Christianity Is Not a Boys' Club (or is it?)

by Karen Yates

Recently, I was chatting with a girlfriend when she mentioned John Piper’s statement that “Christianity has a masculine feel.” We talked at length about the ramifications such a statement can have on a woman’s perception of the Church and those of us that call ourselves Christ-followers. Is Christianity a boys' club? And if I ask that question, does it make me a feminist?

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Sex Trafficking is Closer Than You Think

by Caitie Hlushak

A common misbelief about sex trafficking is that the United States is only a destination country, that all of the victims of sex slavery within the U.S. have been carried across international borders. The truth is that literally untold numbers of U.S. citizens are trafficked within our own borders and in our neighborhoods every year.

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To Cade and the Eight Percent

by Gabe Lyons

My son Cade is a survivor. Eleven years ago this week, Rebekah and I celebrated the birth of our first-born. Despite his Down syndrome diagnosis, we were overjoyed to welcome this new life into our family.But not everyone welcomes children like Cade. It’s no secret. People with Down syndrome have been targeted for extinction...

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Curbing Environmental Corruption

by Gary Bergel

Romans 8:22 says, "For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now." In light of this revelation, what does stewardship look like for followers of Jesus in the midst of global climate shifts and natural disasters?

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Preemptive Love

Remaking the World through Heart Surgery

by Jeremy Courtney

What does it take to save the lives of 30,000 children waiting in line for lifesaving heart surgery? Or to pursue peace between at-odds groups in a country at war? Jeremy Courtney draws from his last five years as a Christ-follower in Iraq’s most dangerous cities to establish “preemptive love” as the way to unmake violence, establish an enduring peace, and remake the world around us to the good of humanity and the glory of God.

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How Can You Forgive a Killer?

Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Rwanda

by Laura Waters Hinson

If it's hard to forgive the guy who cuts you off in rush hour traffic, how much more difficult is it to forgive those who kill your loved ones? What can we learn from the forgiveness that is happening in Rwanda? How can the church get involved in advancing reconciliation? Filmmaker, Laura Waters Hinson talks with Gabe Lyons about her film, As We Forgive, developing the craft of storytelling, and the latest projects she’s been working on.

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What's Your Secret?

by Rebekah Lyons

Secrets. We all have them, don't we?Tucking my son in at bedtime has become quite the confessional. It all started when he remembered taking a pen a year earlier from his teacher’s desk in hopes of surprising his sister later on the bus. Then, as if the dam had broken, a few nights later he remembered, “picking up" a box of crayons and putting them in his backpack. I wondered if my usually buttoned up son was on his way to a life of kleptomania...

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Contemplative Activism as a Model for Mission

by Phileena Heuertz

The signs of the time can be troubling. Poverty, exploitation, war, global warming and over-consumption plague our planet. It seems like domination and exploitation are commonplace almost everywhere we turn. Christians, too, are often implicated in the violence. How can we offer a different kind of presence in the world and really make a redemptive impact? Contemplative activism must root us in offering the good...

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Feminine Identity and Sexuality

by Caitie Hlushak

Our great-great-grandmothers dreamed of seeing their daughters and granddaughters stand side by side with men: equal in dignity, respect and achievement. Our culture tells us that the Women's Rights Movement, the Feminist Movement and the Sexual Revolution unlocked our cages and set us free to be man’s equal. But have we really achieved equality?

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Why are the Women Fading?

by Rebekah Lyons

It's 3:45 a.m. and you have been lying awake for almost an hour, plagued by self-doubt and anxiety. It begins with your son’s dropping grades at school, and how he is losing his confidence. This rabbit trails to your daughter’s heart, and the defiance that leaves you exhausted. You blame yourself and how you are failing to reach her. The clock keeps ticking and you move on to other stressors: you don't call your parents enough, your siblings are far away, you have an inbox that never empties...

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Christians Should Put Up or Shut Up

On Adoption

by Jason Locy

When the Arkansas Supreme court struck down a voter-approved initiative that banned co-habitating straight and gay couples from adopting orphaned children, the Christian community predictably erupted. Byron Babione of the Alliance Defense Fund, attributed the April ruling to a “political movement afoot to undermine and destroy marriage.” On one hand, these comments aren’t surprising. Conservative evangelicals have decried “the anti-family gay agenda” for decades.

