Links to Your World--Tuesday March 20

In the WSJ’s “Why They Pray,” Andrew Carroll says the trials of war strengthen many soldiers’ faith.

This article suggests that the Wenzhou Chinese prosperity may be due to their Christian convictions regarding hard work, thrift, and mutual trust.

According to this article, we live in the land of “biblical idiots.” Stephen Prothero plans to change that.

In “Stronger, Faster, Smarter,” Newsweek points out that exercise does more than build muscles and help prevent heart disease. New science shows that it also boosts brainpower—and may offer hope in the battle against Alzheimer’s.

According to this article, about a third of those who take care of loved ones with Alzheimer’s feel ‘more religious’ because of their experiences, a new national study says.

My sister has posted an entry at her blog about thoughts on an old Brenham cemetery.

Moms will identify with what Christian humorist Mimi Greenwood Knight really wants for her 40th birthday (here): “I don’t care where my husband takes the kids. He’ll think of something. I just want four hours to luxuriate in my own bathroom alone!”

Here’s an article about Halftimers, a ministry conference that I attended with Gene Chappell and Sheila Evaslage, who leads our Second-Half Ministries.

Indiana Jones wannabe Simcha Jacobovici of The Discovery Channel's "Jesus Family Tomb" says that opposition to his claim of finding the bones of Jesus is simply a matter of “MOB rule”—mobilization of bias. But Time’s David Van Biema says, “Personally, I find the book too dependent on stretched scholarship and conjecture to make its title case. Yet if my vision is clouded, I don’t think it’s by MOB. More like OTMSBBS: one-too-many-speculative-Bible-books syndrome.” Van Biema does a good job explaining why you should be skeptical about books skeptical about the Good Book.

Have you read the previous posts this week? They include important information on our upcoming Anchor Course, this week's "Song of the Week," a newsletter excerpt from friends on mission in Southeast Asia, a unique way to transition a church, a slide show of the Acuna Mission trip (here and here), a great interview of seekers who live in the neighborhoods around Hillcrest, and some new songs for Baby Boomers. To keep up with the journal, sign up for e-mail updates or assign the feed to your news reader or Google Personalized Home Page.