Rocky Mountain Voice

Menu

Tag: christianity

School District Faces Backlash After Banning Bible Verse in Student Artwork
No Comments
BizPac Review, Approved, Local

School District Faces Backlash After Banning Bible Verse in Student Artwork

By: Chris Donaldson | BizPac Review A Colorado high school set off a free speech battle after it refused to allow a Christian senior to use religious imagery to decorate her personal parking spot in what she says is a violation of her First Amendment rights. Sophia Shumaker was only looking to express her faith when she submitted her original design depicting a shepherd, a sheep, and a Bible verse to Rampart High School, only to have it denied because the school’s guidelines prohibit anything that is “offensive, negative, rude, gang-related, political, or religious.” “The shepherd and the sheep, the 99 sheep basically represent the shepherd leaves the 99 sheep to go find the lost one,” she told Fox 21 News. https://twitter.com/FOX21News/status/1981405727550763392 ...
Read More
Ready, Aim, Fire: How the Shoes of Peace Keep Us Steady During Chaos
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Devotional, Top Stories

Ready, Aim, Fire: How the Shoes of Peace Keep Us Steady During Chaos

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns! ~ Isaiah 52:7 ~ Last week, Sherrie and I were traveling to Florida. Many know my wife has Stage 4 brain cancer, and because of that, she’s mostly immobilized. When we travel, she needs a wheelchair, and I do everything I can to make the process easier for her. On this trip, we had a long layover at the airport in Maryland. When it came time to board our connecting flight, the attendant announced over the speaker, “We’ll now begin boarding those needing assistance.” That should have been our cue to show care, patience, and offer help. Instead, i...
Read More
The courage to say “Here I am” when the world feels broken
No Comments
Substack, Approved, Commentary, National

The courage to say “Here I am” when the world feels broken

By Melanie Sturm | Commentary, Think Again USA Substack Rosh Hashanah reflections inspired by Christian grace and a Buddhist parable about what we “carry in our cups.” Each year, I write my High Holiday reflections as an offering — a search for inspiration that might move us to be blessings in a world that needs them. This Rosh Hashanah message struck a chord, so I’m sharing it here — at the end of a momentous week of hope and release, and on the eve of Shabbat — a little Sabbath reading to help recharge your spiritual batteries. Below is the video of my Rosh Hashanah remarks and below that is a lightly edited version of what I shared that evening. In this sixth year of sermonizing at Temple HilMel, I thought I had it down. My plan was to spend Elul — the month of preparati...
Read More
Drawing Nearer to God, Part 3: The Bible, daily bread, not a buffet line
No Comments
ScottKJames.com, Approved, Commentary, National

Drawing Nearer to God, Part 3: The Bible, daily bread, not a buffet line

By Scott K. James | Commentary, ScottKJames.com Bible reading isn’t a buffet. God gives us daily bread – just enough light for the next step. Even one verse can draw us closer to Him. This is Part Three of my seven-part Drawing Nearer to God series. I heard my pastor talk about “drawing nearer to God,” and I found myself wondering - how do I actually do that? So I did what I always do: I started digging, Googling, and writing. Now I’m sharing what I’ve discovered along the way. Here’s my confession: when it comes to reading the Bible, I’ve always felt like I’m supposed to eat a buffet but end up grabbing a granola bar. You know the feeling. Somebody at church brags about finishing the Bible in a year. Another friend quotes entire Psalms like he’s got the thing tattooed on his brai...
Read More
Drawing Nearer to God, Part 2: Prayer—the discipline we resist but our soul needs most
No Comments
ScottKJames.com, Approved, Commentary, National

Drawing Nearer to God, Part 2: Prayer—the discipline we resist but our soul needs most

By Scott K. James | Commentary, ScottKJames.com This is Part Two of my seven-part Drawing Nearer to God series. I heard my pastor talk about “drawing nearer to God,” and I found myself wondering - how do I actually do that? So I did what I always do: I started digging, Googling, and writing. Now I’m sharing what I’ve discovered along the way. I’ll just say it up front: prayer is the discipline nobody really wants. I struggle with it – bigly! Sure, we want the results of prayer – comfort, peace, maybe even a miracle or two. But the act of prayer itself? Sitting down, bowing my head, and actually talking to the Creator of the universe? That part’s hard. I’ve been a Christian for almost 30 years, and I still wrestle with prayer. Some days it feels like I’m talking to the...
Read More
The fruit of true martyrdom: What Stephen, Bonhoeffer and Kirk reveal
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

The fruit of true martyrdom: What Stephen, Bonhoeffer and Kirk reveal

By Michael A. Hancock | Commentary, Undercurrent Substack The Test of True Martyrdom Is in the Fruit It Bears Martyrdom is a word thrown around with reckless ease. In our political and cultural vocabulary, anyone who dies for a cause is immediately baptized as a martyr. But that is a sloppy use of a sacred word. There is a difference — a decisive one — between dying for an idea and dying for Christ. And the difference shows itself in the fruit. The first Christian martyr, Stephen, wasn't executed for a partisan position or a social grievance. He was stoned because he would not soften the charge that the religious elite had betrayed and murdered the "Righteous One." He looked up to heaven and declared that he saw Christ standing at the right hand of God. His sermon enraged the Sanh...
Read More
The Sword of the Spirit: Defense in the Advance
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Devotional, Top Stories

The Sword of the Spirit: Defense in the Advance

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." ~ Psalm 119:11 ~ It’s football season in Colorado, and for us Broncos fans, there’s nothing like watching a defense stand tall. Sure, a flashy offense may steal the highlights, but every fan knows the truth: defense wins championships. Some of the most unforgettable Bronco victories weren’t just about touchdowns; they were about stops, interceptions, and holding the line when it mattered most. Now, imagine this: if truth represents the ball in play, the one thing that must cross the goal line to score points, then where does defense fit into the game of life for the Christian? Is a believer called to play defense, holding ground so the enemy can’t advance?...
Read More
Charlie Kirk’s assassination was a shot heard around the world—sparking revival
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

Charlie Kirk’s assassination was a shot heard around the world—sparking revival

By Scott Shamblin | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice On April 19th, 1775 the opening shot of the battles of Lexington and Concord sparked the American Revolutionary War. Commonly referred to as the "Shot heard round the world," ultimately leading to the birth of the United States on July 4th, 1776, and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776. The men who wrote the declaration knew that ultimately this would mean they'd be hunted by the tyrant, King George III. Yet they accepted this fact with extreme courage. This act of treason against the royal crown was for the sake of freedom. They wanted to be able to practice Christianity, without the King's control. The historian David McCullough during a speech in 2005 stated that "At the time of the Revol...
Read More
Faith under fire: Grief, risk—and the legacy Charlie left behind
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Faith under fire: Grief, risk—and the legacy Charlie left behind

By Jen Schumann | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Grief is an ember. Handled well, it can light a thousand torches. Pastor Chris Goble put it plainly—Charlie “died because he was willing to do things that we weren’t”—then pictured that spark rising into a bonfire of new voices. The scene in Orem set the tone, the flight to Phoenix confirmed it—and the work ahead now belongs to those willing to carry the heat without burning out. The cost of courage For Heidi Ganahl, the loss feels like “a gaping hole” in the conservative movement. “Freedom can be dangerous,” she said. “And it took a dear friend’s life.” Goble anchored that grief in scripture, drawing parallels to the early church. “We live in a spiritual cosmic war,” he said. “We have to expect both real and spiritual bulle...
Read More