Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood's governing majority, is not actually crucifying the nation's Christians. But they are nonetheless actively persecuting Coptic Christians who are said to be one-tenth of the population of the largest Arab country.

In a week where a terrorist attack in Boston reminds us once again of the value of each human life, another story, from Philadelphia, regarding human life, has gone woefully under reported.

"He was so grateful to be here, he was compassionate, he was caring, he was jovial." That's how a neighbor described Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. To the names of Timothy McVeigh and Theodore Kaczynski we can now add the Tsarnaev brothers. They had given no indication of any anti-American sentiments.

Historically, our country rewards hard work and practical ingenuity, which is the direct result of this belief in the American idea of economic progress. This belief is usually driven by an individual's desire to get ahead in this world. However, I would like to explore a completely different advantage. I often wonder how current social and economic policies positively or negatively affect the critical thinking of our children especially regarding their desire for financial independence.

California could give gay activists exactly what they're craving: no choice, no freedom, and no way out of unwanted same-sex attractions. For a group that has fought so many years for tolerance and equality, this tyrannical direction by the LGBT lobby may backfire on them. As Nietzche once said: "Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one."

It is hard to overstate the importance of functional awe of God to your ministry. Awe of God is one thing that will keep a church from running off its rails and being diverted by the many agendas that can sidetrack any congregation.

Almost a decade ago, I led a major study on churches that had reversed negative trends and become positive breakout churches. I established the criterion that the breakout had to take place without changing pastors. I knew from previous research that most breakout churches had new pastors. I wanted to see if it was likely for a church to turnaround without getting a new pastor.

Of all the hats I wear in life, the one I enjoy most may be that of "dad." As much fun as Trent, Troy, and I have together, whether it's camping or just throwing the ball around, not a day goes by that I don't give serious thought to how my wife, Jean, and I are leading them spiritually.

So what does all of this have to do with your youth ministry? What lessons can Hudson Taylor teach the average youth leader about youth ministry? There are at least 3 lessons he can teach those of us trying to reach the unreached people group called teenagers today:

The city of Boston is like a family in a way, and this family has just been through the ringer. They welcomed a couple of guys into their fold who in turn decided to stab their fellow Bostonians in the back. Dzhokhar and Tamerlan betrayed the very community that had opened their arms to receive them. It seems unbelievable that this could happen, and yet it did.