)
by David C. GrabbeThe term "Nanny State" has come to describe a government that insists on over-regulating the individual in order to force him to act according to the government's wishes, rather than allowing the individual to make his own choices. ...
02-Jan-09
A Picture Against a Thousand Words
by StaffIn the past month, motorists around the United States have undoubtedly noticed roadside depictions of the nativity scene of Jesus Christ. ...
26-Dec-08
A Simple Proposition
by Ryan McClureBy now, most of America has heard of Proposition 8—which proclaims, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California"—and the events in California over the denial of rights for homosexuals to marry. ...
19-Dec-08
A Blessing in Winter?
by David C. GrabbeWithin the pages of the Bible, relatively few dates are mentioned. Because of this, and because God works in similar patterns and many of the prophecies have a dual fulfillment, when prophetic dates are mentioned, they take on a special significance. ...
12-Dec-08
Can Heart and Mind Be Separate?
by Staff'Tis the season of much debate and social strife between the Right and the Left over a perennial topic, the separation of church and state. ...
05-Dec-08
Biblical Finance
by Richard T. RitenbaughAll the news that is fit to print these days seems to revolve around our hobbled economy. ...
28-Nov-08
A Telling Juxtaposition
by Richard T. RitenbaughThe fourth Thursday in November, the holiday Americans call Thanksgiving Day, is always followed by an unofficial shopping holiday known as "Black Friday. ...
21-Nov-08
Empirical Selfishness
by David C. GrabbeBack in my college days, one of my roommates was continually bemused by the football fanatics who identified with their team so closely that they would speak in the first person. ...
14-Nov-08
The 'Success' of Pragmatism
by StaffAfter twenty months of primaries and caucuses, conventions, campaign speeches, countless roadside signs, and front-lawn endorsements, the extended election season has finally ended. ...
07-Nov-08
Back to the Future
by Richard T. Ritenbaugh"It's like déjà vu all over again," said legendary Yankees catcher and phrase-mangler, Yogi Berra, many years ago, and how right he was. ...
31-Oct-08
The Glorification of Evil
by David C. GrabbeSunset on October 31 marks the beginning of All Hallow's Even, better known as Halloween, the beginning of All Hallows (or Saints') Day. Many of our readers are already well familiar with the origins of this pagan celebration—a Celtic harvest festival that included spiritism and superstitious rituals, later co-opted by the Roman Catholic Church and joined with its celebration of All Saints' Day.
10-Oct-08
Walking With God
by Clyde FinkleaGenesis 5:22, 24 record: “After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. ...
03-Oct-08
Many Princes
by David C. GrabbeWise Solomon was inspired to write, "Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes. . ." (Proverbs 28:2). In other words, if a people begin turning from righteousness, a natural consequence is greater human oversight--government--in one form or another. ...
26-Sep-08
Panicked Yet?
by Richard T. Ritenbaugh"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" cried Chicken Little. ...
19-Sep-08
Succeeding in the New World
by StaffIn April 1607, three small English ships lay anchored in Chesapeake Bay as 104 men left their vessels to plant their feet on solid ground. ...
05-Sep-08
First Things First (Part Four): Faithfully Witnessing
by David C. GrabbeIn the Western world, we have unique and sometimes bizarre ways of measuring things. Because capitalism is such a dominant feature of our culture, from birth we are barraged by the belief that "bigger" and "more" are always better....
29-Aug-08
First Things First (Part Three): Walking With God
by David C. GrabbeThe story of Enoch gives the second prerequisite to witnessing faithfully for God: walking with God. ...
22-Aug-08
First Things First (Part Two): The Right Sacrifice
by David C. GrabbeLast time, we saw that the lessons of Abel, Enoch, and Noah are sequential—they must be learned and applied in order if a person or organization is to make a faithful witness of God. ...
15-Aug-08
First Things First (Part One): Access to God
by David C. GrabbeAs the Worldwide Church of God fragmented in the early 1990s, and various smaller organizations were formed to hold fast to the original doctrines, it was common for many of the newly formed churches to continue almost as if nothing had changed. ...
08-Aug-08
No Works Is No Good!
by StaffThe brain is unquestionably the most complex organ of the human body. It is also the most important ...
01-Aug-08
Worshipping the Temple (Part Three)
by David C. GrabbeIn the last two editions, we saw that Israel and Judah both improperly regarded the Temple, esteeming it higher than the God for whom it was built, and putting their confidence in the fact that they had the Temple in their city. ...
25-Jul-08
Worshipping the Temple (Part Two)
by David C. GrabbeEzekiel 24:21 describes Israel as considering the Temple to be something that was beautiful to look at, a national treasure to brag about, one that brought them joy and glory. ...
