Why Isn't Tom Brady Happy?

If any guy has a reason to be happy, it seems like it would be NFL star Tom Brady. The guy is living every man’s dream. With three Super Bowl rings and two Super Bowl MVP trophies, he’s arguably the best quarterback in the NFL.

And his conquests are not confined to the football field. After dating actress Bridget Moynahan he scooped up Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

So you can imagine my surprise when I viewed the clip below that seems to show unhappiness—even desperation—in the life of the all-star quarterback. Check it out and tell me what you think. To me it just shows that true fulfillment is never achieved through worldly success if Christ’s not part of the picture.

New Man Poll

What is the greatest potential threat to American Christianity?

-New Age Philosophy
-Spiritual indifference and complacency
-Pornography addiction
-Atheism
-Acceptance of Homosexuality
-Cult movements
-Government
-Corrupt Christian Leaders
-Materialism

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

Evel No More

When iconic daredevil Evel Knievel died at 69 last November, many were surprised—not by his passing—but that he lived as long as he did. The fearless showman made a name for himself in the ’70s with death-defying jumps and spectacular crashes. By the time he retired in 1980 he had suffered nearly 40 broken bones.

But the life of the hard-living legend had a surprise ending. Just months before succumbing to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Knievel had a dramatic encounter with God. In April Knievel was baptized during the Rev. Robert Schuller's Hour of Power service at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. Schuller told of how Knievel had called him a couple weeks earlier, telling him, “I’ve accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.”

The stuntman’s conversion prompted an impromptu mass baptism that morning. More than 500 came forward to committ or rededicate their lives to the Lord. Knievel would die six months later, but it seems his last jump had a succesful landing.

The Coming of Sharia Law

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, ignited quite a controversy earlier this month when he suggested incorporating certain aspects of Sharia law into the English legal system. In the aftermath of the media storm, Williams offered no apology. Rather he merely expressed regret over “any misleading choice of words.”

Several major media outlets lauded his comments and portrayed him as an embattled hero. The Guardian described a scene where “all but a handful of conservative evangelicals” gave the leader of the Church of England a standing ovation.

It’s no secret that European Christianity is in disrepair. Low church attendance and rampant atheism have been sounding the alarm for decades. The statistics are alarming. But, if you ask me, the Archbishop’s remarks strike an even more ominous chord—a death knell for a once vibrant faith that now has trouble—not only perpetuating itself—but also resisting evils rushing in to fill the void left by its abdication.

Williams is right about one thing: Islamic practices are encroaching upon public life. And in Europe the problem will only worsen. Muslim immigration and high birthrates could make Christianity’s historic bastion a fortress of Muslim might.

Many fail to understand that Islam is not only a religion; it’s a law too. In the Islamic mind, law and religion are inseparable. In Arabic there is not even a word to express the idea of secularity.

The British may fancy themselves free from the perceived chains of their Christian past. But if they’re not careful, they will find they have only traded them for the iron fetters of Islamic rule.

Clean Hotels...Morally Speaking

You've been there. Bored on a business trip. Alone in your hotel room.You flip through the channels. No good games. No cool movies.

Then you browse the hotel's film menu. The "adult" list catches your eye. Provocative descriptions and scantily clad women promise to fulfill your every desire.

Home is a thousand miles away. No one would know.

It's the moment of truth. What do you do?

Hopefully you resist. Unfortunately, many men do not. Often they cave in to the temptation and view porn.

According to a CBS special, at the big hotel chains—Hilton, Marriot, Hyatt, Sheraton and Holiday Inn—50 percent of guests view adult films on in-room pay-per-view television systems. Fifty percent!

If you find that statistic startling, this one is downright tragic: xxxchurch.com, a ministry that helps men fight porn addiction, reports that hotel porn rentals increase during ministry conventions. That means that some pastors are viewing hotel porn at a higher rate than the general public!

Bottom line? If pastors fall prey to temptation, so can we. That’s why when you check into a hotel, you need to fend off temptation before walking into your room.

One friend of mine does that by going to the front desk to request that adult films be blocked from his room.

An even better way that I read about recently is to make reservations through cleanhotels.com—a network of lodging facilities that do not offer in-room pornographic movies. I don’t usually plug specific companies, but in this case I’ll make an exception. Before you go on your next business trip, please consider visiting cleanhotels.com. No one is above temptation and taking precautions often makes the difference between victory and defeat.

Evangelism Kirk Cameron Style Part 2

Last week I tackled the topic of Kirk Cameron's widely televised evangelism efforts. Though I expressed admiration for Cameron, I was critical of his methodology. I didn’t think my view was controversial.

I was wrong!

Like a curious toddler who innocently probes an electrical outlet, I wasn’t prepared for the shock I received. Judging from the comments, I quickly learned that I had touched a live wire. Many of you were defensive of Cameron’s street evangelism.

“Don't knock it until you've tried it!” wrote one reader. “Wow! Harsh criticism,” commented another.

Many of the points were excellent. I don’t have time to respond to each one. However, I do want to offer my reaction.

First, as one commenter wrote, when it comes to evangelism “methods matter.” I agree. Many people have labored long and hard to understand how best to share the gospel in our particular cultural context. Most models like “Friendship Evangelism” and “Servant Outreach” fly directly in the face of Cameron’s approach. Instead of accosting strangers with harsh truths, these carefully thought-out methods emphasize building relationships with unbelievers.

Unsurprisingly research shows these models are far more effective. More than ninety percent of converts come to Christ through a friend or relative. Street evangelism in general—and yes I have tried it—rarely works, even when done with the best approach. Usually you have to earn the right to speak into someone’s life—not just walk up and demand it.

Second, Cameron and Ray show scant regard for the postmodern worldviews increasingly common in our culture. Questions such as, “How will God judge you when you die?” presuppose a Christian worldview. The question just assumes that everyone believes that:

a) There is a God
b) He is the ultimate judge
c) There is an afterlife.

For many these beliefs are now foreign. That doesn’t mean we hide these aspects of Christian truth. It just demands that our starting point is different. I remember seeing one young man shaking his head when confronted with Cameron and Ray’s stock questions.

“Man, I don’t even believe in that stuff,” he said.

He wasn’t convicted. He was confused.

The gospel never changes, but the way we present it does. In every generation God seeks men who will rise to the challenge to present the gospel in new and compelling ways without sacrificing the content of the message. Cameron and Ray have good hearts and their efforts may help some. But I believe there are others blazing trails more worthy of following.