The 2007 National New Church Conference will be held in Orlando April 23-26. The event is aimed at inspiring, equipping, and challenging church planting leaders to the next level of collaboration. Speakers will include Bill Hybels, Wayne Cordeiro, Mark Batterson, Dave Ferguson, and several others. Check it out at www.exponentialconference.com.

Time Magazine recently featured an article examining why Americans worry about the things we shouldn't and often ignore the things we should. While statistics show that we are terrified of things like avian flu and mad cow disease, we consistently refuse to wear seatbelts when we ride in cars - a mistake responsible for about 31% of all vehicular fatalities - and consume enough cholesterol to kill 700,000 people every year. The article states, "20% of all adults still smoke... two-thirds of us are overweight or obese. [Yet] we dash across the street against the light and build our homes in hurricane-prone areas and when they're demolished by a storm, we rebuild in the same spot." Time offers a detailed analysis of the risk-assessment mechanisms of the brain, but why do you think Americans operate this way?

Check out this update from Skye Jethani, the editorial director of Out of Ur, the blog page for Christianity Today, regarding the recent happenings in the fight on AIDS, and how evangelicals, liberals, and gays are teaming up to fight the disease.

In a recent study by our friends at The Barna Group, some interesting results came to the surface regarding what people really enjoy and look forward to on a consistent basis. By far, the most alluring action people look forward to is simply getting a good night of sleep! The ranking of the items examined might surprise people. For instance, the fourth most appealing activity was attending church services, which 40% said they look forward to. In fact, further confirming that religion is "hot" right now, Americans were more likely to say they look forward to reading the Bible (31%) than to look forward to reading a novel for pleasure (25%).To see the entire summary on the research project, visit The Barna Group. What do you really enjoy and look foward to?

Shane Claiborne, a friend of Catalyst and recent speaker at Catalyst this past October, was recently interviewed by the Washington Times. They positioned it as "Claiborne, 31, the author of the new book "The Irresistible Revolution," is a symbol of a movement toward living out one's faith radically." Check out the interview by clicking here. What are your thoughts on Shane's work and this concept of the "new monasticism?"