David Bell was in his truck on the side of a highway when a tornado struck Jefferson City, Missouri, Wednesday night. Houses collapsed around him. Poles snapped and transformers blew out. The tornado sent debris thirteen thousand feet into the air.

Bell had pulled over to the shoulder of Highway 54 with 44,500 pounds of soda in his trailer, not knowing he’d be in the path of the tornado. “That storm picked me up and slammed me down like I was nothing but a soda can,” he told CNN‘s John Berman yesterday.

He added: “It definitely gave me a new outlook on life. Very grateful that I’m alive. I should have been smarter and heeded the warnings. I’m just glad God was with me tonight.”

“Rats are taking over New York City”

I can hear skeptics across the country asking, “But what about the people whose homes were destroyed? If we praise God for the good, shouldn’t we blame him for the bad?”

There’s much they could cite in today’s news.

According to the United Nations, drug-resistant infections could kill ten million people annually by 2050. A ten-foot great white shark has been spotted in the Long Island Sound.

And the New York Times reports that “rats are taking over New York City.” Increased construction is digging up burrows, forcing more rats into the open. Mild winters and more trash from tourists are contributing to the problem as well.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Truck driver survives Missouri tornado: ‘I’m just glad God was with me tonight’ →

Game of Thrones ended Sunday night after eight seasons. It was broadcast in 207 countries and territories and was one of the most popular series on television.

Because of its pornographic sexual content and extreme violence, I did not watch the show. But I believe culture-changing Christians can learn something important from it.

Two months of testing for a wig

Game of Thrones filmed in ten countries. The series used 12,986 extras and two thousand crew members in Northern Ireland alone. It included three thousand pyrotechnic effects, fifty miles of fabric for costumes, and more than twenty-four thousand pounds of silicone for prosthetics. Wigs for one of the lead characters required two months of testing and seven prototypes.

Over its first seven seasons, the series received 174 award nominations and won sixty-three times.

The series is just one example of the fact that our culture’s moral compass is broken. A generation ago, a movie as violent and pornographic as Game of Thrones would have been X-rated.

Continue reading Denison Forum – What can Christians learn from ‘Game of Thrones’? →

Would you pay hundreds of dollars for something that lets you hang your mobile phone around your neck? Retailers are hoping so. As clothing fashions get tighter and cellphones get larger, manufacturers have developed phone bags we can wear. The Wall Street Journal recommends options ranging from $18 in nylon to $890 in woven leather.

In other technology news, Walmart will soon begin testing autonomous home delivery. A German company plans to make flying taxis a reality in the next six years. The first phone that doesn’t require accessories to work on a 5G network went on sale yesterday. And the world’s first foldable PC was announced this week, with deliveries slated for next year.

It seems I could report on new technology every day. This is good news for Christians, but in a way that might surprise us.

“The sum of human ingenuity”

Paul Ford is a technology company CEO and a software engineer. He is also an award-winning writer with articles in the New York Times Magazine, Harper’s, Businessweek, NPR, and others.

His latest article in Wired is not just a brilliant, often funny literary experience—it’s also a profound statement about where we are and why we’re here. Ford begins with this description of how far technology has come in our lifetime:

“When I was a boy, if you’d come up behind me (in a nonthreatening way) and whispered that I could have a few thousand Cray supercomputers in my pocket, that everyone would have them, that we would carry the sum of human ingenuity next to our skin, jangling in concert with our coins, wallets, and keys? And that this Lilliputian mainframe would have eyes to see, a sense of touch, a voice to speak, a keen sense of direction, and an urgent desire to count my actual footsteps and everything I read and said as I traipsed through the noosphere [the sphere of human thought]? Well, I would have just burst.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – Wearable phone bags and foldable PCs: Responding to a brilliant article with news everyone needs →

The actor Keanu Reeves (of The Matrix fame) was on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert recently. At one point, Colbert asked his guest, “What do you think happens when we die, Keanu Reeves?”

Both men are no stranger to tragedy. Colbert lost his father and two of his brothers to a plane crash when he was ten. Reeves and his girlfriend, Jennifer Syme, lost their daughter a month before she was due. Syme later died in a car accident.

