tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61524142802369238902011-07-07T19:45:53.527-04:00Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.comBlogger1381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-67391485252412740932009-09-06T11:19:00.003-04:002009-09-06T11:29:34.641-04:00

You won't find any new posts here, but don't worry. This blog has moved to www.jonathanmerritt.com.

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-88008804862910668042009-08-22T16:14:00.006-04:002009-08-22T16:28:57.301-04:00

Anyone else tired of the shouting matches and name-calling? This healthcare debate has created a flea market for misinformation that has attracted hot-tempered patrons in record numbers. It is a debate that must be had, but it is nearly impossible to have it in the current environment.Someone needs to call timeout and get back to an intelligent, rational, respectful discussion. My recent article

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-23710329488994680572009-08-21T11:47:00.004-04:002009-08-21T12:16:14.292-04:00

A fascinating article was published today by RelevantMagazine.com entitled "Are Christians Wrong about Gitmo?" The article was authored by Natalie and Tyler Wigg-Stevenson and cites two fascinating polls. The first was conducted by Mercer University in 2008 and concludes that a majority of white Southern Evangelicals thought that it was "often" or "sometimes" justified to torture suspected

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-47884498730364559472009-08-15T00:55:00.009-04:002009-08-15T09:09:44.709-04:00

Growing up, my dad would always say, "There are a lot of good books out there. Don't waste time with those. Read great books." He is right. I heard somewhere that over 400,000 new titles were released last year...400,000! You'll never be able to read all those titles, and it can be hard to know what to read when there are so many choices. To help choose wisely, I always try to find out what is

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-47995266939336215232009-08-08T11:16:00.004-04:002009-08-08T11:35:35.730-04:00

I have often used this forum to taut the work of Tyler Wigg-Stevenson and the Two Futures Project on several occasions, including my last post. This year, Tyler spoke at Q Conference. His talk, The Post-Atomic World, polled with the attendees at the greatest talk among an incredible list of speakers. In fact, it was the only talk I remember that received a standing ovation from a crowd that

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-46682023050064008632009-08-06T12:29:00.005-04:002009-08-09T08:01:01.009-04:00

One of the hottest historical debates surrounding the nuclear issue is Hiroshima (and subsequently, Nagasaki). It was here in August 1945 that the United States dropped a nuclear bomb on the Japanese people and effectively ended World War II in the Pacific theater. Over 200,000 lives were lost and millions more were effected. Some historians argue that dropping the bomb was necessary to save the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-12876046896538826892009-07-29T10:34:00.004-04:002009-07-29T10:53:47.701-04:00

One of the nastiest earmarks of the "culture war" mentality is incivility. When we are embattled as culture warriors, we see those who disagree with us as enemies who must be delegitimatized and destroyed. We no longer see people, but opponents. I have always said that rising generations are crying out for a rapid infusion of grace and civility into a public arena where anger and hubris flow all

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-35653866951213571322009-07-24T16:30:00.003-04:002009-07-24T16:57:31.536-04:00

I'm not one to think that all, or even some, of society's problems can be fixed by shopping. I am always wary of anything that asks people to buy more useless stuff to fix a problem. You know what I mean. Like when you do into a store in the mall and they are doing a promo for a shirt that is partially for charity. You don't need it, you tell yourself, but it is for a good cause..."I'll take a

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-41378088750065607332009-07-10T09:22:00.009-04:002009-07-21T20:48:01.324-04:00

Our generation loves a good cause. Ay least that is the appearance. We proudly wear the "Save Africa" T-shirts and we buy all the {RED} gear we can find. There is no doubt that causes are cool. But how many of us have moved from talking to doing?A while back, I wrote about the atrocities going on in the Darfur region of Sudan. People are dying in record numbers from starvation, refugee camps are

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-43741014380539576922009-07-06T15:29:00.004-04:002009-07-06T16:08:31.017-04:00

Today, United States President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed to pursue a significant reduction in nuclear arms. America and Russia possess the largest nuclear stockpiles in the world by far, which is why Obama told reporters in Moscow, "We must lead by example, and that's what we're doing here today." The treaty includes "effective verification measures."I have written

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-41500948917243733842009-06-30T22:30:00.009-04:002009-06-30T22:50:27.950-04:00

If you want a break from the unbridled coverage of Michael Jackson's death and legacy, check out the Relevant article, "Vintage Green," by Kaylin King. The colloquial web exclusive opens with a story about King's grandmother to illustrate that living "green" often means rediscovering the way life used to be. "Not only did (my grandmother) sew and mend many of her own clothes, but she washed them

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-77364523251655855492009-06-29T10:24:00.005-04:002009-06-29T11:00:02.075-04:00

America can't stop talking about South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, the cheating state executive who disappeared for several days to make a love connection with his Argentinian mistress. In fact, Sanford is probably the only person in the United States who was giddy to learn that Michael Jackson had died because it would eat up some of his air time on the evening news.It was this scandal that

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-45802583223788914312009-06-24T19:17:00.004-04:002009-06-24T19:38:54.655-04:00

A few weeks ago, I was outraged when I read in the Washington Times that Liberty University's administration revoked the official club status of its College Democrats. I am not a registered Democrat, but I am a Liberty alumnus. Anything that so blatantly squelches the free exchange of ideas on a university campus will naturally compromise that university's (and its graduates') credibility. I sent

