Research says: People with mentors have a massive head start — When I was 11 years old, I was so mercilessly bullied that I wanted to die. A group of boys in my class at school took it upon themselves to make my life a living hell and would not quit with their taunting and physical threats until they had broken…

Here’s why — Seminary. The place where aspiring ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ go to be trained and equipped for the good work they will do for the Lord. At seminary, budding pastors are taught to handle the word of God with appropriate care and respect and how to administer the…

“YouTube” of explicit content facing an uncertain future — Back in the eighties, when I was a kid, if a person wanted to access pornography, they would have a sneak into a dedicated adult store across the other side of town so that they didn’t bump into anyone they knew and buy it over the counter. Then, in the…

Don’t say these things in church — Some time back, I decided to conduct a social experiment where I paid a couple of atheist friends to go to a church service, kind of like church “mystery shoppers.” There was a twist, though. My two atheist friends happened to be in a same-sex relationship with each other. I…

Survey reveals that the mental health of pastors is worse than the general population — A brand new survey by Lifeway Research has revealed that 26% of pastors in the USA have personally struggled with mental illness. Let that sink in. One in every four pastors you meet is depressed or anxious or otherwise afflicted by some mental health challenge. Not only that, the new…

Meet the world’s most fundamental fundamentalist — I’ve heard some pastors say some pretty whacked things throughout my four decades of involvement in the Evangelical church. There was the pastor who said that female preachers are influenced by demons; the pastor who told his congregation that the best person to rape is your wife; and the pastor…

Jesus and the Impossible Christian ethic — A reporter was interviewing an old man on his 100th birthday. “What are you most proud of?” The reporter asked. “Well,” said the old man thoughtfully, “I am most proud of the fact that I don’t have a single enemy in the whole world.” “What a beautiful thought. How inspirational!”…

A sobering lesson on our personal quest for glory and fame — The frontal lobes are the part of the brain that asks the question, “Is this a good idea?” Most men don’t have fully developed frontal lobes until they are almost 30 years old. That’s why a 17-year-old can throw a can drink to excess without thinking about the potential consequences…

Tenessee Church loses tax exemption after pastor says you can't be a Christian and vote for the Democrats — Church and politics. Nothing spices up bland dinner time conversation than these two topics, especially when spoken about together. Many Christians are uncomfortable with the marriage that seems to exist between the church and the conservative side of politics. It is a well-established fact that white, evangelical protestant Christians overwhelmingly…