August 3 is a day with a lot of history: In 1492, Christopher Columbus left Palos, Spain with three ships. The voyage led him to what is now known as the Americas. He reached the Bahamas on October 12. In 1880, the American Canoe Association was formed at Lake George, NY, and in 1900, Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. was founded. Finally, in 1933, the Mickey Mouse Watch was introduced for the price of $2.75.

The History Of Instant Coffee – There is one thing that is the bane of all serious coffee enthusiasts: instant coffee. Even typing it makes me shudder, and sip some of my Jamaican Blue Mountain brewed in my Chemex in protest. But in case you want to know, this is its history.

Jewish Pirates Who Ruled The Caribbean – I have to admit, that is a title I never imagined I would type. But this article is very interesting, and sheds light on a bit of oceanic history that few even know of.

The American Civil War: Then And Now – As a history buff, I find this fascinating. Many of these are places I would love to visit, but haven’t been able to for one reason or another. Until then, this glimpse into the past and present gives a great perspective.

Risen! – Billed as a follow up to The Passion of the Christ, this movie looks pretty interesting. Hopefully, it stays true to the biblical accounts as much as possible.

From Fossils To Film – With the release of Jurassic World this summer, dinosaurs have been big news. The Good Book Company has put together an interesting infographic detailing just dinos fit in with the Bible, from four different viewpoints. I’m very excited that they included the young earth view!

Our Culture of Reading and the End of Dialogue – “There can be no deep reading as long as we are people who hurry.” Though a longer read than most articles, this is well worth the time it takes to understand the importance of the written word, and the importance it has in Christianity.

Rules For Sermon Writing – Nothing here was unexpected or surprising. But this is a healthy reminded just the same, whether you write sermons, lessons, articles or books.

The role of a pastor is not to grow a big church. The pastor’s role is to grow mature disciples who make disciples. – Rick Howerton