Reeves paused, considered, then replied simply: “I know that the ones who love us will miss us.”

After Reeves answered Colbert’s question, the host paused, looked into the camera, and smiled.

“If a man dies, shall he live again?”

A twenty-four-year-old Norwegian woman rescued a puppy she found while vacationing in the Philippines. She brought the puppy back to her resort, where she washed it and played with it. Her family later told reporters that she received “small scrapes” from the dog.

When she returned home, she fell ill. She was admitted to a hospital on April 28, where physicians determined she had contracted rabies from the dog. She died on May 6.

In other news, two sightseeing planes collided Monday afternoon off the coast of Alaska. Six people were killed. And a traveling carnival worker has confessed to killing two women and a teenager within an eighteen-day period in Virginia.

Humans face no more relevant question than the one asked by Job so long ago: “If a man dies, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14).

“Be not wise in your own eyes”

As John F. Kennedy noted, “We are all mortal.” Given the reality of death, I am amazed by the degree to which people are willing to bet their eternity on their personal opinion.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Keanu Reeves on the afterlife: The urgency and joy of biblical wisdom →

A religious liberty group claims that a school district in the Seattle area has urged teachers to bless Muslim students in Arabic during the month of Ramadan and give them preferential treatment.

The Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund (FCDF) alleges that the Dieringer School District is following a script written by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Teachers are reportedly urged to make accommodations for Muslims fasting during Ramadan and to defer tests scheduled for upcoming Islamic holidays.

A CAIR official states: “Pluralism in America means recognizing the wide variety of holidays celebrated by students of different faiths and backgrounds, including by saying ‘Merry Christmas,’ ‘Happy Hanukkah,’ ‘Happy Diwali,’ or ‘Ramadan Mubarak.’”

The FCDF’s executive director disagrees: “A school district would never order teachers to ‘welcome’ Catholic students during Easter with ‘He is risen, alleluia!’ Singling out Muslim students for special treatment is blatantly unconstitutional.”

Are we “taking religious freedom too far”?

Continue reading Denison Forum – Is a school district favoring Muslims during Ramadan? Balancing truth and love →

Great Britain has a new royal baby, and the world has a new celebrity.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, went into labor yesterday, delivering her first child, a boy. He is now seventh in line for the throne. The couple had previously announced that their new child would not make his or her public appearance on its first day, a departure from royal tradition.

But their son will not need to inherit the throne to change the world.

Prince Harry served in the British Army for ten years and now works to support those wounded in service. He also helps build programs to improve sports coaching and mentoring, supports children living with HIV/AIDS, and works for African conservation.

Prior to marrying Prince Harry, Meghan Markle was the United Nations Women’s Advocate and a Global Ambassador for World Vision. She now serves as a patron for charities supporting vulnerable women, education, the arts, and animal welfare.

Their son is already changing the royal family. In years to come, we will watch to see how he changes the world.

Two who died so others could live

On a somber note, Riley Howell was buried last Sunday. When a gunman opened fire in Riley’s classroom at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte last week, Riley charged the shooter, saving the lives of others. A ROTC member, his memorial service was conducted with military honors.

The same day, a Russian passenger jet caught fire after an emergency landing at one of Moscow’s main airports. At least forty-one people were killed.

According to TASS, the Russian News Agency, one of the deceased was a flight attendant who died trying to save passengers. Maksim Moiseev was in the rear of the aircraft when it caught fire. After trying unsuccessfully to open an exit door, he started helping people leave the plane.

He stayed on board until everyone had evacuated, then died in the fire.

Why older people can change the world

Friday marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s inauguration as president of South Africa. He was seventy-seven years old at the time. As his nation holds elections tomorrow, Mr. Mandela’s story reminds us that it is never too late to leave a legacy.

The Wall Street Journal is carrying an essay that makes this point brilliantly. Rich Karlgaard, a noted journalist, bestselling author, and former editor of Forbes, argues that “early blooming is not a requirement for lifelong accomplishment and fulfillment.”

