Jan has been a free-lance writer since 1975 and has written more than 300 articles for publication in many periodicals across the country. Here is just a small sample.

What is an evangelical? I believe the definition has morphed a bit over some decades now. Evangelicals stress a born-again experience, have a high regard for biblical authority and stress the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When I finally became “churched” at age 14, it was in a Bible-believing, fundamental church that was committed to the gospel, to missions, to Bible memorization and to the abstinence from some worldly pleasures. Several decades later, I remain an evangelical – but I fear that evangelicalism may have left the train station without me.

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As Salus and I both note, the whole of the Arab world uprising, euphemistically called the “Arab Spring” by the media, is in a torment of revolt, rage, terror, and chaos. Peace is not on the horizon and democracy is even further away. The supposed democracy-lovers overthrowing evil rulers are thugs and terrorists themselves. When it comes to Islamic-rooted revolutions, there really aren’t any “good guys.”

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The fanfare is over. Benjamin Netanyahu has left the building. He has returned to Israel and he and the Israelis realize that they are on their own. The President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, has identified himself as the most anti-Israel President in history. But he does not speak for all of the American people and he does not speak for all of Congress. There may be only a few issues in Washington that have bi-partisan support, but one of those issues is that both the Right and the Left in Congress – with a few exceptions – remain an ally of God’s covenant land. Many of them are trying to hold back the water from the hole in the dam that would make the Islamic empire the chosen people.

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There’s going to be a party given by “heathens and skeptics” and I hope you have no desire to attend it. They intend to get together to mock the rapture. After months of enduring the unnerving dogmatism of Harold Camping’s billboards, signs, cars, radio commercials and bumper stickers heralding the end of the world as we know it on May 21, American Atheists have announced that they are planning “rapture parties” in Oakland, Houston, and Fort Lauderdale on May 21-22.

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A very special week was hijacked by the environmental movement last week. What is known as Earth Day landed on the same day as Good Friday, so our crucified Lord had to share the spotlight that day. And if you think this was only the typical antics of the religious Left, think again. Evangelicals have now jumped into this arena. The cause of caring for God’s creation is our responsibility, although we cannot “save the planet” as many herald. Should conservative Christians really be making the theological leap that it was significant that both observances were placed on the calendar on the same day?

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World events are startling! Watching the Middle East, Japan, Australia, Europe, and a meltdown in America, have prompted some healthy discussions on the last days. When events happen at such a rapid pace, it is wise to ask, “What on Earth is happening?” Those who could care less are likely drowning in some kind of destructive behavior because they, too, notice but cannot cope. Who can we trust with answers?

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By Jan Markell
Olive Tree Ministries

A repeated theme coming into this office by e-mail is that loved ones – friends and family – will not listen when discerning people try to tell them about our world today. If a reference is made to end-time activity, people will often scoff and literally brush them away. Some just don’t have ears to hear about any current issue. While this has always been the case, it seems to be accelerated today. And this is happening when issues are so serious you would think it would help people carry out their lives more effectively if they only understood the times from a biblical perspective.

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We all know we are heading into a full-blown surveillance society. The U.K. probably heads the world in this effort, but the U.S. is nipping at its heels. The Obama administration is assuring that.

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The world remains sick with a very old disease for which no cure has ever been found. It tends to go into remission now and then, but it always reappears as virulent as ever. It even develops into new strains. Some have called it a lethal obsession. It is called anti-Semitism, and if the Jews did not exist, some anti-Semite would invent him. It’s that bad.

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