According to the findings of a new LifeWay Research study, two thirds of Americans born between 1980 and 1991 identify themselves as Christians, but most do not regularly pray, read the Bible or attend church. One in four attends religious worship once a week or more, but two out of three rarely or never attend a house of worship. Fewer than half believe the Bible is the written Word of God and is totally accurate in all it teaches...

Last night I got my socks blew off. We hosted the Late Night Breakfast for Mount Olive College. This was our second time as host. The first time we didn’t have very many students come out. The weather that night was very bad and there were tornado warnings all around us. I wasn’t sure how many we would have this time.
 

For some reason unknown to me, I accepted an invitation a couple of months ago to coach a baseball team made up of 11 and 12 year boys. (Of course, the driving reason behind my accepting this task was the fact that I have an 11 year old son.) Somebody had to do it so I said “yes.” We held practice 2-3 times a week for over a month and then the season began after Easter break. So far, we are 0 and 3. That’s zero wins and three losses...

In my last year of divinity school, my advisor told me I needed to get a hobby. She saw that I needed a way to allow my creative side, lose in a way unrelated to my work at church. It sounded like weird advice coming from a professor. She felt it was so important that I develop a hobby that we made it one of my graduation goals. I was getting graded on creating a new hobby. Looking back now I realize what a wise piece of advice I was receiving from my advisor.

Last Sunday, I skipped church. I was on a trip with my three best friends. We all went to college together and have worked hard since then to remain close. We talk on the phone, facebook, e-mail, and write an occasional letter. Twice a year we get together for a weekend. These weekends are what feed our friendship. There is something magical about all of us being all together face to face.

 As soon as the glory of our recent Easter Sunday morning worship service concluded I rushed home, loaded up the family, and headed to Disney World. It felt kinda like being the MVP after the Super Bowl. “Jesus is risen! So where are you going now?” “I’m going to Disney World!” The irony didn’t go unnoticed.

 In my office I have a large piece of coal on my bookcase. I have been looking at it a lot this week as my mind has drifted to the mine explosion in West Virginia. I got the piece of coal this past summer during our youth mission trip. Having been to a real coal mine the news of the explosion weights heavy on my heart. I can’t imagine what the families or the coal miners are going through. My prayers are with them.