Karlgaard reports that “fluid” intelligence—our capacity for reasoning apart from past knowledge—peaks earlier in life. However, “crystallized” intelligence—the ability to use skills, knowledge, and experience—rises in performance well into middle age and beyond.

For instance, the field of software coding favors the young and “fluid,” while managing projects and the business requires “crystallized” skills typical of older people.

Karlgaard cites J. K. Rowling, a divorced mother on public assistance who created Harry Potter at the age of thirty-five. He also points to Toni Morrison, who published her first novel at the age of thirty-nine and won a Pulitzer Prize at fifty-six and the Nobel Prize in Literature five years later.

Following cloud and fire

The new royal baby, Riley Howell, Maksim Moiseev, and Nelson Mandela each remind us that one life can change the world.

How can you and I make a difference that matters?

Numbers 9 continues the narrative of Israel’s journey through the wilderness of Sinai. I have traveled numerous times through this vast landscape filled with mountains and deserts. It is a parched, lonely area, nothing like the “land flowing with milk and honey” God promised his people (Exodus 3:17). But it was part of their journey to their destination.

Since they had never been here before, the Lord guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When he led, they went. When he stayed, they stayed.

Across forty years in the wilderness, even when his people abandoned him (cf. Numbers 14), he never abandoned them. And day by day, mile by mile, he led them into their world-changing future.

“Answer the call to be selfless”

You may never achieve celebrity like the royal baby has already received. You may never be called upon to stop a shooter, save lives in a burning plane, or run for president of your country.

But know this: you are on this planet for a reason.

God did not make you because the world needs another human to add to the 7.7 billion already here. He made you because he has a purpose for you that no one else can fulfill.

Stay faithful to the last word you heard from God and open to the next. If you will ask your Father to use you today, he will use you today. And whether you see the results or not, eternity will never be the same.

In their obituary for Riley Howard, his family included this statement: “Riley died the way he lived, putting others first. Our hope is that his example resonates with everyone. We hope others will, if ever the need arises, answer the call to be selfless and do the right thing without hesitation.”

Will you?

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Country House won the Kentucky Derby last Saturday. At sixty-five-to-one odds, he was the second-biggest long shot ever to win America’s most famous horserace. The way he won was even more unprecedented.

Maximum Security finished first but was later disqualified for veering out of his path on the final turn. Country House, after finishing in second place, was then declared the winner. This was the first time in Derby history that a foul voided an apparent winner.

Whether we know much about horse racing or not, Americans care about the Kentucky Derby. We are fascinated by the race itself, often billed as “the most exciting two minutes in sport,” but we are also captivated by the Derby’s heritage.

The race has been run every consecutive year since 1875. Churchill Downs, the location of the Derby, was organized by Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., grandson of William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark Expedition). Mint julips, lavish hats and clothing, and the playing of “My Old Kentucky Home” are part of the annual tradition.

Mother’s Day and Memorial Day

Other traditions are making news as well.

Ramadan began last night. I have been in the Middle East many times during this sacred month on the Islamic calendar. It is fascinating to watch Muslims flock to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and to observe their passion for their faith.

By contrast, Jews in Israel observed Holocaust Remembrance Day last Thursday. (Click here for my thoughts on this somber tradition.) In two days, Israelis hold their Memorial Day, remembering the country’s fallen soldiers and police as well as victims of terrorist acts. The following day, the nation celebrates its independence.

Continue reading Denison Forum – The Kentucky Derby and Rachel Held Evans: A faith that changes everything →

Ten-year-old Sara Hinesley recently won a national handwriting contest.The third grader’s writing is much better than mine ever was. She won $500 for her efforts.

She also has no hands.

Sara holds a pencil between the ends of her arms to write. She told reporters that when her teacher first taught her how to write in cursive, Sara found she had a natural talent for it. She also likes to create art, ride her bike, read, and swim.

Sara’s family briefly considered obtaining prosthetic hands for her, but decided she is doing fine without them. “She is so amazing and functional without prosthetics that really there is not a need,” her mother said. “She can do just about anything—often times better than me or my husband.”

Have you cried at work?

Such hopeful stories are especially powerful in a time of great anxiety.

In fact, Gallup reports that Americans are among the most stressed people in the world. Our rates of stress and worry are higher than ever before. Remarkably, our negative emotions are even higher than during the Great Recession.

According to a recent survey, 81 percent of Americans say stress impacts their work negatively. Forty-eight percent have cried at work; 50 percent missed at least one day of work during the last year because of stress induced at the office.

However, we’ve been here before.

A hard year and an historic announcement

1961 was a difficult year for America. Despite the hope engendered by President John Kennedy’s inauguration, world and national events were deeply discouraging.

On January 3, the US severed diplomatic relations with Cuba. On January 9, British authorities announced the discovery of a huge Soviet spy ring.

On April 12, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel in space, signaling the Soviet Union’s growing superiority in the space race. On April 19, the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba failed.

On May 14, civil rights protesters were beaten by a mob of Ku Klux Klan members. On May 21, Alabama Governor John Patterson declared martial law in an attempt to restore order after race riots broke out.

Then, on May 25, 1961, President Kennedy announced before a special session of Congress the goal of sending an American safely to the moon before the end of the decade.

“Knights of American exceptionalism”

Douglas Brinkley’s new book, American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race, explains why the new president made his announcement when he did: “World War II and the Cold War, he knew, had aged the country. With instincts reinforced by his own life experiences, he realized that the United States needed youth and new frontiers. It needed energy, originality, optimism, and a sense of both individual achievement and teamwork.”

According to Brinkley, “NASA astronauts were going to be seen as knights of American exceptionalism—when a Mercury astronaut eventually broke the shackles of Earth to soar into space . . . the buzz would be that America had pioneered into the galaxy, proving definitively that democratic capitalism was superior to state-run communism.”

Tragically, Kennedy did not live to see the lunar landing on July 20, 1969, but Brinkley believes that his vision and leadership made it possible: “What Kennedy had miraculously done was bring together Americans on the political right and left in a collective we’re-all-in-it-together endeavor of great scientific merit.”

Brinkley concludes: “Throughout the United States there is a hunger today for another ‘moonshot,’ some shared national endeavor that will transcend partisan politics.”

“Surely, I am coming soon.”

The National Day of Prayer was held again yesterday, concluding with an observance last night in Washington, DC. Leading up to the day, a group set up in front of the Capitol for a ninety-hour Bible reading marathon. They concluded by reading aloud the final chapter of Revelation.

Here we find the “moonshot” that transcends partisan politics and gives us a purpose greater than ourselves. It calls us beyond the stress and negativity of our fallen culture and summons us to our best selves.

In Revelation 22, Jesus declares, “Surely, I am coming soon” (v. 20a). This is the fifth time our Lord makes this promise in the Revelation. “Surely” adds even greater weight to his proclamation.

Imagine a nation in which every person lived ready for Jesus’ return. A culture in which we made Christ our Lord and King, living by his word for his glory and loving each other as he loves us.

Now decide that whether anyone else lives as if Jesus were coming soon, you will. Your passion for your Father and love for your neighbor will then mark your life in a way that will impact other lives.

“Come, Lord Jesus!”

If you live every day as if it were your last day, one day you’ll be right. In the meantime, every day will be the best you can make it.

John responded to his Lord: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (v. 20b).

Can you say the same?

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pophis was the ancient Egyptian spirit of evil, darkness, and destruction. In ten years, an asteroid named for this frightening deity will come closer to our planet than the orbit of our weather satellites.

It will pass us on April 13, 2029, and will be so close that we will be able to see it with the unaided eye for several hours. The asteroid is estimated to be around 1,115 feet in diameter, nearly four times taller than the Statue of Liberty.

NASA describes it as “one of the most important near-Earth asteroids ever discovered.” If Apophis were to strike us, it would cause what the space agency calls “major damage to our planet and likely to our civilization as well.”

Fortunately, the asteroid will not hit us. If you’re thinking that you’re therefore safe, you might think again.

NASA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and their international partners are convening this week at a Planetary Defense Conference. This is not a speculative exercise. At the start of the year, more than 19,000 near-Earth objects (NEOs) had already been discovered. Astronomers find thirty more each week to add to the list.

Experts estimate that they have found only one-third of the NEOs believed to exist. So far, astronomers have not discovered asteroids on a collision course with our planet. But, what would we do if they did?

NASA is planning a mission called DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) to practice deflecting asteroids. No one yet knows if this experimental technology will work when needed.

“Jihad will continue until doomsday”

Closer to earth, the leader of ISIS appeared for the first time in five years in a video released by the group.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Dangerous asteroids and a global ISIS: Finding hope in a surprising story →

Lori Gilbert-Kaye was worshipping in the Chabad of Poway Synagogue in suburban San Diego last Saturday when a gunman entered the sanctuary. A man identified by authorities as nineteen-year-old John T. Earnest began shooting.

Gilbert-Kaye stepped in front of bullets aimed at her longtime friend and rabbi as he gave his sermon. She was killed, leaving behind a husband and an adult daughter.

Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein was shot in the hand and lost a finger. Nonetheless, he continued his sermon “telling everyone to stay strong,” according to a synagogue member.

As the rabbi was wheeled into the operating room after the shooting, he told a friend to “let everyone know that Lori stepped in and saved my life.”

“I thank God he gave me the courage to do what I did.”

Lori Gilbert-Kaye was not the only hero last Saturday.

Army veteran Oscar Stewart was in the synagogue when the shooting began. He started running out of the sanctuary along with his fellow worshipers. Then he turned around.

Something—he later said it might have been the “hand of God”—propelled him into the lobby.

There he saw the assailant in a military-style vest wielding a semiautomatic rifle. “Get down!” he yelled at the man. The gunman fired two rounds in response. “I’m going to kill you,” Stewart yelled back. This seemed to rattle the gunman, who began to flee.

Continue reading Denison Forum – ‘Lori stepped in and saved my life’: Three steps to courage today →

I may be the only person who reads this article who has not yet seen Avengers: Endgame. This is a coincidence of calendar, not an expression of intent.

At my first opportunity, I intend to conform to the will of the masses and see the highest-grossing movie (through its first weekend) in history. Avengers: Endgame earned more than an estimated $1.2 billion over the weekend, nearly doubling the global box office record held by Avengers: Infinity War, which made $641 million in its opening weekend last April.

Seventeen AMC locations stayed open for seventy-two straight hours from Thursday night through Sunday. The movie had the best opening day in cinematic history, far surpassing the record set by Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Why would a three-hour movie about comic book heroes garner such attention?

Part of the answer is its excellence: the movie received a 96 percent score on the review site Rotten Tomatoes and a rare A+ on CinemaScore. Another is the way it depicts heroes redeeming their failures, a theme Ryan Denison explores in his excellent review on our website.

I’d like to explore a different angle, one that is relevant whether we’ve seen (or intend to see) the film or not.

Avengers: Endgame is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, comprising twenty-one previous films that have made more than $19 billion worldwide. Taken together, these incredibly popular movies tell us something vital about ourselves and our culture.

Raccoons, trees, and other heroes

Continue reading Denison Forum – Avengers: Endgame makes $1.2 billion: Why the movie strikes a chord in our souls →

The Arizona Cardinals made Kyler Murray the first pick in last night’s NFL draft. Murray is the first player to be selected in the first round by both the National Football League and Major League Baseball. (He was drafted ninth by the Oakland Athletics last June.)

Murray is obviously an amazing athlete, but the history of first picks in the NFL is not entirely encouraging.

The first player ever drafted in the NFL was Jay Berwanger in 1936. The team would not agree to his contract terms, so he never played a down in the league. Tom Cousineau was the first overall pick in 1979, but he chose to play in Canada instead and never played for the team that drafted him.

Steve Emtman was drafted first in 1992, but injuries cut short his career. Same for Ki-Jana Carter, drafted first in 1995, and for Courtney Brown, drafted first in 2000.

This trend shows that it’s not where you’re drafted but how long and well you play that counts. The same is true in life.

Shifting from “us” to “me”

I attended an event in Dallas yesterday morning featuring New York Times columnist and bestselling author David Brooks. I have admired Brooks’ work for years and consider him one of the most significant public intellectuals in America today.

