Several hundred conventioneers last night received encouragement from two authors with several projects designed to make an impact on culture.

During Pacesetter-which featured worship band Sonicflood-popular speaker Josh McDowell and former NFL coach Joe Gibbs offered Christian suppliers, publishers and retailers a message on living with hope for the future.

"I thank God for the publishers," said McDowell, who has written 112 books, selling 51 million copies. "Without them, most of us (authors) wouldn't reach our audience. You retailers are the critical link between the publishers and the audience."

McDowell then proceeded to list alarming statistics on the spiritual beliefs of teens, including that 91% of evangelical youth say there is no absolute truth and that 65% believe there is no way to tell which religion is true.

"Can we do something about it?" he asked. "Absolutely. We can make a difference. ... We need to return the reliability of Scripture and the reality of the resurrection. ... We can turn it around."

McDowell praised Regal Books for the recent simultaneous release of three of his books, including Evidence for the Resurrection; Jesus: Dead or Alive?: Evidence for the Resurrection; and Jesus Is Alive!: Evidence for the Resurrection. Each title was written for adults, teens and children, respectively. McDowell also praised Tyndale House Publishers for recently releasing an updated version of his best-seller More Than a Carpenter.

Meanwhile, Gibbs discussed Game Plan for Life, to be released July 21 by Tyndale. Besides sharing Gibbs' story, struggles and triumphs, the book seeks to help men lead more productive, meaningful and God-centered lives-using football as an analogy.

"Life is a game," said Gibbs, who recently launched a ministry through Joe Gibbs Racing called Game Plan for Life, www.gameplanforlife.org. "God is the head coach. We are the players. ... Everyone needs to have a game plan (to win). ... God has left us a perfect game-plan book (in the Bible). That's what this book is about. ... Hopefully, Game Plan for Life is a modern-day, relevant game plan for life."

Tom Cowley, author of A Biography of Jesus (Eagle's Nest Press), said he was impressed by both McDowell and Gibbs. "I thought Josh was right on regarding the young people," he told Christian Retailing. "We have to focus on the truth of Jesus. I'm excited about the vision of Joe for Game Plan for Life. It's a wonderful concept to think of God as our coach."

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