400-408 – Luis Palau, has preached to over a billion people in over 70 countries (palau.org) – including 120,000 people this past weekend at Arizona CityFest in Tempe as part of his "Season of Services" program that has organized 35,000 volunteers from 550 local churches in Arizona alone to help with community issues like homelessness, hunger, and school and neighborhood revitalization. Since 1999, his festivals have drawn more than 8.8 million people. Luis will be in Vietnam next month. His latest book is entitled Changed by Faith: Dare to Trust God with your Broken Pieces and Watch What Happens.
• Christian Post (3/21/2011) Luis Palau Christian Fest in Arizona Draws 120,000 People.
413-423 – Luis Palau,
• Fox News (3/23/2011) Study Finds Religion May Be Heading for Extinction in Parts of World.
Parts of the world are literally losing their religion, according to a new study.
The study, conducted by the American Physical Society, finds that religion is dying out in nine countries.
The findings unveiled at an APS meeting in Dallas show that religion may become extinct in Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Canada, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
The study, conducted by Richard Wiener of the University of Arizona, and Daniel Abrams and Haley Yaple of Northwestern University, took data stretching back 100 years for those nine countries.
"In a large number of modern secular democracies, there's been a trend that folk are identifying themselves as non-affiliated with religion; in the Netherlands the number was 40 percent, and the highest number was in the Czech Republic, where the number was 60 percent."
The study also found that "Americans without affiliation comprise the only religious group growing in all 50 states."
"In 2008 those claiming no religion rose to 15 percent nationwide, with a maximum in Vermont at 34 percent," the study says.
The study concludes that religion in these societies might one day disappear.
"The model predicts that for societies in which the perceived utility of not adhering is greater than the utility of adhering, religion will be driven toward extinction."
428-437 – Luis Palau, What about "I want to go where God is moving"?
443-452 – Luis Palau,
458-508 – • Erik Eckholm (NYT, 3/21/2011) Unmarried Pastor, Seeking a Job, Sees Bias.
My Summary – Mark Almlie, 37, lost his job two years ago, and after 500 job postings and lots of interviews, he's been unable to find a job in his field, and he thinks it's due to a form of discrimination he calls "singlism." Mark is an ordained pastor with the Evangelical Covenant Church with an M.Div. from Fuller, and he can't find a job – he says – because of the prejudice against single pastors, he's single, never been married, and has no children.
In mainline churches, 1-in-6 senior pastors are single. In conservative churches, just 1-in-20 are.
In mainline churches, 1-in-4 (28%) senior pastors are female. In conservative churches, just 1-in-50 are.
512-523 – Calls – Would you attend a church where the senior pastor was single? Or female? Or even a single female? Do you attend one now? If you don't, what concerns would you have? If you do, how have your concerns been overcome?
528-539 – Calls –
544-554 – Calls –
558-608 – Calls –
612-623 – Calls –
628-639 – Calls –
644-656 – Calls –
• Fox 5 San Diego (3/23/2011) Naked woman rescued from cliff.
• Jerry Markon (Washington Post, 3/22/2011) Justice Department sues on behalf of Muslim teacher, triggering debate. Incredible, considering how many school districts eliminate the word "Christmas" from Christmas break. The teacher wanted three weeks off for a "pilgrimage to Mecca." If a student requested three weeks off, they would be told absolutely "no." Obama's justice department is now suing a local school district.
• Stephen Dinan (Washington Times, 3/22/2011) Senate to hold hearings on Muslims' rights.
• Clay Waters (MRC, WSJ, 3/23/2011) Fighting Spending Cuts in Ohio, NYT Focuses on Union Jobs, Not $8B Deficit.
• Patrice Hill (Washington Times, 3/23/2011) Unions at crossroads in states' budget wars. Public employees are taking big hits.
• LA Times (3/22/2011) Catholics and gays: Closer than you think. Link to the actual study is here. Calls from Catholic listeners: What is being taught at your church? Does your stance on homosexuality conflict with the trend and results of the study? How can all Christians be reaching out to homosexuals and be in the world, not of it?
• Reuters (3/23/2011) Say a little prayer to control anger. Calls: How has prayer been a benefit to your life? How would you describe the power of prayer? How has God answered your requests lately?
• Wall Street Journal (3/19/2011) Why Do We Let Them Dress Like That? Calls: Parents, do you wrestle with your teenagers on what they are wearing to school? Have the character traits of modesty and propriety gone by the wayside in today's society? Fathers, how do you teach your daughters to dress and how men react to women's bodies and clothing? Women, what do you say to both your teenage daughters and sons?