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Animals: Should We Care?

by Wayne Pacelle

When we speak of our “humanity,” it’s grounded in our capacity as humans to exhibit empathy for others. It’s our innate empathy that prompts us to care not only for members of our families or our friends and neighbors, but also for those we’ve never met, especially the needy. This altruistic instinct motivates so many good works in society, and there are millions who help by sheltering the poor, feeding the hungry, or curing the ill...

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An Apologetic of Justice

A talk between Gabe Lyons, Andy Crouch and Gary Haugen

by Q Ideas

Matthew Arnold says that culture is "the best which has been thought and said in the world." Gary Haugen, founder, President and CEO of International Justice Mission and a former member of the State Department, disagrees. Here, Gabe Lyons sits down with Haugen to discuss the role of believers in culture.

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Narcissism

Integrating Faith and Psychiatry

by Allan Josephson, M.D.

Narcissists' inflated view of themselves frequently masks a hidden sense of emptiness and inferiority. Allan Josephson, M.D., says that those who are in relationship with a narcissist “by definition become depleted or depressed, because life always has to reflect the grandeur, the beauty, the intelligence of the narcissist.” Here, Josephson explores what spiritual health looks like in a culture that celebrates narcissism.

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Fatherhood as Vocation

by Graham Scharf

Graham Scharf, a former NYC Teaching Fellow, is now a stay-at-home dad while his wife works full-time as a pediatrician. In this excerpt from Keith Zafren’s forthcoming book on fatherhood, Graham grapples with the value of fatherhood as a full-time vocation.

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A Thousand Wells

by Jena Lee Nardella

The Law of the Few says that social change is primarily dependent on a few influencers. This law, Jena Lee Nardella argues, is false. In our world, social change is dependent on everyday individuals doing their small part.

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The 2012 Praxis Fellows

by Dave Blanchard and Josh Kwan

The Praxis Accelerator Program was created in collaboration with Q to support the growing global movement of restoration-minded social entrepreneurs.  Founder Dave Blanchard and Board Chair Josh Kwan announce the 2012 class of Praxis Fellows. Join us to congratulate, encourage, and learn more about these impressive teams as they embark on a year of intense growth and mentorship.

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Ten Years from Normal

Lessons Learned from 9/11

by Jonathan Merritt

As we mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, we remain unable to explain why God allowed this suffering. But, as we stare through the corridor of time, we can ask another question: What, if anything, have we learned? Jonathan Merritt grapples with suffering and shares a few of the lessons that he's observed in this decade of uncertainty.

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The Gospel and Sex

by Tim Keller

If we can demonstrate healthy sexuality as a Church, what unlimited redemption is possible for our starving, sex-crazed culture? Tim Keller outlines a compelling and orthodox sexual ethic, and the proper role of singleness and marriage within the Church.

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Motherhood as Vocation

by Kate Harris

Few would argue that mothering is a lot of work. But, do we think of "Motherhood" as work in the same way we think of other careers and vocations? Kate Harris skillfully argues that stay-at-home work is both a meaningful part of God's design and also a meaningful part of society as a whole, and that mothers can hold their own next to any other "culture shaper."

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Redefining Hate

Gay Activists Should Reconsider Rhetoric

by Jonathan Merritt and Tim Willard

Are organizations that oppose same sex marriage, and people who associate with them, hate-mongers? Jonathan Merritt and Tim Willard reveal the irony in public discourse over hate, same-sex marriage and Christians.

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Help the Poor, Help the World

A review of The Hole In Our Gospel and Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger

by Byron Borger

Is our faith more than going to church, feeling God's love, and telling others about the forgiveness offered by Jesus? Here are two books that emphatically say, "Yes." Byron Borger reviews The Hole in Our Gospel and Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger.

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Could Same-Sex Marriage Benefit Traditional Marriage?

by Gabe Lyons

For the LGBT community and many Christian leaders alike, New York’s recognition of same-sex marriage is a symbolic milestone in a more than three-decade old culture war. Gabe Lyons considers the benefit of moving on to more important societal conversations about healthy marriage and sexuality.

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Entrepreneurship in Action

by Jason Byassee

The psalmist tells us that God knit each of us together in the womb; knitting requires great attention to detail. What details are uniquely woven into you that invite you to create a unique cultural good? Here are two stories of women from Redeemer Presbyterian Church's Entrepreneurship Initiative Forum whose faith led them to the discovery of their own personal cultural goods.

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Capitalizing with the Poor

by Jeff Keenan and John Terrill and Kenman Wong

Is it wrong to pursue a profit while helping the poor and oppressed? This question is frequently aired and dissected in intricate moralizing, but why not ask the companies pursuing multiple bottom lines how their profit motivation is working? Kenman Wong, John Terrill, and Jeff Keenan introduce three companies pursuing both profit and the welfare of the poor.