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-72018760465924893062009-06-20T20:11:00.005-04:002009-06-20T20:29:17.262-04:00

Early tomorrow, I will be leaving Atlanta for Louisville, home of the famous baseball bat, which bears the city's name. The large Kentucky metropolis is also host to this year's Southern Baptist Convention, an event that promises to have people swinging a few clubs of their own. The SBC annual convention is always a great place to watch old people cat-fight over things the rest of the world cares

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-55775479066660048662009-06-17T08:11:00.004-04:002009-06-17T11:39:42.319-04:00

I have said before that pro-life Christians must move beyond the sandwich board, candidate-driven mentality and be willing to do the hard work that our faith demands. Peachtree Presbyterian in my hometown of Atlanta is a perfect example. Their pastor has announced that they will accept any unwanted babies that the community brings them. Working with Bethany Christian Services, the nation's

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-42946930245516130492009-06-02T10:42:00.006-04:002009-06-02T11:31:59.365-04:00

FACT: The Southern Baptist Convention is an archaic denominational dinosaur with a bloated bureaucratic infrastructure on the fast track to irrelevance. Whew. I said it. The decline of the SBC has been signaled again and again by the work of individuals like Ed Stetzer who speak with the authority of rigorous research. It can no longer be denied.To illustrate the progression of SBC internal

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-42782873322387450132009-05-23T11:29:00.015-04:002009-05-23T12:21:17.285-04:00

Thursday, the Chicago-Sun Times released a story titled, "Gay marriage views all about age, region," which pointed out the shifts going on over same sex issues. The article cited the 22-year-long "Political Values and Core Attitudes" study conducted by The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, which shows that public opinion over gay rights has changed significantly among the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-88657385039783293462009-05-22T12:58:00.005-04:002009-05-22T13:57:54.828-04:00

Creation care can't be separated from people care--they are intimately connected. This year at Flourish Conference we were able to profile an organization that does both well: Land of a Thousand Hills (LOATH) coffee company. LOATH primarily works in the country of Rwanda, where citizens are poor and jobless in the wake of devastating genocide. By sustaining coffee farms in Rwanda, LOATH provides

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-3692061043669446382009-05-21T17:00:00.008-04:002009-05-21T18:54:04.747-04:00

One of the most sincere pastors I have ever met is Leroy Barber. According to his bio, Leroy has spent more than 20 years working to eradicate poverty, confront homelessness, and heal racism. As with most bios, this one doesn't fully portray Leroy's life and ministry. Leroy leads an intentional community in one of the poorest communities in Atlanta. The members of his church reside in the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-85138025342292958152009-05-20T13:46:00.007-04:002009-05-20T14:01:23.056-04:00

One of the most striking presentations at Flourish Conference this year a video on new urbanism called "Built to Last." It was produced by Chris Elisara of Creation Care Study Program and John Paget of Paget Films and was winner of the Congress for New Urbanism's video contest. The artistic quality of this video is through the roof and the message is powerful.Check out the 3-minute video out and

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-51604330173544738492009-05-19T10:57:00.004-04:002009-05-19T11:10:17.881-04:00

Floresta is the coolest organization you've never heard of and their program Plant with Purpose may be the neatest creation care initiative around today. Through Plant with Purpose, Floresta is working to reverse poverty and deforestation by planting trees internationally. They currently have programs in Mexico, Tanzania, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.We showcased Plant with Purpose at

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-56886508324667567252009-05-18T14:02:00.005-04:002009-05-18T14:31:56.300-04:00

This week, Cross Pointe Church hosted the first annual Flourish Conference. As a small part of the Flourish staff, I can tell you that the conference exceeded our expectations in many ways. First, our speaker list was amazing: Joel Hunter, Margaret Feinberg, Gabe Lyons, Matthew Sleeth, and Andy Crouch to name a few. Second, the community being built was unprecedented. People were connecting with

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-63941791106501969172009-05-06T09:42:00.010-04:002009-05-06T22:22:58.485-04:00

Recently, I became a part of what I believe is one of the most important Christian movements in America. The Two Futures Project (2FP) is a non-partisan Christian movement seeking to abolish nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.  2FP does not call for America to disarm unilaterally, but rightly advocates for nuclear disarmament that is multilateral, verifiable, and irreversible.As I stated

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-59383844082249279742009-04-28T18:06:00.005-04:002009-04-30T00:40:05.622-04:00

A new effort to revitalize and unite Southern Baptists is underway called The Great Commission Resurgence. It is being spearheaded by several Southern Baptist leaders, including SBC President Johnny Hunt and Daniel Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.This effort has now launched a website with a declaration that is available for electronic signing. I like this effort and

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-58122826439754113692009-04-23T22:45:00.007-04:002009-04-30T00:32:39.163-04:00

The Associated Press is now reporting that it has uncovered secret statistics held by the Iraqi government showing 87,215 Iraqi citizens have been killed since 2005 as a result of everything from "catastrophic bombings to execution-style slayings." When tallied with records since 2003, it climbs to an estimated 110,600. (That number only includes "violent deaths.")Here's some questions: Was it

