American Pilgrims Were Heroic 'and' Flawed

Wheaton College Professor Robert Tracy McKenzie explores the heroism and weaknesses of the first American Pilgrims:

There is much to admire about the "company ...

Stats about Mental Illness and the Church

In her book Troubled Minds, Amy Simpson reveals the following highlights from her survey about dealing with mental illness in the church:

• Nearly half (44.5 Percent) of church leaders are approached two to five times per year for help in dealing with mental illness.

We're All One Step from Being 'Those People'

Sociologist Brene Brown's TED talk "The Power of Vulnerability" has garnered over 10 million hits (as of August 2013). For good reason: we are hungry ...

Bruce Springsteen Talks About His Father

In a recent (2012) interview with The New Yorker, rock legend Bruce Springsteen said that his broken relationship with his father lives on in his songs. ...

The Soloist—Just Show Up and Be a Friend

The film (and the book) The Soloist tells the true story of an unlikely friendship between Steve Lopez, a reporter for the L.A. Times, and Nathaniel Ayers, ...

The Sad State of Retired Athletes

This article from Slate is chockfull of sad stories about famous athletes who didn't know what to do (or who they were) after the fame, glamor, and ...

Baseball Star Finds Christ through Suffering & Failure

Barry Zito was once known as one of the most dominating pitchers in Major League baseball. But in 2010 Zito had reached his lowest point: He was removed ...

Lady Gaga Admits Her Self-image Struggles

In a 2010 interview with New York magazine, a self-confident Lady Gaga declared,

I believe that everyone can do what I'm doing. Everyone can access the ...

Beautiful and Cracked Vases Teach about Self-esteem

Editor's Note: The following illustration could be used as a simple but powerful object lesson. Discount or thrift stores usually carry plenty of cheap ...

Honest Feedback Restores a Leader

Bob Merritt, pastor of the Eagle Brook Church in Minnesota, writes movingly about what he called his "ministry meltdown" (although his "meltdown" could ...