Shortstuff

A survey commissioned by Tyndale House Publishers found that nearly 90% of frequent Bible readers said they feel at peace all or most of the time, compared to 58% of people who read the Bible less than once a month. A clear purpose and meaning in life was reported by 92% of frequent Bible readers, compared to 69% of infrequent Bible readers. Only 15% of regular Bible readers indicated that they worry about being accepted, and only 12% worry somewhat or very much about death, compared to 28% and 22% respectively of infrequent Bible readers.
EPNS

Sports-loving Christians now have access to a training manual that can help them win in life as well as on the field: the Power For Competing Discipleship Bible. Inserts accompanying the Bible highlight traits such as commitment, determination, confidence and teamwork which are needed for success as players and as people. Other sections offer staying-in-shape tips and suggestions for overcoming the hurdles of drinking and drugs, anger, fear and insecurity. Award-winning Cleveland Indians pitcher Orel Hershiser is among those sharing his testimony in this special edition of the New International Version put out by the International Bible Society. Power for Competing features full-colour sports photography, and was produced for use in sports camps and church youth programs.
EPNS

Songwriter Madeline Stone works with some of Christian music's biggest acts, including CeCe Winans and Anointed. One of her songs, "It's in God's Hands Now", won a Dove award from the Gospel Music Association. But don't look for Stone in a church. She's more likely to be in a synagogue. Stone sees herself as a Jewish girl who writes inspirational songs, not a Christian writer. She says she could never see herself writing songs that had anything specific to do with Jesus Christ, but general songs about God are no problem for her.
EPNS

Nine out of 10 films released in 1996 contained at least one scene that viewers with high moral standards would find objectionable, according to Preview Family Movie and TV Review.
EPNS

Willow Creek Community Church and the evangelical ministry Reaching America's Youth recently organized a two-day outreach presentation to young offenders at three youth detention facilities in Chicago, using a graphic, hard-hitting comic book to start dialogue with many of the inmates. Donated by the International Bible Society, the comic book Inside Out tells the stories of youth detention centre inmates who have been involved in crime, gang violence, sex and drug abuse. It challenges the reader to look at his/her life and give it over to Christ.
EVANGELICAL PRESS NEWS SERVICE

The American Family Association has joined with Log-On Data, creator of X-Stop: The Pornography Filter, to help parents, schools, public libraries and businesses block offensive material on the Internet. X-Stop is a combination of software and hardware that can run on personal computers as well as school and library networks.
EPNS

Focus on the Family has joined the Disney boycott in order to let its "constituency know that Disney is no longer friendly to the family and call attention to the immoral material they are now producing". James Dobson, founder of the organization, declared, "It has become clear that the Disney organization has utter disdain for those who hold traditional moral principles and conservative family values. . . . Focus on the Family now supports a boycott against anything that bears the Disney name, and recommends that families--especially those of the Christian faith--no longer trust or patronize their products and programming."
EPNS

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