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Will The Poor Always Be With Us?

by Scott Todd

We have all heard our parents say, “You can do it if you put your mind to it.” But is ending extreme poverty something we can achieve? Scott Todd of Compassion International says that the question shouldn’t be a "Can we?" but a "When can we?"

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The Dot Connector

by Jana Riess

Competition for funding is fierce among non-profits who are working in the same niche. But for these outcome-oriented companies, is competing against each other the most effective strategy? Strive Partnerships demonstrates another approach by fostering collaborative relationships that leverage the diverse assets of the non-profits serving Cincinnati’s education system.

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Entrepreneurship for the Common Good

by Dave Blanchard

The global movement of restoration-minded social entrepreneurs is growing quickly. Q wants to support these men and women in their tireless efforts. To this end, we’ve created Praxis, an accelerator program that provides world-class mentorship, peer community, and $100,000 in cash awards.

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Three Ways with Families

by Tim Keller

Recently, some scholars and cultural observers have decried the so-called "decline of the family." In parts of Asia and Europe, for example, the birth-rate has fallen below replacement levels. Many blame secular society's penchant for individualism and call for a return to the so-called "traditional" view of the family. But pastor Tim Keller says the gospel-based community practices a view of family that is contrary to both secular and traditional societies.

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Responding to Natural Disasters

by Q Ideas

Last year was the deadliest in over a generation. Earthquakes, landslides, floods and blizzards claimed more than a quarter million lives worldwide. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any rest for the weary in 2011. Pulling from the ideas of Medair vice-president Roger Sandberg, Q Ideas explores how Christians can best participate in the long-term recovery of devastated areas.

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Animal Welfare

by Christine Gutleben and Wayne Pacelle

Animal welfare is one of the worst problems that many Christians know nothing about. Each year, eight million animals enter shelters and as many as four million sheltered animals are killed. Additionally, more than 25 million animals will be used in laboratory experiments this year. When the testing concludes, almost of all of them will be killed. Wayne Pacelle and Christine Gutleben of the Humane Society of The United States, say Christians should care. Hear their surprising insights from scripture and Christian history as they ask us to consider our non-human neighbors.

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The Church Will End Extreme Poverty

by Scott Todd

Claiming that we can eradicate extreme poverty from the face of the Earth is incredibly bold. But Dr. Scott Todd believes it is also surprisingly realistic. The key, he believes, is to stop being naive about the incredible evidence of progress and raise our expectations of what God intends to do through us. Scott provides that evidence, offers a provocative argument that Jesus never said the poor would always be with us and calls for us to “live 58.”

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Haiti One Year Later: The Quake and Haitian Spirituality

by Gerald Murray

It's been one year since a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, stealing hundreds of thousands of lives. Much of the media attention has focused on human suffering, the almost imperceptible recovery, and the international politics of the world’s response to the tragedy. But are we overlooking the spiritual dimension of these events? Anthropologist Gerald Murray investigates how Haitian theology has influenced the response to this tragedy.

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Activism After Clicktivism

by Micah White

For over a decade, revolutionaries and culture jammers have been paralyzed by the computer screen. We've come to rely far too heavily on a particular form of internet organizing: clicktivism. But activists are realizing that clicktivism will never breed social revolution. Is internet organizing in decline and, if so, what does that mean for revolutionaries? Writer and activist Micah White explores what's next.

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Does the Earth Care If You Drive a Hybrid?

by Rusty Pritchard

A Nobel-prize-winning physicist claims that the earth is resilient and humans actions don't affect it in the long run. Is this true, and even if it is, should humans--and specifically, Christians--still live as stewards in the here-and-now? A leading natural resource economist and Christian environmentalist responds.

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A Comprehensive Approach to the Orphan Crisis

by Johnny Carr

Many Christians are capturing a vision for orphan care and adoption. But according to a leading adoption advocate, we don't always get it right. The answer is not building more orphanages or relying only on inter-country adoption. We need a comprehensive strategy for getting the 163 million orphans and vulnerable children into loving homes.

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In Praise of Dissent

by Jonathan Merritt

Humans unfortunately have a tendency to accept the status quo and go along with prevailing opinion. But could it be that society needs dissent? What if thoughtful disagreement was actually a springboard to new ideas, fresh thinking, and better solutions?

