faith Archives

This Pastor Faces Execution

It’s really simple:

If he surrenders his faith, he’ll save his life.

Or will he?

Youcef Nadarkhani is an Iranian Christian pastor. He was arrested back in 2009 for protesting compulsory Islamic religious instruction in the public school system. Although initially charged with protesting, an illegal act, the charges were amended to apostasy and evangelizing Muslims.

When asked by a judge to “repent” of his behavior, Pastor Nadarkhani’s response was blunt:

“Repent means to return. What should I return to?” he asked.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith February 21, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Tale of Two Monks

William J. Bausch once shared the following story:

Two monks were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was falling. Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.

“Come on, girl,” said the first monk at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud. The second monk didn’t speak until that night, when they reached their lodging.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith February 17, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Few Words About Jeremy Lin

Commentators are suggesting that Jeremy Lin is just what the NBA needed, a “Taiwanese Tebow,” as some have dubbed him, pointing to his outward expression of the Christian faith and his ability to capture the attention of spdorts fans everywhere.

To be sure, the 24-year-old standout from Harvard is giving kids (and kids at heart) someone and something fun to cheer about. And in the NBA, with the disproportionate moral deficiencies amongst some of its players, that’s no small feat, no pun intended.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, faith, pop culture February 16, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

This is the Face of Clarity, Charity and Conviction

Up until yesterday morning, Karen Handel, who is openly pro-life, was the vice president of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. But as the controversy continued to swirl over Komen’s decision to reinstate its funding of Planned Parenthood, Ms. Handel resigned her post.

“I was too much of a focal point,” she said. “I really felt I had a responsibility to just step aside so they could refocus on their mission.”

Karen Handel refused to accept a severance package that was offered.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, homosexuality February 8, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Gift of Thanks For You

The public’s reaction to the John 3:16 ad which ran during the NFL divisional playoff game between Tim Tebow’s Denver Broncos and the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots has given me and the team here at Focus on the Family a much needed lift.

Let me share with you how and why:

Times and finances are tough for all of us, especially for organizations like ours which are entirely reliant on the generosity of others to keep ministry efforts afloat.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith January 30, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How’s Your “WOW” Factor?

When was the last time you stood and stared in awe and wonder?

I can remember those early days of fatherhood, when I would quietly slip into Trent and Troy’s room and watch their tiny chests rise and fall with every peaceful breath. It left me reaching for words that never came. Not only was I nearly speechless at the beauty of the new life before me, but humbled that I was blessed to have the new name of “Dad.”

In those moonlit nights, David’s words took on new meaning for me:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (Psalm 139:14).

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith January 25, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Commercial That Led Them to Christ

I want to share an exciting postscript to Monday’s piece, Some Numbers Are More Important Than a Score.

In the process of providing some background and detail on our commercial featuring the Bible verse John 3:16, I noted that we had received some remarkable news about a simple two-line tweet. It read:

Both my sons just saw your commercial and gave their lives to Christ as a result. Thank you. #John316

The father in question was named David Grumme.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith, kids January 19, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Deathbed Blessing

Many of us have sat by the side of a dying loved one, trying to bring comfort, trying to help prepare them for their final journey home. But it’s especially powerful and telling, isn’t it, when the person who is suffering is the one who brings the greatest measure of comfort and perspective?

Joan Batura, the mother of Paul Batura, a colleague here at Focus, received her promotion to glory on January 12th. By her own acknowledgment, she had lived a long and wonderful life.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith January 18, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Get Along with People

One Sunday morning, drowsing in a back pew of a little country church, I dimly heard the old preacher urge his flock to “stop worrying about your own halo and shine up your neighbor’s!” And it left me sitting up, wide awake, because it struck me as just about the best eleven-word formula for getting along with people that I ever heard.

Shine up your neighbors’s halo:

I like it for its implication that everyone, in some area of life, has a halo that’s worth watching for and acknowledging.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith January 17, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Some Numbers Are More Important Than a Score

There wasn’t a lot of celebrating Saturday night in our home state of Colorado, but there was definitely – as Luke 15:7 promises – “rejoicing in heaven.” Our beloved Denver Broncos lost a heartbreaker to the New England Patriots, but that result is really inconsequential when souls are won for Christ.

And that’s precisely what happened during the AFC Divisional Playoffs. How do we know? Because people told us.

They were responding to a 30-second commercial from Focus on the Family aired during the game.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, kids January 16, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura