*This is bonus content for the blog, Can Christians Listen to 'Secular' Music? In the blog, Can Christians Listen to 'Secular' Music, we started answering the question, "what about consuming entertainment/content that may portray sin or include ideas that don’t agree with God’s Word?" You can read that blog for context. For now, here are some practical steps and questions…
If you grew up in church like I did, you know that one of the most taboo things you can do in Christian culture is listen to "secular music” or be a secular entertainer. But is that really how God feels about secular arts and entertainment or is it just church tradition? As a lifelong lover of music, entertainment…
So recently I walked into a movie theater for a night out with some friends and I left having encountered God. I saw The Greatest Showman (which you NEED to go see if you haven’t!). The film is a musical about the birth of show business inspired by the life of P.T. Barnum, an American showman and founder of…
Several months ago, I remember getting really frustrated at an article I read that some “Christian” site had posted about a mainstream singer and how their music is “dragging a generation to hell.” (which is not true by the way, but that’s a conversation for another day) You might know that music and entertainment is my passion and I…
***For a companion post, read my blog 8 Blogs & Videos for Christians Deciding What to Do About Halloween Some people might think asking questions like “should Christians celebrate Halloween” is just an excuse for believers to justify compromising with culture or a lazy attempt by Christian pastors and influencers to stay culturally relevant. I disagree. I think any sincere…
A few weeks ago Ariana Grande hosted One Love Manchester, a benefit concert for those affected by the terror attack at the Manchester show on her Dangerous Woman Tour. The concert was a beautiful display of love, resilience and hope in the face of fear as artists and Manchester residents came together for the event. (Watch the concert here) Justin…
*This blog has been revised from its original 2017 version, Does Legislating Morality Work? I submitted the same blog to RELEVANT magazine, which they graciously published online under a different title chosen by their editors–a title I don't agree with and doesn't fully reflect the heart of why I wrote the article. I no longer stand by that article and…
So I went to see The Shack. If you’re unfamiliar, The Shack is a movie starring Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer, adapted from the novel by William P. Young. The Shack tells the compelling story of Mack, a husband and father whose young daughter is abducted and killed in a shack during a family camping trip. Mack receives a…
Christian conversation online after the Super Bowl Halftime Show is interesting–and not in a good way. The same is true after the GRAMMYs or any other significant event in music and entertainment. It seems that celebrities, artists, and entertainers are the Christian community’s favorite group of people to criticize. Here’s how I got clued into this phenomenon. There's A Better…
Don't you love when art or culture teaches you a lesson about life with Jesus? I do. Last week I shared with you that thankfulness isn't just for Thanksgiving but that you can live with thankfulness and peace every day by thanking God for what He has done in your life and talking to Him about what worries you. That…