In his book The Jesus Revolution, pastor and author Leith Anderson shares a story about the tension that sometimes comes between obeying God and obeying the law of the land. A number of years ago, he and three others were traveling to a Communist country where Christians were regularly being persecuted. They did not have a direct flight to their destination, so they had to stay in a neighboring country ...

Here's a little experiment: start a sentence with the words "I believe…," and then finish it with something deeply heartfelt. It is impossible to do without feeling uplifted and stirred.

The need to declare our deeply held beliefs is an irrepressible aspect of being human. In the act of defining what we believe, we define ourselves. I am one who can discern what is true and real and noble and bind ...

Congregations that would accept a member of a cohabiting unmarried couple as a lay leader: 31 percent

Congregations that would accept a member of an openly homosexual couple as a lay leader: 23 percent

My goal, as a Stanford University student, was to start a Bible study in the Sigma Chi fraternity house. For over a year I could get nothing going. Then came my "God-given opportunity disguised as a hassle."

I was rushing to the campus post office to mail some packages before the morning classes let out. A man on the free-speech platform was pointing out specific sins in the lives of people he'd never ...

According to a 2008 Harris Initiative survey, there has been a steady decline in the basic religious beliefs of Americans over the last four years (2005–2008):

Belief in God:
2005: 90 percent
2008: 80 percent

Belief in heaven:
2005: 82 percent
2008: 73 percent

Belief in the Devil:
2005: 68 percent
2008: 59 percent

Belief in hell:
2005: 69 percent
2008: 62 percent

When I attended graduate school for English, there were many occasions when my fellow students openly ridiculed the name of Christ. To my great detriment, I stayed silent. I was quite vocal about my belief in Christ at church and with my friends, but I was terrified of what might happen to my reputation if the people at my school found out I believed in Jesus. … Most of them were just ignorant ...

The art of being sick is not the same as the art of getting well. Some cancer patients recover; some don't. But the ordeal of facing your mortality and feeling your frailty sharpens your perspective about life. You appreciate little things more ferociously. You grasp the mystical power of love. You feel the gravitational pull of faith. And you realize you have received a unique gift—a field ...

It is a rare person who, when his cup frequently runs over, can thank God instead of complaining about the limited size of his mug!

—Bob Russell, pastor and author

A 2008 study by the Pew Forum indicates many conservatives have changed their position on churches speaking out on political issues. Four years ago, just 37 percent of conservatives felt the church should stay out of politics. Today, 51 percent share this view. This virtually matches the views of moderates and liberals (52 percent).

The study also found that a growing number of people are uncomfortable ...

In 2008, Guy Spier, CEO of Aquamarine Capital Management, had what will probably be the most expensive lunch of his life. He took Warren Buffett, the richest man in the world, to lunch, and it cost Spier and a friend $650,100. Still, when it was over, Spier felt the lunch was a bargain.

The luncheon came about through a charity auction on eBay. Annually since 2000, investment genius Warren Buffett ...