Brooks spent much of his time discussing the shift in culture he has witnessed. In the 1950s, American life was communal. People lived in neighborhoods in which they did life together. Family, church, and collective rituals such as baptisms, weddings, and other life passages framed our experience.

In the 1960s, we shifted from “us” to “me.” Truth is what I say it is; morality is what works for me without harming you.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Kyler Murray makes history: The importance of finishing well →

Joe Biden formally announced his candidacy for president this morning. He becomes the twentieth Democrat to join the 2020 campaign. And one of the few you had probably heard of before making such an announcement.

This is not a criticism or partisan statement. America’s political history shows that notoriety is not essential for success.

From 2 percent to the White House

Jimmy Carter’s name recognition was at 2 percent when he launched his presidential campaign. Congressman Gerald Ford was largely unknown outside his Michigan district before he became vice president and then president.

Few believed first-term senator Barack Obama stood a chance against Hillary Clinton in 2008. When Donald Trump announced he was running for president in 2015, how many people thought he would win?

Notoriety is not always essential to success in other areas of life as well.

When Manuel Franco stepped forward Tuesday to claim a $768 million Powerball prize, the twenty-four-year-old Wisconsin resident went from anonymity to national headlines. I had not heard of diver Josh Bratchley before he helped rescue Thai cave schoolboys last summer. I had not heard of Edd Sorenson before he rescued Josh Bratchley from an underwater cave in Tennessee last week.

How Americans spend eleven hours each day

We may never be household names, but we all want to be special to someone special.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Joe Biden and his lesser-known rivals: How anonymous people change the world →

My first car was a 1966 Dodge Dart. It was the most misnamed car in automotive history. It should have been named the Dodge Sloth.

However, it was my teenage ticket to freedom, and I was grateful. As soon as I could, I applied for my driver’s license. All my friends did the same.

That was then; this is now.

The surprising reasons teenagers are driving so much less

According to the Wall Street Journal, the percentage of teenagers with a driver’s license has tumbled over the last few decades. More young people are delaying the purchase of their first car, if they buy one at all.

In 1983, nearly half of sixteen-year-olds had a driver’s license; in 2017, only a quarter did.

What explains this phenomenon?

Teenagers can call for an Uber or Lyft to shuttle them around. Social media and video chat allow them to spend time with friends without actually leaving the house. Then, when they reach their twenties, many are moving to large cities with mass transit, where owning a car is neither essential nor practical.

In addition, American automakers are jettisoning many of their lower-priced compact and subcompact cars in favor of sport-utility vehicles and trucks with much bigger profit margins. And schools are either not offering drivers’ education or charging as much as a thousand dollars per course.

Yet another factor: Tesla is promising “over a million robo-taxis on the road” by next year. The company hopes to provide transportation at less than eighteen cents a mile (typical ride-sharing costs are two to three dollars a mile).

“A critical shift in American culture”

Before today, if you had asked me to explain why young people are putting off driving, I wouldn’t have thought of Instagram, SUVs, and robo-taxis.

Continue reading Denison Forum – How a million robo-taxis are changing the world: Connecting truth to life →

Joanna and Chip Gaines made the Time 100 this year.

Tim Tebow’s article about them applauds “the genuine passion they have for making a difference in people’s lives.” He adds, “They are also grounded in a strong faith, which keeps them focused on what truly matters in life.”

Any time followers of Jesus make the news because of their cultural relevance, the kingdom advances and God is glorified. As we noted yesterday, Christians across history have made an amazing difference in our world. From women’s rights to the Scientific Revolution, educational excellence, modern medicine, and the abolition of slavery, believers have played a crucial role in human flourishing.

However, it seems that many today see the church as less relevant than Christians. Far less, in fact.

How many religious Americans go to church?

Last Sunday, most churches experienced their highest attendance of the year. Next Sunday, many of these congregations will see half the numbers they witnessed on Easter.

Our culture has already moved past the holiday considered by Christian tradition to be the highest and holiest day of the year. Except for references to Sunday’s tragedy in Sri Lanka and post-Easter sales in stores, the day seems to be over.