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-994400597591233622009-04-22T12:23:00.004-04:002009-04-22T12:33:06.198-04:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to screen Disneynature's debut film, Earth. I was so impressed by the movie that I wrote a review for Relevant. The movie is narrated by James Earl Jones and follows the lives of three animal families as they overcome amazing circumstances. The film is replete with life lessons and redemptive elements that uncover the grandeur of God's creation. In fact,

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-89912332287606797592009-04-20T08:58:00.009-04:002009-04-25T10:45:38.613-04:00

I wrote an article that ran in USA Today this morning entitled "An Evangelical's Plea: Love the Sinner" calling evangelical Christians to begin treating our gay and lesbian neighbors more lovingly. The feedback has been intense with many positive affirmations coming from young adults and a few negative comments and emails from some older Christians.This is actually the second time in less than a

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-83902871352372472332009-04-16T23:24:00.007-04:002009-04-16T23:35:19.902-04:00

Interesting new research from Ed Stetzer & Co. A LifeWay Research study breaks down protestant pastors' views on most divisive environmental issue as well as how often they address creation care from their pulpit. Clear divisions among political and theological lines. Read the study news release.Has your pastor ever addressed creation care from the pulpit? If so, what kind of church do you attend?

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-32664336689605967332009-04-15T21:22:00.004-04:002009-04-16T14:18:41.153-04:00

(Guest Writer - Katie Corbett, VA) I teach American History and recently we were discussing the abolition movement. For those of you who are not familiar with the our nation’s history, this movement called for the outlawing of slavery in the spirit of Thomas Jefferson’s eloquent and immortal words in the Declaration of Independence: “all men are created equal.” Men like William Lloyd Garrison and

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-69391288025748128622009-04-06T21:26:00.005-04:002009-04-06T22:05:29.105-04:00

Just when you think you've seen it all, someone comes along and denies the existence of Jesus Christ. A recent documentary, The God Who Wasn't There, has just been released to DVD, which Newsweek says "irreverently lays out the case that Jesus Christ never existed." The writers of the New Testament Gospels, they claim, never believed that Jesus existed. Instead, these writers simply wrote about a

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-37428537205712504492009-03-23T10:23:00.011-04:002009-04-15T21:22:47.274-04:00

On my way to speak at a college retreat in St. George Island this past February, I stopped to refuel in Carabelle, FL. It was a quaint little seaside town that was more Georgia than Florida in many ways, not the least of which being the ginormous trucks filled with rednecks aplenty. As I was walking into the gas station to pay for my overpriced octane, I happened to glance up the road and see

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-37677643450007964432009-03-22T00:13:00.006-04:002009-03-24T20:42:38.089-04:00

An interesting article in today's AJC: "Pastor Sees Care of Earth as Duty"At the end of it, I mention Flourish Conference 2009 by saying "I think [this conference] is going to be the primary touch point for the church to get involved in the 21st century."Check out the article and the conference.Update: ABP Article on Flourish

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-75984992814788885602009-03-16T22:15:00.007-04:002009-03-16T23:08:03.870-04:00

For some time, I have been promoting a common ground policy on abortion reduction. I first embraced abortion reduction because my progressive friends were prodding me to join with them to save unborn lives. When these individuals asked me to rally with them around such things as increased funding for adoption and comprehensive sexual education with an abstinence emphasis, I was happy to sign on. 

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-78661365176562710602009-03-13T00:24:00.008-04:002009-03-13T22:59:26.259-04:00

The Catalyst Conference is one of the largest and most exciting gathering of Christian leaders annually. In between conferences, the Catalyst staff provides a whole ton of products and services at their online home, CatalystSpace. One of their best products is the Catalyst Podcast, which features some of the most interesting and influential personalities around today. This week, I was honored to

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-72708429760459888932009-03-06T16:40:00.010-05:002009-03-24T20:44:02.522-04:00

I believe that climate change is a reality, and I think humans are causing it. I am neither a "chicken little" alarmist nor an "ostrich" who thinks we should just ignore the evidence because it is all part of a "liberal agenda." I know this puts me at odds with many of my readers, and I am cool with that. If you've read this blog more than once, you probably realize that I don't shy away from the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-35500030897749831972009-03-05T16:30:00.004-05:002009-03-05T16:38:16.133-05:00

When it comes to books on creation care, there is a lot of worthless fluff out there. Green Revolution by Ben Lowe, however, is a very different kind of creation care book. It is comprehensive, collaborative, and creative. I am excited about this book and not just because I contributed an essay to it. (Wink.) It excites me because it accurately highlights the creation care movement sweeping up

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-73463964580736261362009-03-03T22:24:00.006-05:002009-03-03T22:32:51.887-05:00

(Guest Writer - Jonathan Moss, NC) Whether you choose to believe it or not, the world around us is growing rapidly.  The sheer amount of information that is flowing around the world is growing at an exponential rate.  Even the most insulated among us are swept away every day with a tidal wave of binary code and radio waves. It’s creepy and cool at the same time, but what does this have to do

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-31572117773646901752009-03-01T22:57:00.009-05:002009-03-02T09:33:24.848-05:00

Steve Monsma, a senior research fellow at the Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College and author of Healing for a Broken World, recently received a brochure from an evangelical organization. The pamphlet stated,With strategic partnerships in Washington, D.C., it [the organization] is able to be proactively involved in the effort to reclaim America for Christ.

