In late June of this year, the Brown University newspaper published a startling statistic: the percentage of LGBTQ+ students at this Ivy-League school has doubled since 2010. While the numbers from the fall of 2010 showed the student population at 86% heterosexual and 14% homosexual/bisexual, the most recent data from last spring reveals that the school is now only 60% heterosexual. The last 40% is a veritable miscellany of designations, including homosexual, bisexual, queer, questioning, pansexual, asexual, and "other."

We hear a lot about America’s mental health crisis. Many people might see evidence of this even in their own family or circle of friends. In fact, it has become such a problem that one might think that most people have mental health issues.

In this recent dialogue local Chicagoland area Pastors Calvin Lindstrom, James Pittman and Brandon Myers give an update on The Orchard Evangelical Free Church (EFC).

Two weeks ago, Governor Pritzker signed a bill, Public Act 103-0518, allowing any multiple-occupancy restroom to be identified as an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom at the discretion of the building owner or leaseholder. Anyone of any “gender” could use it. Why was this law introduced, why did it pass?

A recent study from Denmark adds to concerns about the impact of marijuana upon users’ mental health. According to a Wall Street Journal op-ed by psychologist Susan Pinker, a mammoth study of the health records of all 6.5 million Danes over a 26-year period showed a strong correlation between cannabis (marijuana) use disorder and various mental health diagnoses.

Last week we embarked on a study in Ephesians 1, which so clearly and powerfully shows us how God as a Trinity works out our salvation. God the Father planned and predestined his redeemed for adoption as sons! What a grand and glorious truth that is! And his plan entailed sending his Son, Jesus to carry out the work of redemption.

President Joe Biden signed a proclamation at Red Butte, Arizona, on Tuesday creating the fifth national monument established during his presidency. Titled Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni—Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon—it expands the conserved Grand Canyon region by 1 million acres.

It was a Lifeway Research report earlier this spring that “triggered” my interest on church security. Most of us in the faith community seem to go about our weekly church business not too concerned about safety at our house of worship. Fortunately, others take this quite seriously. Church security is a broader topic than one might think. I recall my membership in a Dallas megachurch in the 1980s where building and parking garage security was a must. Occasional visits from relatively non-threatening types often needed to be escorted from the premises. Even the pastor had a personal security detail present before and after services. Times have changed.

Our friend and co-laborer Alex Newman recently interviewed John Stamper, a former teacher and coach of 13 years who is now exposing what’s happening to innocent children who still attend government schools.

I recently had a speaking tour through three South American countries. As I talked with many Christians in these nations, I heard a lot of discouragement. They feel they simply don’t have the influence they need to see positive change occur. In some of the countries, Marxism has taken root and has a stranglehold on politics and economics. Many Protestant Christians I talked to there are hoping to start Christian schools and desire to legalize homeschooling. This seems daunting as Protestants make up only 10-20% of the population.