Archived Episodes

It’s Christmas Day! Passed as a federal holiday in 1870 by Pres. Ulysses S. Grant, there are many theories as to why the Congress and the President made the day a national holiday. And, as believers look to Scripture during the holiday season, they often reflect on passages from the Old Testament. A Baptist Press Toolbox pieces reminds us the ancient writings are still relevant today.

It was a Monday night unlike any other on January 10th . That was the night the Buffalo Bills were playing the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. And, what do people search for in the pages of the Bible? According to the folks at the YouVersion app…they look for hope.

2023 was the year well known pastor and author Charles Stanley passed from this life to his heavenly reward. Stanley died in April at age 90. And, prayer requires patience.  In the Christmas story, as told through the winding narrative of Luke, there briefly appears a mysterious man of prayer named Simeon (Luke 2:25-35).

Tragedy and disasters around the world present sad opportunities for ministry in 2023. Haylee Williams is viewing Christmas through a different lens. She’s just weeks away from giving birth to a baby as holiday plans move forward. And, in Luke 2, we encounter a woman named Anna. An elderly widow who lived a life of non-stop intercession she is identified as a “prophetess” (v. 36).

American Christians tend to have nuanced perspectives on the circumstances surrounding the war between Israel and Hamas but clear views on the reality of Hamas, the rights of Israel and the need to protect innocent lives, according to Lifeway Research. A Lifeway Bible study says, in Genesis 3, we read of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And, in the Christmas story, as told through the winding narrative of Luke, there briefly appears a mysterious man of prayer named Simeon (Luke 2:25-35).

Online church attendees read the Bible more than onsite worshipers. Last fall, IMB missionary Steve Evans and Angolan Baptist partners Ezekiel Castelo and João Quintas traveled to the border to share the Gospel with unengaged and unreached micro people groups — people with populations of less than 100,000. And, Americans love to pray but are often unclear about how, or if, God answers prayer.

Most American Christians have been following the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Ultimately, they say they want negotiations, Hamas to be subdued, and a result that benefits both Israel and Palestinians. The Satanic Temple’s display at the Iowa Capitol has spurred outrage, debate and prayer as many spar over the boundaries of free speech. And, in the Baptist Press Toolbox, Mark Dance provides a perspective on the very first Christmas based on John 3:16…a very popular Bible verse spoken by Jesus to the Jewish priest Nicodemus.

The US Supreme Court says they will take up a case challenging the FDA’s decision to legalize the abortion pill mifepristone. Current lawsuits by expectant mothers in Texas and Kentucky highlight the complex legal landscape of abortion across the nation. A mother’s address sometimes impacts whether an unborn child is carried to term. And, during the holiday season, a natural tendency exists to open the Bible and read the story of Jesus’s birth. But that’s not all Scripture readers are turning to this time of year.

Many people are receiving degrees this Christmas as colleges, universities and seminaries will confer degrees for the students’ hard work. Texas pastor James Reeves knows the pain of neglect and abuse but he also knows the healing that Jesus brings and how the local church can be an expression of care. And, Christmas music is a gift. It’s one that is often overlooked. Jeff Iorg writes, “The music at Christmas is special for several reasons.