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-36334415296198013782009-02-27T14:34:00.013-05:002009-02-27T15:55:55.678-05:00

I have often spoken out on this blog about the need to forge common ground on abortion reduction. At the same time, I have been more than frustrated at the total absence of any tangible reduction policies being put forth by this administration. As I recently commented in a Washington Post article, many evangelicals have stuck our necks out to forge common ground in this effort and the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-39113781993890383642009-02-21T15:58:00.007-05:002009-02-22T14:55:37.010-05:00

While Americans fund our Starbucks addictions during economic recession with the change from beneath our couch cushions, an estimated 10,000 people die each month in the Darfur region of Sudan. The UN News Service estimates that around 400,000 lives have been lost and an additional two million refugees have been created in more than a decade of violent genocide. I have often wondered why there is

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-72181863407121357492009-02-16T11:46:00.008-05:002009-02-16T17:52:45.938-05:00

From Crackle: A Gift of a BibleFor some time, writers and culture watchers everywhere have been pointing out that there is a new brand of atheism that is emerging in the 21st Century. "New atheism" as it has been dubbed does not simply hold the belief that God does not exist; it also vigorously sets out to discredit and destroy the belief in God itself. Their target is religion and their weapons

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-12431161181534373652009-02-13T14:00:00.009-05:002009-02-13T14:35:48.205-05:00

Following Southeastern Seminary's 20/20 Conference, which featured Mark Driscoll among others, Baptist Press (BP) released a one-sided article resurrecting old controversies and blindsiding interviewees who didn't know they were going to be quoted in this piece. Southeastern responded to the BP article with a statement on their blog:"One of the speakers, Mark Driscoll, has received significant

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-80015660691142208572009-02-09T10:56:00.008-05:002009-02-10T09:39:13.238-05:00

A friend recently directed me to a cartoon that turned out to be the best three minutes of my week. (Maybe not, but close.) It is a piece of propoganda which appears to be produced by the Jehovah's Witnesses a long time ago. It depicts Jesus as a cross between Superman and He-man. Among other things, it shows Jesus killing a child in church as part of His judgment and accomplishing his ultimate

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-58058625285616595962009-02-05T15:29:00.005-05:002009-02-05T16:31:49.515-05:00

Over the past few weeks, I have written a few posts about the new twist in the abortion debate. I am starting to feel like all the political peeps that I can't stand because they only talk about abortion and gay marriage and ignore everything else. Yet, I am still typing, so let's give it a run. As the pro-choice President takes the reigns of our fragile country, Barack Obama has attempted to

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-34993863295720282582009-02-02T23:37:00.003-05:002009-02-02T23:44:01.690-05:00

Relevant Magazine has released their top nine shows to watch in 2009, and it is just about the best list top-to-bottom that I've seen. Make sure you read the paragraph about Flight of the Conchords. It was written by yours truly.Any that we missed or messed up?

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-25731349226260506822009-01-31T15:21:00.004-05:002009-01-31T15:51:38.864-05:00

Cardinals' and Steelers' fans aren't the only ones bickering over Super Bowl XLIII. Strangely, NBC executives and Catholic activists are too. After several days of deliberations, NBC executives told Catholicvote.com that the network had decided not to run the web site's pro-life commercial because the network and NFL "are not interested" in advertisements regarding political issues. According to 

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-70841051373274583682009-01-29T20:23:00.019-05:002009-02-02T13:13:04.483-05:00

I still remember the drill. The music started, and the lights dimmed. I peered around the solemn room as I floated in a sea of bowed heads. The call went out from the minister who was running the event and like a mad scientist summoning his robot army to life, people around me shot up and headed for the stage. There they found a "True Love Waits" (TLW) card with a dotted line printed below a

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-91233762981127597932009-01-24T12:57:00.003-05:002009-01-24T13:10:48.556-05:00

If you are in church leadership of any kind, you don't want to miss Flourish Conference 2009. This event will feature some of the most popular speakers and authors in the United States including Chris Seay, Albert Mohler, Rick McKinley, Ed Stetzer, Margaret Feinberg, Joel Hunter, James Merritt, Matthew Sleeth, Gabe Lyons and others. Not only that, it is extremely affordable and will be held in an

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-12059022424242213902009-01-16T17:33:00.007-05:002009-01-24T12:56:40.411-05:00

If you wanted to sum up the political climate in America in one word, you might call it "divided." Or maybe, "partisan." Or perhaps, "polarized." Each of these descriptions would be optimistic. Over the last 25 or more years, Americans on the left and the right have become deeply entrenched with a "culture war" mentality. Christians are no exception, and in many cases have led the charge. Today,

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-31821577279520392322009-01-16T13:18:00.005-05:002009-01-16T13:43:10.131-05:00

Below is a transcript of the statement I gave at the "Come Let Us Reason Together" press conference at the Third Way headquarters in Washington, DC:I support the "Come Let Us Reason Together" governing agenda put forth by Third Way because of my desire to see people of faith work across division of disagreement in the pursuit of common goals.As a committed Southern Baptist, I know all too well

