Our country stands at a critical point in its history. Our heritage as a nation of immigrants is at stake.

The war on terrorism has made national security a legitimate concern, and a rising deficit, changes brought on by globalization and even the price of oil have thrown the nation's economic health into question.

I think that together the church has learned a lot, and as we know from our own oversight board, the involvement of our wonderful lay leaders has been a real grace.

By and large the United States has been able to resist the temptation to close its doors to the world.

God decided when we would be born and when we would be born again. We have the Spirit and the Gospel. To think that we deserve to live in different times is to tell God that we deserve a better mission field than the one He has given us.

Oh my God - this is scary and sad all at the same time. I literally dream about buying my own groceries. Swear to God. Because it is something that is real and normal.

I always knew that my identity wasn't in football. It wasn't in baseball. I knew it's always been in Christ and just my upbringing has always led me to have a tremendous faith that God was going to see me through and he would not give me too much that I couldn't bear.

I grew up around a lot of various religions, so it's a part of my consciousness in a way. Everything from heavy Catholicism to followers of Indian spiritual masters to Unitarian universalists - all in one family. Though the family aspect was stronger than any particular dogma.