Christianity Today reports that Christian camp ministries are in decline. Bob Kobielush, president of the Christian Camp and Conference Association, explains why: “Camp attendance has been declining since the 1990s . . . due to rising operational costs, government regulations, competition from sports and music camps, and the growing popularity of summer mission trips. He also noted that many churches no longer value the traditional camp experience, and that many megachurches now offer their own camps. . . Kobielush said it could take three to five years before Christian camps see growth in attendance again, but he remains optimistic.” Even though the Christian camping industry is taking a hit nationwide,…
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My Sister & Family on “The 700 Club”
My sister and her family were featured on “The 700 Club” today (see video above). It’s the story of my nephew’s ministry and near-death illness. Two details not included in the video: (1) The town Deweyville, Texas was home for our family for two years in the early 80’s; (2) Carter resumed his mercy ministry in Deweyville after he recovered from his illness. I love my sister and her family, and I am so proud of them! What’s more, I’m grateful to God for His mercy in their lives.
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From “Christ Air” to Christ Heir
Folks have frequently asked me about the picture of me on the skateboard in the header image of this blog. Usually the questions have something to do with whether or not the picture is real. The answer to that question is yes (though readers should know that getting a still-shot in the air is pretty easy; landing, however, is another matter altogether). Truth be known, I haven’t been a serious skateboarder since the late 80’s. This picture was taken at my parent’s home in 2005. I had decided to try my old skateboard out while visiting my folks, my friend Barry Joslin snapped a picture, and voila. I became what…
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A Really Bad Way To Avoid Church
Last Sunday, the seven year-old boy in this video took his parents’ car and got chased by police for several miles before driving himself back home. Why did he do it? Because he didn’t want to go to church. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
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How Should Christians Feel About Healthcare Reform?
There’s a national debate going-on about healthcare reform, and the battle is at a fever pitch. Today’s The New York Times reports that the President Obama’s proposal is losing support with Americans who fear that reform will cause costs to rise and care to diminish in quality. One item that is not often reported is the way in which reform could affect social policy. There is a group of pro-life Democrats, for instance, who have said they will oppose any bill that requires abortions to be financed by the American taxpayer. Russell Moore had a fascinating discussion on this very topic last week on “The Albert Mohler Program,” and I…
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Update on Tommy Nelson’s Heart Attack
Charles Stolfus is the Executive Pastor of Denton Bible Church. He just sent me a letter addressed to members and friends of DBC and has given permission for me to reproduce it here. This is the latest update on Pastor Nelson’s progress, released just about 30 minutes ago.
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Pray for Pastor Tommy Nelson
The Denton Bible Church website reports that Pastor Tommy Nelson had a heart attack this morning. “As many of you have already heard, at about 10:15 this morning our pastor Tom Nelson was in the church office and developed a severe pain in his chest. Dennis Boots (a fireman and ER guy) was close by and was able to assess the situation very quickly. His wife Teresa was called and she was able to get here very quickly. “We called 911 immediately and the Fire Dept. responded very quickly. Tom was taken to the hospital and is there now getting care. As the ambulance left Tom was awake and responsive…
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Spiritual Profile of Homosexual Adults
The Barna Group has released a new survey that explores the spiritual life of gay and lesbian adults. The study examines “20 faith-oriented attributes” and how homosexuals and heterosexuals differ from one another on these attributes. Here are some of the findings of the survey. Heterosexuals are more likely than homosexuals to hold an orthodox view of God, to attend church, to read the Bible, and to pray regularly. Homosexuals are more likely than heterosexuals to be unchurched, to have an unorthodox view of God, and to identify themselves as “liberal” on social issues.
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SI Cover Story on Tim Tebow
Don’t miss SI’s cover story on Tim Tebow. Tebow is the genuine article, and SI reporter Austin Murphy knows it (even though he pokes fun at him a little bit, calling him a “nerd for Jesus”). Murphy writes: “Watching Tebow zip passes into the seams of opposing defenses, lower his shoulder in short yardage and exhort his teammates like King Henry V on St. Crispin’s Day, one might think that he was put on this earth just to run coach Urban Meyer’s spread offense. Watching him pace the floor of a gymnasium packed with 660 wayward men hanging on his every syllable is to realize that regardless of what position…
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Is the Gay Marriage Debate Over?
Mark Galli has a fascinating article in Christianity Today titled “Is the Gay Marriage Debate Over?” He says that the culture’s shifting views on marriage are due in part to radical individualism. He argues that, unfortunately, this individualism has already caused some slippage among evangelicals on the marriage question.