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-91083437501674028532009-01-13T23:57:00.007-05:002009-01-14T09:43:19.065-05:00

Today, I wrote a guest column in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution entitled "Reducing abortions: priority promise should not be broken." One of the most divisive and polarizing issues in the United States is abortion, but in the last year or so the debate has taken on a new angle with the inclusion of abortion reduction as a common ground platform. In my article, I basically state that while Obama

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-21118442175338396212009-01-12T16:44:00.005-05:002009-01-12T23:59:02.422-05:00

Did you know that 10% of gift cards are never used? Did you know that billions of dollars in gift cards each year go unspent? I didn't either until I attended a gathering last night with the founders of giftcardgiver.com, an organization that collects unused gift cards with small balances on them and lumps them together to donate goods to people in need. When I first heard about this concept, I

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-21535202418993602302009-01-06T15:23:00.005-05:002009-01-07T22:37:59.420-05:00

I rarely ever post about my dad on this blog. He has his own voice, and I have mine. While our respective voices are equally grounded in a commitment to the message of God's word, they often convey that message differently. We are comfortable with that, and it often leads us into some spirited but loving debates.Today, however, I wanted to post a word from Dad that I think everyone in America

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-91646241014009852162009-01-05T12:50:00.013-05:002009-01-05T14:24:08.892-05:00

It seems like every day another news story reports an effort to mend US-Muslim relations. Who can forget the uproar when Rick Warren and over 300 others signed "Loving God and Neighbor Together,"  a letter penned by Yale University's Center for Faith and Culture, which sought to create dialogue between Muslims and Christians? I remember Baptist Press demanding that one Southern Baptist professor

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-86728292089286304802008-12-31T12:26:00.004-05:002008-12-31T12:43:55.045-05:00

The staff at Relevant Magazine joined together with some of Relevant's writers, including myself, to compile a list of Relevant's Top 10 Films of 2008. I was happy to contribute to this because as a film addict, I have been disappointed in recent years with the hype-to-reality ratio of many films. This year, however, was an exceptional year for good movies. "Amidst a year of economic turmoil and

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-42046315065144980842008-12-29T01:04:00.007-05:002008-12-29T11:28:57.189-05:00

Recently, I came across a national campaign that impressed me both from a message standpoint and a marketing standpoint. Unscrew America is a collaboration which seeks to encourage people everywhere to save money, reduce energy usage, and foster independence from fossil fuels by replacing old, incandescent bulbs with CFL's and LED's. Believe it or not, there are actually people out there who

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-48085791828781306412008-12-18T16:37:00.006-05:002008-12-18T17:06:38.614-05:00

It isn't often that I will publish several posts within a given week, and I don't recall ever posting twice in one day. Unlike some bloggers, I have bills to pay and can't sit around typing for free all day. There are only two events that may draw me out of my busy schedule for repeated posts: terrible tragedy or hilarious comedy. Today, it just so happens that the subject is a rare mix of both. 

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-69911024214776310852008-12-18T11:40:00.007-05:002008-12-18T11:56:46.142-05:00

An article has been released from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, which outlines a grant we were able to secure in the amount of $126,500 to develop and advance creation care stewardship among Southern Baptists. This will serve many purposes over the next 12 months from a campus-wide recycling program to a creation care conference to be hosted by Southeastern in 2009. While the launch

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-65137594810131896742008-12-16T20:56:00.026-05:002008-12-18T12:57:03.341-05:00

Late last week, Richard Cizik resigned as the Vice President for Governmental Affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) after 28 years of distinguished service. Richard is a man of great courage who embraces a broad, whole gospel agenda. Because of his hard work, issues like creation care, social justice, human rights and poverty became a part of the evangelical platform. Richard

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-59079904129273742952008-12-08T18:32:00.018-05:002008-12-09T00:52:28.582-05:00

My holiday season began with three disappointments. First, I went to see the new Vince Vaughn flick, "Four Christmases," and found it to be thoroughly devoid of both humor and holiday cheer. Second, I received a review copy of "Searching for a Better God" and finished the last chapter still wondering what was wrong with our current God and completely convinced that the author didn't know of a

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-90089356583613915842008-12-02T19:03:00.008-05:002008-12-03T15:27:18.758-05:00

I will never forget the way I felt while watching a Fox News snippet of Pat Robertson calling for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on the Christian Broadcast Network's The 700 Club. "We have the ability to take [Chavez] out," Robertson told his nearly ancient viewership with a scowling contortion. "And I think the time has come that we exercise that ability." I couldn't

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-26824572730655021622008-12-01T11:59:00.003-05:002008-12-01T12:04:33.669-05:00

Recently, I was interviewed by one of the largest papers in New York, The Poughkeepsie Journal, about a Christian response to environmental crises. I was not familiar with the paper and didn't know what the final article would look like, but today they released "Religions Awakening to Environmentalism," which profiles how many religions in addition to Christianity are coming to see creation care

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-30815330600802621492008-11-26T17:49:00.009-05:002008-11-26T18:40:18.530-05:00

On Thanksgiving eve, your humble correspondent (wink) has decided to step away from regularly scheduled programming to bring you something a little different. That means no talk of young evangelicals, no current events, no creation care updates, no politics, nothing to incite hate mail. Instead, I thought I would give you something that warms my heart like a frothy cup of hot cocoa...Indie rock!