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Social Activism

by Antonio Carlos Costa

What does activism look like in the life of a Christian? From Wilberforce to Martin Luther King Jr., Christians have an array of forbears to which to look for wisdom. Should we expose the evil in the world through an all out cultural assault or slowly and methodically work towards systemic solutions to  corruption? In Brazil, Antonio Carlos Costa has had to decide that for himself, and the result is truly inspiring.

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Discover the Rescued

by Soledad O'Brien and Jonathan Olinger

Through the power of a documentary platform, the lives of two Haitian orphans are elevated and their stories told. CNN correspondent Soledad O’Brien and Jonathan Olinger of "Discover the Journey" open the world’s eyes to the complexities of caring for children in the midst of one of the greatest disasters the world has ever seen.

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Rebranding Atheism

An MFA Project Turns Into a Thoughtful Rebranding of Historic Non-Belief

by Jonathan Merritt

Looks like Christians aren’t the only ones with an image problem. Atheists are now struggling with the way people perceive their movement. Find out what happens when an MFA student tries to rebrand atheism.

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Green Like God

by Q Ideas and Jonathan Merritt

“God is green. The idea seems bizarre, almost trivial. Yet, I'm as sure of that statement as I am that two plus two is four and the mixing of red and yellow makes orange.”

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Supporting Our Friends In Haiti

by Gabe Lyons

We've heard from many of you who are involved in the Haitian Earthquake recovery effort in significant ways. We wanted to give you a few links to those who are working on every area of this effort, from rescue and relief to long-term development.

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Ensuring Social Entrepreneur Success

by Dr. Stephen Graves

As a social entrepreneur there is more to the bottom line than just profits, and success is not measured strictly in dollars and cents. However, even the best of intentions do not ensure a successful business. A solid plan and sound practices are a must to getting your idea off the ground. Dr. Stephen Graves has written extensively on the topic of entrepreneurial success and coached executives at Fortune 500 companies. His insights will help you lay the foundation for a successful organization.

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TOMS AT&T Commercial

TOMS and AT&T Join Forces

by Q Ideas

We were thrilled when we began seeing AT&T commercials showing up on prime-time television, featuring the TOMS story, told by our friend, Blake Mycoskie.Here's a unique behind-the-scenes perspective of the filming of this really incredible commercial.

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A World Without Nuclear Weapons

by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson

Is it even possible? More importantly, is it sensible? Don’t the presence of nuclear weapons make the world safer and ensure they won’t be used again? And why should Christians really care about this issue to begin with? Tyler Wigg-Stevenson tackles all of the questions and concludes with a single powerful truth: the only future that Christians should envision is one without nuclear weapons.

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Charity

by Scott Harrison

For many years, Scott Harrison cared only about himself. But something changed and now he's using his resources to provide one of the most fundamental human needs for those in poverty: clean water. Listen to his powerful story as an example of what God can do with those who are willing to follow his lead.

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Social Engagements

by Jim Wallis

When ordinary people come together in movements, mountains are moved. Trusting that God is neither a republican or a democrat how can a local church balance doing the Gospel and sharing the Gospel? Learn the importance of social responsibility and personal responsibility as Jim Wallis dialogues about Christians, politics, and social movements.

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Social Movements

by Jim Wallis

When it comes to politics, Christians often feel frustrated. How can God’s people make an impact against the immovable mountains of injustice, poverty, war, and the degradation of human life? Jim Wallis believes that the answer comes from a new, yet historical perspective on the nature of movements.

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Shoes And Social Responsibility

by Blake Mycoskie

It's a simple idea: for every pair of shoes bought in America, an additional pair of shoes is given away to children in Argentina. Today, thousands of South American kids play soccer in new shoes - and thousands more will tomorrow.

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Not For Sale

by David Batstone

Slavery is illegal everywhere, yet there are 27 million slaves in the world today. Through the Not For Sale Campaign, thousands of inspired modern day abolitionists are joining together in open source activism to save humanity from this horrific way of life.

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Redeeming Justice

by Catherine Rohr

Put prisoners together with some Harvard MBA students, a business plan competition, and a gutsy New York investment banker and amazing things happen. This idea turned into a national program and is reshaping the justice system’s commitment to prisoners reentering society.

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Environmental Stewardship

by Richard Cizik

Richard Cizik openly discusses a holistic view of sanctity of life, the emerging green phenomenon, gaining influence nationally on the issue of environmentalism, and dealing with opposition from other leading evangelicals

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