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Confessions of a Steward — Carbon Development on the Farm

Confessions of a Steward — Carbon Development on the Farm

By Guest Post on May 3, 2023

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Last month I introduced the concept of the carbon economy for soil fertility and the numerous ways God designed soil fertility and development to run on sunbeams converted to biomass. From bison on the prairie to wildebeests on the Serengeti, perennial prairie polycultures pruned by herbivores chased by predators built the deepest and most fertile soils on the planet.

That’s the big picture, but how do we apply it to our gardens and farms? How do we catalyze on-site carbon development and utilization to build the organic matter by cycling biomass into the soil?

The Roundtable | Amish Insights on: Technology | Pt. 1

The Roundtable | Amish Insights on: Technology | Pt. 1

By Guest Post on May 1, 2023

by Ivan Keim, Plain Values This Month’s Question: The balance between the blessings and pit-falls of modern-day technology can be hard to find. How do…

Evolution: The Greatest Story Ever Told?

Evolution: The Greatest Story Ever Told?

By Guest Post on April 28, 2023

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How evolution evolved from the minds of men…

by John Heers, First Things Foundation

In this edition of Heavy Things Done Lightly, the plan is to take a walk through history to discover something like antecedents. Where does Darwin’s evolutionary theory come from? Is it a scientific discovery, or is it a philosophical treatise, one many thousands of years in the making?

But first, a look at how clunky the theory of evolution is in this bifurcated world of ours. It’s a good place to start when trying to answer our question.

Ron DeSantis Flies To Israel To Destroy Free Speech In Florida

Ron DeSantis Flies To Israel To Destroy Free Speech In Florida

By Andrew Torba on April 27, 2023

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This week Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida made a trip to Israel to sign HB 269, a bill that makes it a felony with up to five years in jail for passing out “offensive” flyers or pamphlets. This move has been widely criticized by free speech advocates and legal experts as a gross violation of the First Amendment. The bill states that anyone distributing “any material for the purpose of intimidating or threatening the owner” could be convicted of a felony “hate crime.” While we often write about the “hate speech” rules on Big Tech platforms, this is far worse. This is the state of Florida violating the First Amendment of the United States.

The Christian Duty To Produce “Cultural Christianity”

The Christian Duty To Produce “Cultural Christianity”

By Andrew Isker on April 26, 2023

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by Pastor Andrew Isker

One of the most commonly held ideas within conservative evangelicalism is that “cultural Christianity is bad because it produces nominal Christians.” Nearly everyone has heard this from evangelical pulpits at one time or another. The former head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, now a professional accuser of the brethren at Christianity Today, famously said, “Mayberry leads to hell just as certainly as Gomorrah does.”

Roots + Wings —Sprouting Wings

Roots + Wings —Sprouting Wings

By Richard Osgar on April 25, 2023

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by Rory Feek, Plain Values

Here in the middle of Tennessee, the arrival of March signals the return of spring. The long-awaited blooming of yellow daffodils that encircle our family cemetery here on the farm lets us know that winter is wearing thin and that warmer weather will soon be on its way. The pretty daffodils are also a gentle reminder of my beautiful bride Joey’s passing this month six years ago.

It’s Time To Burn The Ships Of Traditional Media

It’s Time To Burn The Ships Of Traditional Media

By Andrew Torba on April 24, 2023

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In 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in the New World with a mission to conquer the Aztec Empire. He arrived with a small army of 600 men, but he faced a significant challenge. His men were afraid and they were not sure that they could succeed in their mission. To inspire his men Cortés did something radical – he burned his ships. By doing so he eliminated any possibility of retreat and forced his men to fight for victory or death. This act of burning the ships became a symbol of determination and commitment.

Wisdom From Above And The Christian Nationalist Ruler

Wisdom From Above And The Christian Nationalist Ruler

By Andrew Isker on April 21, 2023

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1 Samuel 29:1-11

by Pastor Andrew Isker

Introduction

Jesus Christ is the king of kings and ruler of this world. And He has brought His people into His kingdom to rule with Him. Believers are saved from sin, death, and hell, and saved to rule as kings under King Jesus. He wants His people to mature into people capable of wielding authority. Whether that is in the home, the workplace, or the civil realm, He has created you to take dominion. David’s story is given to us as an example of God’s anointed king demonstrating righteous rule. It is an example for God’s people 3,000 years later in our own time and place.

David has been tested repeatedly, and throughout the trials he has proven himself worthy. His suffering has produced wisdom that he has used well. He has avoided scandalous sin like regicide. He has carefully navigated being a fugitive on the run from a king he refuses to fight, as well as being a defector to the enemy without harming his own people. But now, David is in trouble. He’s been called out to war with the entire Philistine army against Israel. He cannot fight Israel. But he cannot rejoin Saul. He is stuck. And there is no amount of cleverness or wisdom that will get him out of this mess. So what is he to do?

Let’s Talk About It

Let’s Talk About It

By Guest Post on April 18, 2023

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By Ferree Hardy, Plain Values

“Oh, I don’t mean to be talking over and over about me,” worried the widow sitting next to me. “I don’t know why I find myself telling you all this.”

I assured her she was fine. “It’s what I do. I let people talk to me. I loved hearing your story.”

“I don’t want to bore anyone or seem prideful. And sometimes when I mention my husband, I see the alarm on their faces,” she continued. “But we made so many memories together, and I still can’t believe he’s gone.”

“Yes, I know. Tell me more…”

Telling the story is something most grieving people do, whether they intend to or not. It just comes out. I smile now, a little embarrassed, when I remember how one of Bruce’s friends called me a month after the funeral. After he asked the innocent question—“So, how are you?”—he got a 45-minute earful! I’m not a talker, but I needed to talk that day.

Christendom or Chaos

Christendom or Chaos

By Andrew Isker on April 13, 2023

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by Pastor Andrew Isker

Recently there has been criticism of the idea of Christian Nationalism from some corners of ostensibly conservative evangelical church. For instance, Executive Vice President of G3 Ministries, Scott Aniol posted the following:

“How Many Fingers am I Holding Up?”

“How Many Fingers am I Holding Up?”

By Guest Post on April 11, 2023

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A Religious Ontology of AI

by David Treebeard

“After God, let us have our own conscience as our mentor and rule for all things, so that we may know which way the wind is blowing and set our sails accordingly.”
–St. John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent, Chapter 26.6

All of my text messages were monosyllabic. Yes. No. K. Cool. Thanks. I had to look up or print out directions at the house before driving somewhere new. My music selection was limited to CDs. I had to go buy a camera.

With these inconveniences came a sweet type of freedom. I was more often alone with my thoughts. I was more often surprised by the world around me. I spent more time looking people in the eye. And I noticed, for the first time, how many people glued their faces to their phones, in all kinds of public places. When I used a smartphone myself, I hadn’t really ever noticed that – my own face, too, had been glued down.

The Gospel Message of Transformation vs The Godless Message of Tolerance and Transitioning

The Gospel Message of Transformation vs The Godless Message of Tolerance and Transitioning

By Andrew Torba on April 7, 2023

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Last week a member of the trans community unleashed a wave of devastation upon Christians in Nashville that ended the lives of six of our brothers and sisters in Christ including three young children. I noted in my last post on this subject how we must learn to hate evil again as it continues to creep up in the world around us being endorsed and praised by the mainstream press, academics, culture, and major multi-national corporations.