The Barna group recently released some new findings including how people answered this question: Why do you go to church? When asked if they attended church that week, only four in ten Americans answered yes. Americans not attending any type of church function at all in the last six months continue to increase especially among the Millennials. Barna reports: “Overall church attendance has dipped from 43% in 2004 to 36% today. But beyond a dip in attendance numbers, the nature of churchgoing is changing. Regular attenders used to be people who went to church three or more weekends each month—or even several times a week. Now people who show up once every four to six weeks consider themselves regular churchgoers.” I thought the reasons why people attend church were fascinating. To be closer to God was the answer for 43% with 38% saying they needed to learn more about God. Sadly the group also discovered that growing closer to God rarely happens. “Fewer than two out … [Read more...]

I was a lonely kid in fourth grade. I hid in my imagination and escape to distant planets in the small tree next to the house. Those branches evolved into my space ship taking me on many adventures. Those escapades seeped into my writing assignments for school that year. I don’t remember my fourth grade teacher’s name. I really should try to find it, but I will always remember her kindness. I think she may have been the first teacher to nurture the writer in me. On the last day of school as everyone was scurrying out the door for summer vacation, she asked me to stay a minute. She explained she was moving out of state but how much she enjoyed reading my writing and how she hoped I would continue to develop that talent. Then she gave me a book. A book of Robert Frost poems. I still own that small black volume of poetry, a treasure from my past and a symbol of someone who believed in me. I love much of Frost’s poetry. One of my favorites and one of many people’s favorites … [Read more...]