Chelsen Vicari

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  • Ted Cruz: Can the Love of Jesus Christ Be a Campaign Strategy?

    Ted Cruz: Can the Love of Jesus Christ Be a Campaign Strategy?

    Sen. Ted Cruz officially announced his intention to seek a presidential bid on Monday morning at Liberty University, the largest Christian university in the world. The announcement by Cruz was preceded not only by a political platform, but a testimony about the "transformative love of Jesus Christ."

  • David Platt's Call to Counter Culture

    David Platt's Call to Counter Culture

    The last few weeks have seen a lot of commentary on pastors leading the same-sex "affirmation movement." Church leaders like the infamous unorthodox author and speaker Rob Bell, evangelicals Stan Mitchell of Gracepointe Church in Franklin, Tennessee, and Danny Cortez of New Heart Community Church of La Mirada, California are just a few of the movement's leading affirmation pastors.

  • The New Christian Left Is Twisting the Gospel: Here's How

    The New Christian Left Is Twisting the Gospel: Here's How

    Peek behind the curtain of some "progressive" or "hip" evangelical churches, past the savvy technology and secular music, and you will find more than just a contemporary worship service. You'll find faith leaders encouraging young evangelicals to trade in their Christian convictions for a gospel filled with compromise.

  • The Incarcerated Church

    The Incarcerated Church

    It is tempting to neglect incarcerated Christians in America. Labeled as lost causes, we justify our lack of attention to the needs of these brothers and sisters in Christ because of the public punishment they serve for their past wrongdoings. Thank goodness this is not the attitude of Jesus Christ.

  • Evangelical Church Plant in Washington DC: Influencing the City that Influences the World

    Evangelical Church Plant in Washington DC: Influencing the City that Influences the World

    Last Friday, the Institute on Religion and Democracy's (IRD) Chelsen Vicari met with Deamon Scapin, the pastor of a new Capitol Hill church plant called Triumph D.C. According to the new church plant's website, Triumph seeks to be "a network of life-giving churches and a movement of leaders to influence a city that influences the world."

  • Book Review: Andy Stanley's Troubling Rules on Love, Sex, and Dating

    Book Review: Andy Stanley's Troubling Rules on Love, Sex, and Dating

    Geared towards the young, unwed, and culturally savvy, Stanley explains in the introduction that his purpose for writing The New Rules for Love, Sex, and Dating (Zondervan, January 2015) is to "increase your relational satisfaction quota." What does that mean? Red flags started to rise

  • Polyamory Activist Hijacks 'Third Way' Pastor's Sexuality Logic

    Polyamory Activist Hijacks 'Third Way' Pastor's Sexuality Logic

    Just when you thought Rev. Danny Cortez would be busy avoiding controversy after he and his congregation were dismissed by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2014 for adopting a "third way" affirming same-sex unions, he has landed himself in hot water again.

  • Millennial Female Discovers Natural Family Planning's Surprise Comeback

    Millennial Female Discovers Natural Family Planning's Surprise Comeback

    In preparation for my upcoming marriage, I have set out researching deeper into Fertility Awareness Methods or more commonly called Natural Family Planning, a birth control method based on the natural observation of signs and symptoms of a woman's ovulation cycle. No chemicals. No treatments. No devices.

  • 'Gay Christian' Conference Features 'Third Way' Pastor

    'Gay Christian' Conference Features 'Third Way' Pastor

    "What if I'm wrong?" recalled Rev. Danny Cortez to over 1700 people gathered in Portland, Oregon for the annual Gay Christian Network Conference (GCN), January 9th

  • Tim and Kathy Keller's Advice to an Evangelical Couple for a 'Practical' and 'Biblical' Church Wedding

    Tim and Kathy Keller's Advice to an Evangelical Couple for a 'Practical' and 'Biblical' Church Wedding

    Never ever would I have believed I could be a "bridezilla." Not me! I'm older, independent, and an introvert. "Just give me a practical church wedding," I'd say.