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-38494893734693246802008-11-24T15:28:00.015-05:002008-11-25T00:40:09.762-05:00

Gabe Lyons is the founder of the Fermi Project and co-author of the groundbreaking book, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity and Why it Matters. (Unfortunately, no wikipedia entry yet.) Gabe also heads up Q, a conference which gathers innovators, social entrepreneurs and cultural pioneers to have conversations that matter. Recently, Gabe's organization launched the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-58493137714722520672008-11-20T21:18:00.006-05:002008-11-23T19:06:54.971-05:00

I have been reading and researching the issue of grace lately. I am leading a community group that has been going through Brennan Manning's The Ragamuffin Gospel. In my personal time, I have been making my way through Cathleen Falsani's Sin Boldly: A Field Guide for Grace, and I just finished reading Patriotic Grace by Peggy Noonan. It was while researching the subject of grace that I ran across

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-92149650143938654022008-11-17T11:16:00.006-05:002008-11-17T22:17:10.977-05:00

Beginning in the spring of this year, I began noticing a changing wind among my young evangelical peers with regard to points of interest and how that translates into actual votes. I have written on this several times both on this blog and in several publications. Today, I published an article for Newsweek / Washington Post On Faith entitled, "The Uncertain Future of Evangelical Voters."This

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-36809371622173494232008-11-12T17:00:00.010-05:002008-11-13T13:49:29.836-05:00

Earlier this year, I was somewhat dismayed by the decision of LifeWay Christian Resources to pull Gospel Today from the shelves of their stores nationwide because its cover story featured five women pastors. Today, the AJC ran a story entitled "Georgia Baptists take aim at women-led churches" that had a similar theme but a much more ridiculous storyline. Apparently, the Georgia Baptist Convention

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-72189801658643466032008-11-07T16:27:00.009-05:002008-11-08T02:27:09.614-05:00

A new exit poll reveals that support for Barack Obama among younger evangelicals doubled when compared to John Kerry in 2004. Among the findings was this staggering fact: only 49% of young evangelicals now identify as "conservative" and over half favor either same sex marriage (24%) or civil unions (28%).After reading the Faith in Public Life press release containing this information, I

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-78903110210474411832008-10-31T09:31:00.013-04:002008-10-31T18:59:13.138-04:00

My recent interview with PBS' Religion and Ethics Newsweekly has been posted on their website and is titled "Jonathan Merritt: A New Generation of Religion and Politics." Rather than add a bunch of commentary on this post, I would rather you go check it out for yourself and let me know your thoughts. Where do you agree with me? Where do you disagree? Do you you think I am crazy?The full spot will

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-70843430077073893152008-10-28T21:41:00.004-04:002008-10-30T11:28:03.235-04:00

A great new website has launched that is unlike anything I have seen. Creation Care for Pastors is a web resource specifically designed for church Pastors who are interested in creation care. It takes a distinctively biblical approach by applying scriptural principles to environmental issues. This site features books, resources, scientific data and everything a pastor needs to educate himself or

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-87390590527891743372008-10-24T15:22:00.005-04:002008-10-24T15:27:14.882-04:00

(Guest Writer - Mike Waggoner, TN)I recently read the new book by Rob Bell, Jesus Wants To Save Christians. Great book...really thought provoking. It came as a result of the front page of the Minneapolis Star stating that a certain church had just added onto their physical facility with the cost being 20.5 million dollars. On the same front page it was stated that 1 in 5 were living WAY below the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-14811376976865389482008-10-23T15:07:00.007-04:002008-10-28T17:10:03.783-04:00

Intervarsity Press will be releasing a new book in March 2009 called Green Revolution: Coming Together to Care for Creation by Ben Lowe (foreword by Shaine Claiborne). Ben is a Wheaton Grad and Director of Outreach for A Rocha, and in this book he covers a timely word about the state of God's world and our responsibility to care for it.Earlier this year, I wrote an essay that will appear in the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-55533088030644351312008-10-20T23:08:00.006-04:002008-10-28T21:51:18.057-04:00

We are less than three weeks away from choosing a new President, from choosing a new direction, regardless of which candidate is victorious. And looking back on the last eight years makes me long for days when our political system gave us something to get excited over. Though I was too young to remember it, I long for days like when Reagan was President.I long for days when people are truly

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-42513647464988462282008-10-20T16:46:00.009-04:002008-10-20T21:27:45.147-04:00

This weekend, I was interviewed by PBS' Religion and Ethics Newsweekly and today my contact there sent me an email with information on how you can add your thoughts. The producers are currently collecting the political insights of young evangelicals (18-29 years old) by asking them to send in a 2-3 minute video clip stating their attitudes and views on religion, politics and America's role in the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-83367929019915963652008-10-17T21:49:00.006-04:002008-10-17T22:14:20.362-04:00

Today, I picked up a book for the first time and now I can't put it down. The book is Healing for a Broken World: Christian Perspectives on Public Policy by Steven Monsma. For some time, I have been looking for a book that offers a balanced approach to public policy that all evangelicals--both left-leaning and right-leaning--can rally around. This book just might be it. The book has an

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-54390891575543087812008-10-15T11:40:00.010-04:002008-10-15T12:03:34.310-04:00

