At first glance someone viewing Bloomington, Illinois’ Hope United Methodist Church’s Sunday morning worship service online might chuckle about the 1980s style “big hair” worn by the redheaded woman addressing viewers on April 11. But looks can be deceiving. That particular Sunday was Drag Queen Sunday, and the person speaking was Ms. “Penny Cost,” the drag alter ego of Isaac Simmons, Hope Church’s director of operations.

A comment from Tish Harrison Warren writing in and for the increasingly disappointing Christianity Today on Jan. 7, 2021 merits revisiting now that the damage Donald Trump voters predicted if Joe Biden were elected is becoming a reality. Warren wrote,...

The story has been told of a foreign visitor who was being given a tour of Washington, D.C. by an American friend of hers. She was amazed at the size of the monuments, the buildings, and so forth. Then she...

If you are a God-fearing, concerned Illinoisan, you likely have considered leaving the state or wondered what you can do about our corrupt state of affairs if you choose to or must stay.

The wicked legislation coming out of Springfield, the promotion of abortion, and the takeover of education can feel overwhelming. It is difficult trying both to keep up on all that is going on and figure out how to effect positive change.

According to a recent poll, only about 1 in 3 registered voters in Illinois attends church weekly or more than once a week. This translates to less than 1 in 3 residents and citizens of Illinois who hear the Word of God faithfully proclaimed and are part of the public worship of the only true God. When we are not hearing God’s Word, what is going to happen to a society?

I have bad news: I’m dying. I have worse news: so are you. Whether sick or healthy, young or old, Christian or not, conservative or liberal, democrat or republican, each of us has an inevitable date with the moment in which we will depart this world. Most of us have a bit of trouble with this. In fact, of all the things that scare us, for most, death is the ultimate terror.

The Lord is risen indeed... (Luke 24:34)

The Bible is a compilation of sixty-six blessed and unique books. Among those books are four we refer to as the Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Each of these is an account of the earthly life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Jesus of Nazareth died on a Roman cross, then resurrected from the dead three days later. It’s not just a fairy tale. Christians believe that the Resurrection is a historical fact. It’s what sets Christianity apart from every other world religion. It is the foundation of the Christian faith. If it’s not true the New Testament is fiction, Jesus is a fraud, and Christianity is a false religion. Anyone would be a fool to believe in it. This isn’t just my opinion. It’s the Apostle Paul’s:

A husband’s leadership is a self-sacrificial, benevolent leadership that seeks his wife’s good ahead of his own. A husband's leadership is not mainly a right and a privilege but a weighty responsibility. Husbands are to love, serve, and lead their wives sacrificially as Christ loved the church & gave himself up for her. Many Scriptures could be used to support the following expectations, but this sketch focuses on Ephesians 5:25-33.

Friend, I know it seems like the dark powers of evil are taking over. But we must remember that our Heavenly Father is still more powerful than anyone or anything in, above, or below this earth.

The gulf between my wisdom and my children’s wisdom is vast. And it’s that gulf that makes some of my actions and decisions beyond their ability to understand.

But do you know what’s also vast? The gulf between God’s wisdom and mine.

Over the past few weeks, I've been thinking a lot about where America finds herself as we enter into 2021. Last week’s inauguration, the transfer of power, changes in public policy, and months of heightened political and racial tensions all have me thinking a lot about how we – as citizens, as parents, as neighbors, and as people of faith – might think about and engage in this moment of history.

In the article describing “hate speech” tactics, we saw how people are called haters if they oppose the homosexual or transgender agenda. The intent is to shame the opponents into silence, that the activists’ march through American culture can continue unopposed. In this article, we’ll see how the activists try to punish those who actually do stand against them.

The recent pandemic has proven that the Essential Fight for religious liberty in America extends beyond legal court battles. There’s an equally important fight happening outside the courtroom, such as in the halls of U.S. Congress, where First Liberty continues to keep a vigilant eye on important policies and developments that could advance, or restrict, our first and most fundamental freedom.

We all would agree that 2020 was an extremely difficult year.  And less then two weeks into the New Year, 2021 is off to a rough start as well. We are living in a time of uncertainty, confusion, and disappointment....