Of course, the risen Christ is just as alive and just as relevant today as when he first rose from the dead. But his church seems to be less so.

According to Gallup, church membership in America is down from 70 percent in 1999 to 50 percent today. One factor is the rise of the “nones”: the number of Americans who say they have no religious affiliation has grown from 10 percent in 1998 to 23 percent today.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Chip and Joanna Gaines make the ‘Time 100’: Three ways the church can change the world →

Pastor Harry Richard grieved as he watched flames consume Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Just two weeks earlier, his church in Louisiana was set ablaze. It was one of three predominantly black churches in his area that were intentionally burned down, according to police.

But the Baptist minister sensed the Lord at work: “I think that God is using these moments to bring us closer together as a world. This is God’s hand on our lives to make us realize that we are all connected in some form or fashion.”

Meanwhile, Islamic militants are being blamed this morning for the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka that killed at least 290 people. Devastating floods have left millions in Iran facing a humanitarian crisis. And the CDC says this flu season is now the longest in a decade.

The news reminds us every day that we need the redemptive work of the risen Christ every day. Unfortunately, our secular culture is less convinced than ever that Jesus is relevant today.

How can we show the world that every day is Easter?

Imagine a world without Easter

John S. Dickerson’s latest book is titled Jesus Skeptic: A Journalist Explores the Credibility and Impact of Christianity. As with his other work, Dickerson’s insights are extremely insightful and relevant.

He states that a ten-year investigation led him to conclude: “My generation of Americans—those born in the 1980s and younger—have been largely denied the truth about Christianity’s influence and record on social justice.”

For instance, Dickerson notes that nine of the ten best nations on earth for women’s rights, according to the World Economic Forum, have majority Christian populations. Followers of Jesus such as Isaac Newton, Johannes Kepler, and Blaise Pascal also played an essential role in launching the Scientific Revolution.

This tradition continues with Dr. Francis S. Collins, leader of the Human Genome Project and now head of the National Institutes of Health. He states: “God can be found in the cathedral or in the laboratory. By investigating God’s majestic and awesome creation, science can actually be a means of worship.”

Schools, medicine, and slavery

Dickerson also notes that “nearly every leading university in the world was founded by Christians.” He cites the fact that the first nine colleges in the US were founded by Christians. He also found that each of the top ten universities in the world, according to the Center for World University Rankings, was begun by Christians.

Christians “planted the seeds of modern medicine” as well. Dickerson references Edward Jenner (the father of immunology), Florence Nightingale (the founder of modern nursing), and Johns Hopkins (whose bequest founded one of the most innovative hospitals in modern medicine). He adds that the top ten hospitals in the US, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, were all founded by Christians.

And Dickerson reports that Christians played an essential role in ending slavery in most parts of the world. In fact, he could not find a single abolitionist in the US who was not a follower of Jesus. And, of course, there is the example of William Wilberforce in the UK.

None of this would have happened without Easter.

Making every day Easter

Here’s our challenge: convincing the culture that Jesus’ resurrection is as relevant to our present and future as it was to our past. This calling requires us to be as engaged in human rights, scientific and medical progress, advancing educational excellence, and ending racial discrimination as the Christians who came before us.

In addition, it is vital that we live in ways that contradict the caricature our critics have drawn of us. Consider two imperatives.

One: Respect those who do not respect our Lord.

When pagans in Ephesus started a riot against Christians in their city, an official scolded the crowd: “You have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess” (Acts 19:37). We are to defend our faith boldly, but we are to do so “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). The more people criticize us, the more they need our Lord.

Two: Be joyful in a joyless world.

Solomon observed: “Everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man” (Ecclesiastes 3:13). If I do not find joy in the vocation to which God has called me, I dishonor the One who has assigned it to me. William Barclay was right: “A gloomy Christian is a contradiction in terms.”

“Death is strong, but life is stronger”

Phillips Brooks: “Tomb, thou shalt not hold him longer; death is strong, but life is stronger. Stronger than the dark, the light; stronger than the wrong, the right.”

When Christians are relevant, gracious, and joyful followers of the risen Christ, the world will know: He is risen, indeed.

Denison Forum