Posts
ODJ: in God's presence
During a military operation in Iraq in 2003, military
chaplain Cary Cash served with the American military’s 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment as they battled their way to Baghdad. After the regiment secured Saddam Hussein’s Almilyah presidential palace, a young marine—ministered to by Cash—bowed and received Jesus as his Saviour. Later the chaplain baptised the young man in the inner
ODJ: pandora?
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Pandora is one of the musical marvels of the Internet age. It’s an algorithm-based website that allows you to listen to any musical artists, bands and songs that you like. By each song you can click a ‘thumbs up’ or a ‘thumbs down’ sign. When you click the ‘thumbs up’ sign, it plays more music like what you just heard. If you click the ‘thumbs down’ sign, Pandora will take that s
ODJ: true freedom
Many countries annually exercise their freedom to literally change time. I experienced this timely change when I was in America a few years ago. During my visit in the spring, I witnessed Daylight Savings Time—a national law that calls for all clocks to be set back by one hour. It’s designed to save energy, and it also leads to lighter mornings for children who are heading to school. Interesti
ODJ: exercised
On all fours with the grass pressing into my hands and knees, I was already backing out of my goal. I had recently enlisted the help of a friend to improve my muscle strength and endurance. On this particular night, we were at a local park doing athletic and aerobic exercises. While my legs were completing the lifting exercises to strengthen my muscles, my mind desperately looked for a way out of
ODJ: why the Bible matters
In his article Does the Bible Matter in the 21st Century?
author Vishal Mangalwadi lifts up the inestimable
worth of God’s Word. He also notes that bad things happen when a country chooses to ignore the Bible’s wisdom. He writes, “[America] was built by an ethic—a spirituality that taught citizens to work, earn, save, invest and use their wealth to serve their neighbours. This bibl
ODJ: zero hero
Birds of a feather flock together.” I’m not sure about that famous phrase. For throughout my student years I hung out with bright and beautiful people. But I don’t think I’m either.
ODJ: dangerous concessions
In 1857 a few white members of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa asked permission to celebrate the Lord’s Supper separately from their black brothers and sisters. The General Assembly believed their request was wrong, but acquiesced “due to the weakness of some”. This concession soon became the norm. And this racism prompted the unwanted black Christians to leave and start thei
ODJ: Christian avoidance
In many parts of the world it’s an amazing time to be a Christian. Most of us can walk down the street and find a church to join. If none interests us we can go online and download our favourite preacher’s sermons in minutes. Hours and hours of biblical teaching for free.And Scripture! Most of us can read the Bible in our own language and in many different versions. We can buy it in softcover,
ODJ: correcting blind spots
In The Call to Joy and Pain, Ajith Fernando, a Christian leader from Sri Lanka, wrote: “The church in each culture has its own special challenges—theological blind spots that hinder Christians from growing to full maturity in Christ. . . . I think one of the most serious theological blind spots in [today’s] western church is a defective understanding of suffering. . . . The ‘good life’