18-Jul-08
Worshipping the Temple (Part One)
by David C. GrabbeOver the last two decades, we have witnessed the scattering of the church of God from one corporate organization into hundreds. ...
27-Jun-08
Autoimmunity in the Body of Christ
by David C. GrabbeSome of the least-understood diseases within human pathology are autoimmune diseases. ...
13-Jun-08
Contemporary Primitivism
by StaffOur age is more technologically advanced than any that man has previously known. ...
30-May-08
If the Lord Wills
by David C. GrabbeWith great privilege comes great responsibility. The nation of Israel was clearly privileged, for God tells her, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2). God says that because of His blessing and favor, Israel was to be a living testimony to Him and His sovereign power--a great responsibility indeed...
25-Apr-08
On Your Marks . . . Get Set . . .
by Charles WhitakerEver jump the gun? When I officiated at junior high and high school track meets years ago, I saw runners do it now and then. ...
18-Apr-08
The Great Escape
by Mike FordImagine you are the logistics officer in charge of moving and supplying 2. ...
11-Apr-08
The Impossible Metric
by David C. GrabbeUnlike God, "who inhabits eternity" (Isaiah 57:15), we mortals have a limited existence. Because of our finite time, we tend to view things through the lens of immediacy. ...
21-Mar-08
'He Who Has an Ear, Let Him Hear . . .'
by David C. GrabbeHerbert W. Armstrong began The World Tomorrow radio telecast on October 9, 1933. It was broadcast, uninterrupted, until October 9, 1971, when it was taken off the air for several months due to internal turmoil within the Worldwide Church of God. The World Tomorrow ran continuously for 38 years--two 19-year time cycles--to the very day ...
29-Feb-08
Babel: Confusing Wisdom and Rebellion
by David C. GrabbeAfter the waters of the Flood receded, and Noah's sons began having children of their own, mankind began rebuilding and re-establishing itself on the planet. ...
18-Jan-08
The Word of the Hour
by Richard T. RitenbaughAnd that word'or buzzword'ladies and gentlemen, is "change. ...
11-Jan-08
'I Will Build My Church'
by David C. GrabbeAs a new year dawns on most of the nations of the earth, people's thoughts often turn to what lies ahead. ...
04-Jan-08
'By Any Other Name'
by Richard T. RitenbaughPresident Barack Obama. ...
28-Dec-07
Turmoil in Pakistan
by Richard T. RitenbaughThe world scene can change in an instant. ...
21-Dec-07
The Curse of Teen Pregnancy
by Richard T. RitenbaughIt is not uncommon today to hear news of some celebrity having a child out of wedlock. ...
14-Dec-07
This Gospel of the Kingdom Shall Be Preached
by David C. GrabbeDuring the last few decades of the church of God, one of the scriptures most quoted or referred to has been Matthew 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. ...
07-Dec-07
Religion in Politics
by Richard T. RitenbaughIn the past few weeks, two significant events have transformed the race for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. ...
30-Nov-07
How Much Money Does God Need?
by David C. GrabbeMen discovered long ago that religion can be big business. ...
23-Nov-07
Have We Settled on Our Lees?
by Richard T. RitenbaughNot too long ago, in doing some tidying up around the house, I came across a bottle of red wine that we had opened for a dinner party who knows when. ...
16-Nov-07
No End of Debate
by Richard T. RitenbaughHere is today's $64,000 question: How many presidential debates have been broadcast already? Answer: Fifteen. ...
09-Nov-07
Divided We Fall
by Richard T. RitenbaughAfter the 2000 U. ...
02-Nov-07
Where Is God Working?
by David C. GrabbeDuring these restless days in the church of God, it is common for us to wonder when the really exciting things are going to begin happening, what God is doing now, and where He is working. ...
26-Oct-07
Jena Sixed
by Richard T. RitenbaughThe following USA Today article, published on September 6, 2007, is typical of the coverage on the now-infamous Jena 6 case: ...
19-Oct-07
Sheep Rustling
by David C. GrabbeIn days gone by, sheep were a common symbol of wealth. ...
12-Oct-07
Climate Change and World Peace
by Richard T. RitenbaughAll hail Al Gore, the winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize! This is the near-unanimous cry of the mainstream media news hawkers this morning. ...
21-Sep-07
The Real Solution to Baggy Pants
by Richard T. RitenbaughA few months ago, as my wife and I were bustling through a local Wal-Mart on our weekly shopping "date," we came across a trio of young men slouching their way down a main aisle. ...