Though originally intended for theatrical release, Disney/Pixar's Soul was released on Disney+ on...
Culture
Everything Egalitarianism and Then Some
Do you miss the days not too long ago when the hot social media topics were egalitarianism and...
Everything You Need To Understand the Culture
Our practice at ThingsAbove.Us is to write about whatever we want always with an end goal toward...
Rightly Dividing the Popular Culture: TGC Fumbles Frozen II
Once upon a tyme, in the cold, dark for'sts of New York and Quebec, a pair of well-respected Reformed theologians did found a Coalition to advocate for and restore trust in the biblical Gospel. 'Twas to be "a fellowshipe of evangelical churches in the Reformed...
When Should We Officially Ditch a Christian Content Creator?
The change of scenery is nice, I'll admit, but going on "vacation" with four kids under 7 is not really a vacation per se. Zombie TownWhen most people imagine vacations, they think of relaxing on the beach, going to Disney World, or camping. What we experienced...
The Trojan Mouse (book review)
I'll admit from the outset that I was never a huge Disney fan as a child. In fact, I rather disliked nearly everything on Disney Channel, and I can’t recall ever visiting a theater to watch a movie from Disney proper (as opposed to Pixar or other Disney subsidiaries)....
Why We Should Have Seeker Sensitive Churches
I can't really document the dates so well, but I think most will generally agree that at the turn of the century the "Seeker Sensitive" movement was in full gear. This movement's mantra is, essentially, that churches should be designed for seekers. In my own state of...
From the Mailbag: “Judge Not”
A woman contacted us through our contact us form and expressed some concerns with an article Justin wrote about The Send. I believe her assertions and my responses could be helpful to you, so here they are. For the sake of the post, I'll call her Holly. Hi, Hope...
Polyamory and a Jealous God
One of the ways we proclaim our great Savior to the world is through the institution of marriage. Marriage is a picture of Christ and His Bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:32). We reflect God's faithfulness, mercy, and love when we love our spouse the way He has...
God Hears Your Prayers: STTA!
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The first verse of the Bible as well as basic reasoning each point to God as the creator of the world. Nothing exists without Him. He is all-powerful. There is no being greater than He is. No being...
Careful With Your Mocking: STTA!
Something To Think About! There is no excuse for mocking someone's God-given looks, disabilities or impediments, or incidental things like the name their parents' gave them. It is not only ungodly behavior, but it is ineffective even from a pragmatic point of view. It...
Should You Attend a Catholic Wedding or Funeral?
It's a question which many Christians face: Should I attend my friend or family member's Catholic wedding or funeral? Is that the same as being unequally yoked with non-believers? What if someone there gets the wrong idea about what I believe? Does my presence there...
Kindly Let People Ask If Mary Knew
"Mary, Did You Know?" is a Christmas song with lyrics written by Mark Lowry and music written by Buddy Greene. It was originally recorded by Christian recording artist Michael English on his self-titled debut solo album in 1991 (English and Lowry were both members of...
Are We Against Santa or For Truth?
"Do you know what your daughter did?" my in-laws asked me. They were clearly quite concerned and disappointed in her. Knowing my daughter's behavioral issues, I readied myself for the worst. "She told her cousins Santa Claus isn't real," they said. Phew! I breathed a...
Isaac’s Dilemma
"I'm homosexual," Isaac told me, "and I don't think I could give up the happiness it brings me and deny who I am — for something I am not certain about." This was Isaac's response to a question I asked him. What preceded and what followed the above response is the...
Little Women — Movie Review
Little Women, a modern adaptation of the classic Louisa May Alcott story opens in theaters, Friday, September 28. I believe I was quite privileged to receive a pre-view of this film and recommend that you see it also, with a few caveats. https://youtu.be/U7yNDrTgwBY A...
You Have Dealt Well with Your Servant (Psalm 119:65-72)
This week's pSaturday Psalm comes from Psalm 119:65-72. Psalm 119 is a wonderful psalm that is really a "love poem," so to speak, about God's word! It is the longest chapter in the Bible — composed of 22 8 verse stanzas where the first letter of each line in a stanza...
The Flag is Not About Us Veterans
With Colin Kaepernick trending once again — along with my just having figured out that there's an 'e' in his name — many are attempting to counter the claim of Kaepernick's "sacrifice" by raising the sacrifice of military veterans. This response is nothing new. As...
Praise Yahweh (the LORD) – Psalm 117
God has provided us with His Word that we might know Him and praise Him. Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter of the Bible, yet it is packed with God-glorifying wisdom, truth, and comfort. Let's take a look at it! Psalm 117 (ESV) 1 Praise Yahweh, all nations! Extol him,...
Everyone is an Evangelist
Christianity seems to be marked by a divide between people who actively evangelize and those who do not. Clearly, some folks are particularly burdened about and gifted concerning the dissemination of the Christian gospel. But it is also generally understood that ALL...
I Gave In and Watched Chris Pratt’s Gospel Thing
Upcoming TGC article: Finding the Gospel in Chris Pratt's Presentation of the Gospel (#troll) — Garrett O'Hara (@mokaThought) June 21, 2018 Seriously, I haven't watched it, and I'm not planning on it. I do not care. Carry on. — Garrett O'Hara (@mokaThought) June 21,...
Finding the Gospel in the NBA Finals
Start Here The NBA Finals are upon us again. For the 8th straight year Lebron James leads a team from the Eastern Conference while the Goliath of the West, the Warriors, are looking to solidify themselves as maybe the greatest team ever to play. Here at Things Above...
The Worldview of Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville, Part Two
In my previous post, I reviewed an episode of the Seth MacFarlane’s comedy-scifi series, The Orville, in which the show presents its worldview concerning the dignity of women. Whereas "About a Girl," is a positive case for the show's worldview, the following episode,...
The Worldview of Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville, Part One
Fans of previous Star Trek series have a couple of new options for their television viewing. The official one, Star Trek: Discovery, has been the object of derision from multiple angles. Most notably, it’s exclusively on CBS All Access in the United States, which...
3 Things Christian Men Should Stop Calling Their Wives
When we write or speak, we are communicating thoughts, and those thoughts either reflect biblical orthodoxy or they do not. Carelessness in speech, although not criminal, is still an outpouring of a heart that isn't really striving for godliness (Matthew 12:36–37)....
Recent Racist Rhetoric Reflections
Hot Take My take on the recent rhetoric about race. There really is evil in the world in the form of racism. Like abortion, some Christians are on the front lines fighting that evil as the outworking of their faith in Christ. This is a good thing. Some Christians are...
Paul, Apostle of Christ – Official Movie Review
Well, there are a couple of firsts surrounding this post. I had never 'prescreened' a movie before. I have never written an official movie review before. That's all changed now, thanks to the new movie set to release on March 23, 2018 Paul, Apostle of Christ. I have...
2018 Arnold Classic Outreach Report
The Lord Jesus Christ blessed us with pleasant weather and friendly crowds at the 2018 Arnold Classic Outreach in Columbus, OH. The Arnold Classic is an international exposition featuring athletes from a number of different sports including, bodybuilding,...
What Do Changes in NASCAR Signal in Our Culture?
What matters to you most as a sports fan: that the sport is officiated fairly or that the competition is close until the very end? Another way to ask this might be whether you want it to be fair or to be entertaining. Suppose you could pick only one or the other. I...
6 Questions I’d Ask a Missionary Before I Supported Them
Unfortunately, in Papua New Guinea, especially within the people group where I worked, it's easy to see the destruction that untrained, undisciplined missionary-efforts do to cultures and lives. Here’s a quick example: Around our village years ago, 6-8 different...