I'm struggling with a decision, and I need your help. For some time, I have wanted to get a tattoo of either the word "Hope" or "Created." These are meaningful words to me personally but are also scriptural allusions--1 Peter 3:15 and Colossians 1:16, respectively. I would like to get it on the underside of my wrist. My question is this: Would getting this tattoo limit my audience as I move

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-49011361598279104082008-10-08T18:18:00.002-04:002008-10-08T18:29:23.152-04:00

If you watched the debate last night and managed to stay awake during the whole thing, you probably felt like I did: LAAAAAME! The questions were softball, the moderator was boring and the answers were nothing short of talking points. Check out my reaction for RelevantMagazine.com entitled, "McCain & Obama Face Off." Let me know if you agree with my analysis and let me know if you have anything

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-10537684252250475542008-10-03T23:59:00.006-04:002008-10-05T07:43:08.633-04:00

In a surprising turn of events, writer / activist Brian McLaren knows I exist! Brian is the author of several books, the father of the emergent church movement and a lightning rod of controversy. It feels good to know someone out there is listening...(Proof can be found here.)

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-76814035197821123432008-10-03T00:21:00.010-04:002008-10-03T01:10:30.469-04:00

There are several posts embedded in my day's events, but only two make the short list: the Vice-Presidential debate and my last minute decision to see the Christian flick, Fireproof. VP or Fireproof? Fireproof or VP? In the end, I figure everyone else will be chatting up the debate. So, if you wanna hear about that check out the debate coverage from CNN or Fox News, according to your political

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-4727121207954324022008-10-01T16:35:00.005-04:002008-10-01T16:55:02.240-04:00

In what may be the most exciting and promising PR campaign to come out of the Christian community in a long time, the Creation Care Minute has launched in radio markets all across the United States. The voice of these 60-second spots is Tricia Elisara, a wife, mother, and someone who knows how important caring for God's creation really is. I was privileged enough to write some of the scripts for

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-59938097312295176672008-09-27T22:22:00.006-04:002008-09-30T09:21:08.382-04:00

Faith and politics often collide, but this time massive legal fallout seems imminent. Tomorrow, a group of 30 uber-conservative pastors backed by the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal organization, will endorse Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain from their church pulpits. Jerry Falwell is smiling from the grave.What is their goal? Is it to drum up support for one candidate in a

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-58826729877217840692008-09-24T23:29:00.008-04:002008-09-27T12:08:58.385-04:00

Higher-ups at the world's largest Christian publisher and retailer, LifeWay Christian Resources, decided to pull a magazine from the shelves of over 100 stores and all hell broke loose. It all started when GospelToday Magazine decided to profile 5 women pastors in this months cover story. LifeWay, whose parent entity, The Southern Baptist Convention, has a standing, non-binding resolution against

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-32255632067162003632008-09-23T19:42:00.005-04:002008-09-23T19:54:02.459-04:00

In a publishing first, Harper-Collins is set to release The Green Bible in only a few short days. The press release reads, "New bible shows how God was the original environmentalist--and how the world's most influential book urges us to sustain our planet." I received an advance copy for review in the mail today, and I must say that it is well put together and beautifully bound.The Bible has

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-17704352916356224152008-09-18T14:08:00.007-04:002008-09-22T16:05:37.047-04:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with PGA golfer Stewart Cink. He is an incredible athlete who recently won the Traveler's Championship and has earned $25 million as a tour golfer. But, Stewart is also a man of deep principles and Christian faith. In this exclusive interview for STV Magazine, I ask the top-25 golfer and father of two about the demands of the tour, how to achieve a

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-55737600380022215652008-09-15T12:28:00.007-04:002008-09-15T17:02:21.450-04:00

Eric Gorski of the Associated Press just released an article entitled "Younger Evangelicals Split Over Palin" in which I was quoted. As always, Gorski put together a pretty solid article with a great range of sources including leaders from the Emergent Church and authors like Gabe Lyons. (One correction: He said that I contacted the McCain campaign, but they actually contacted me.)Perhaps the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-49687422595852208152008-09-09T18:07:00.007-04:002008-09-09T21:28:31.439-04:00

An interesting pairing today in the CNN Newsroom. Margaret Feinberg, speaker and author of books such as The Sacred Echo, and Voddie Baucham, Pastor of Grace Family Baptist Church, went head-to-head on the issue of women in leadership. The debate was inspired by the recent nomination of Sarah Palin, and the segment can be found here.Personally, I don't know much about Voddie Baucham except that

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-10730274659145985012008-09-08T10:06:00.002-04:002008-09-08T10:15:35.029-04:00

Recently, I wrote a piece for the new creation care power-site, Deep Green Conversation, entitled, "It's All Greek to Me." In it, I detail my recent trip to Greece and how out of place I--a creation care advocate--felt in "a country that truly does its part to protect the planet." This trip reminded me that Americans, including myself, have to move past en vogue, light-green trends to simply make

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-84863811911492390632008-09-05T10:57:00.007-04:002008-09-09T21:30:30.460-04:00

This year's political conventions were the most memorable of any in my recent memory. The first black Presidential nominee, potentially the first female Vice-President, the gulf storms completely altering the first day of the Republican convention and an unprecedented amount of tech-heavy fanfare across the board.Normally, political hoopla of this magnitude will be paralleled by public,

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-76112029680852297402008-09-01T15:34:00.003-04:002008-09-01T15:41:24.344-04:00

(Guest Writer - Katie Corbett, VA) recently spent the weekend with a friend’s family at a Christian Arabic Conference in Pennsylvania. Since this is a blog, you are probably picturing me in your mind, wondering what Middle Eastern country I am descendent from. Well, to set the record straight, I am very blonde (at least for now), very blue-eyed, white girl with my ancestors hailing from Slovakia.

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-75083676206796922752008-08-31T22:11:00.003-04:002008-08-31T22:58:21.408-04:00

On friday, I received a call from a staff writer at the Washington Post asking how John McCain's VP pick, Sarah Palin, might influence evangelical women voters. Not being an evangelical woman, I felt it best to refer her to one or two people that I believe could give her a better answer. The first name that came to my mind was Margaret Feinberg.Recently, Margaret posted a blog article reflecting

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-19608748162313000292008-08-28T18:26:00.005-04:002008-08-28T18:41:12.768-04:00

I am so excited to speak October 19th at the Savannah College Retreat hosted by The Well in Tallahassee, FL. Also speaking will be Lauren Winner, best-selling author of Girl Meets God and Real Sex. Musical guest will be Nashville recording artist, Jill Phillips.Kudos to The Well for putting together such a wonderful event for college students and for inviting a nobody like me! I was flattered to

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-85885485867990515352008-08-27T23:25:00.004-04:002008-08-31T22:59:37.027-04:00

I am proud to announce the launch of a creative, semester-long Bible study for college guys, Alert! On Campus. I had the privilege of writing these studies, which are being released by The Mission Education Team of NAMB through BCMs at colleges across America. There are three sets of devotions that are 4 weeks long each. The subjects are:Acts 1:8 On CampusPurity vs. PornographySocial JusticeI

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-67893144783117801782008-08-27T11:08:00.004-04:002008-08-27T11:16:04.302-04:00

In my opinion, Phil Wickham is one of the best musical artists and lyricist out there. His genre is technically Christian, but it is really too good to be considered "Christian." (Those of you who have been introduced to Christian music at some point know exactly what I mean by that.)My buddy Leif Oines, X-box Live 5-star champion and co-author of How to Be a Grown Up, pointed out something that

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-21741938218428928262008-08-26T19:32:00.006-04:002008-08-26T19:41:48.379-04:00

Check out this interesting clip of Brian McLaren and Richard Land being "chummy." If they weren't so far away in distance, they would probably be holding hands.A special "thanks" to Ed Stetzer for posting this on his blog and providing me with 43 minutes and 36 seconds of enjoyment.I have respect for both men, but I am going to reserve my comments. What do you think?

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-62433032203844418072008-08-24T14:37:00.004-04:002008-08-24T14:43:05.817-04:00

My reaction to Rick Warren's recent faith forum at Saddleback has published on RelevantMagazine.com. Both sides of the political fence were dissatisfied, but I doubt that surprises any of my regular readers. Angering everyone is becoming my M.O.What do you think of my reaction? Slanted or centered? Agree or disagree?

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-86564297668238052962008-08-20T00:25:00.003-04:002008-08-20T00:28:48.035-04:00

(Guest Writer - Michelle Barrera, NJ) As I reflect after a mere 25 years of age, I am still trying to find my place. I am still trying to figure out who God wants me to be, where He'd like me to go, what He needs me to do with my life. With the help of life experience, I know who I have become. I am woman.Christian. Human. Loving. Open.Anyone would think that with all of this and an open heart I

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-69061419849371120982008-08-14T23:50:00.003-04:002008-08-14T23:54:23.442-04:00

**Here is the article: GOP Loyalty Not a Given for Young Evangelicals**Leave comments and tell me what you think.

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-53730693558284540812008-08-14T22:50:00.004-04:002008-08-14T23:02:44.773-04:00

Tomorrow, Krissah Williams of the Washington Post will be publishing a story on me and my political views, especially as they pertain to the upcoming election. She is an outstanding and disarming journalist. I have no doubt she'll do a fine job on this piece.I am convinced, however, that no matter what Krissah says there will be those who will flood me with angry emails. I expect no less from the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-17740135557457528952008-08-01T23:44:00.004-04:002008-12-08T18:50:40.198-05:00

These days, Christianity carries so much baggage. Perhaps the worst piece of luggage is a little word we call "guilt." Nasty little thing, isn't it? As much as guilt has a place in the Christian life--after all, the conviction of the Holy Spirit is one of the marks of genuine conversion--it shouldn't overshadow the real gifts of salvation. I sense that a lot of people today want to put down the

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152414280236923890.post-49533653393244641122008-07-20T22:58:00.012-04:002008-12-08T18:50:40.328-05:00

Since its internet debut, over 3 million people have viewed "The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard," and I can now count myself among those who have not only seen it but have been changed by it. In fact, I am going to lay myself on the line and open myself up for criticism at the outset by saying that this video is perhaps the most succinct and most compelling short film that has been released in

Jonathan Merritthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317633914257498372noreply@blogger.com0