Most of us can’t remember a time when belief in God was growing. For the last half-century, there has been a steady erosion of faith as secularism took root and grew in the soil of rebellion and doubt.

But today, interest in religion is growing. And it’s growing fastest among Gen Z.

Citing findings from the National Opinion Research Center, Christian Paz from Vox reports that the rise of the nones has stagnated, primarily due to the undeniable fact that Gen Z is “rediscovering faith.” There is no one explanation for this trend, but it’s clear that “members of this generation who feel isolated or lost might be finding community and friendship in organized religion.”

A new Barna study agrees with these findings. Its research shows that belief in Jesus is on the rise, fueled by younger adults. According to Barna’s latest data, two-thirds of all U.S. adults say “they have made a personal commitment to Jesus that is still important in their life today,” marking a 12-point increase since 2021, a clear indication of “meaningful spiritual renewal in the United States.”

Two significant indicators show how this trend is playing out in the lives of these younger adults, and both are at the heart of exactly how people are seeking answers in religion in general, and Christianity in particular.

The first is an increase in Bible reading. “For the first time since 2021, we’re seeing an increase in both Bible use and scripture engagement, particularly among younger adults and in men,” says John Plake, the Chief Innovation Officer for American Bible Society. “People are curious about the Bible and Jesus.”

As you might expect, this curiosity in Bible reading is leading to a tangible trend: Bible sales. According to data collected by BookScan, sales of Bibles rose 22 percent last year, a startling statistic considering that most other categories of book sales were flat. And just who is driving this dramatic increase in Bible sales and reading? You guessed it — Gen Z.

The other indicator isn’t as measurable as Bible sales, but it is perhaps even more dramatic. Younger adults are looking for meaning and hope in something that transcends their everyday lives, something Lauren Jackson calls “spiritual longing.” And just where do people go when confronted with this longing? Jackson says it this way: “I want a god.”

This desire for a god follows decades of loneliness, anxiety and growing dissatisfaction amid rising secularization. The rise of the “nones” — those who claim to have no religious affiliation — has made headlines for a long time now, while those who found meaning in religion shrank in numbers and influence.

At least it seemed that way, as belief in God was overshadowed by the so-called “New Atheists,” epitomized by Richard Dawkins in his 2008 book, The God Delusion.

“America’s secularization,” writes Lauren Jackson in a New York Times op-ed piece, “was an immense social transformation.” By 2021, nearly a third of Americans identified as “nones.”

But this shift didn’t lead to more satisfying lives. Quite the opposite. Research shows that those who are less religious “rank lower on key metrics of well-being” than those who have some kind of belief. “They feel less connected to others, less spiritually at peace and they experience less awe and gratitude regularly,” writes Jackson.

Especially among Gen Z — those born between 1997 and 2012 — the rates of loneliness and anxiety have skyrocketed.

As Jonathan Haidt concludes in The Anxious Generation, social media bears much of the blame for this “epidemic of mental Illness.” Although Haidt is a self-described atheist, he uses spiritual terms to describe both the impact of and the solution for this destructive trend.

“The phone-based life produces spiritual degradation,” he writes, “not just in adolescents, but in all of us.” And what does he suggest anxious and lonely people do to reverse this trend and improve well-being? Engage in “certain spiritual practices.”

And more people are engaging in spiritual practice — and becoming genuinely curious about Jesus. One of the places people are apparently looking to satisfy this longing is the multi-season television series called The Chosen.

In fact, one-third of all people who have viewed at least a portion of an episode are not believers at all. But they are curious about a show that is telling the greatest story about the greatest person in history.

Reports indicate that people who may have left the Christian faith are returning, partly as they’re “reexploring Christianity” through The Chosen. Others are agnostics or even atheists who are seeking answers and appreciate the way the show portrays Jesus.

By portraying Jesus and his chosen followers as real people with human traits we can identify with, The Chosen is introducing the faithful and curious alike to Jesus by simply inviting them into the story of God’s beautiful plan to offer hope to people living in a time when anxiety, loneliness, and despair are everywhere in our world.

And this introduction comes at a critical time: A moment when more and more people desire and seek precisely such an invitation.

“Nobody becomes a Christian because they lose the argument,” John Plake posted on his social media page. “It’s because they’re invited on the journey.”

That’s what this “return to Jesus” is all about. People are curious, people are watching, and people are joining the journey Jesus invites us to take.
Sources:CBN News

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കുടിയേറ്റക്കാര്‍ക്ക് പൗരത്വത്തിനായി റിയാലിറ്റി ഷോയുമായി അമേരിക്ക. ഡിപാര്‍ട്മെന്റ് ഓഫ് ഹോംലാന്‍ഡ് സെക്യൂറിറ്റീസ് ആണ് കുടിയേറ്റക്കാര്‍ക്ക് വേണ്ടി ടെലിവിഷന്‍ റിയാലിറ്റി ഷോ നടത്തുന്നത്. ഷോയില്‍ വിജയിക്കുന്നവര്‍ക്ക് യു.എസ് പൗരത്വമാണ് സമ്മാനം. ഇത്തരമൊരു നിര്‍ദ്ദേശം പരിഗണനയിലുണ്ടെന്ന കാര്യം ഡിഎച്ച്എസ് വെള്ളിയാഴ്ച സ്ഥിരീകരിച്ചു.

അതേസമയം വകുപ്പിലെ ജീവനക്കാരില്‍ നിന്ന് ഷോ സംബന്ധിച്ച് അനുകൂലമോ പ്രതികൂലമോ ആയ പ്രതികരണം ലഭിച്ചിട്ടില്ലെന്നും ഓരോ നിര്‍ദേശവും അംഗീകരിക്കുന്നതിനോ തള്ളിക്കളയുന്നതിനോ മുന്‍പ് സമഗ്രപരിശോധനയ്ക്ക് വിയേയമാക്കുന്ന പതിവുണ്ടെന്നും പബ്ലിക് അഫയേഴ്സ് അസിസ്റ്റന്റ് സെക്രട്ടറി ട്രിസിയ മക് ലോഗ്ലിന്‍ പറഞ്ഞു.

കനേഡിയന്‍ അമേരിക്കനായ റോബ് വോര്‍സോഫാണ് പരിപാടിയുടെ അവതാരകനാകുക. ദേശസ്നേഹവും പൗരധര്‍മ്മവും ആവോളമുണ്ടെന്ന് മത്സരാര്‍ഥികള്‍ തെളിയിക്കേണ്ടി വരും. കുടിയേറ്റക്കാര്‍ക്ക് കടുത്ത മത്സരം നേരിടേണ്ടി വരുമെന്നാണ് സൂചന. പരാജയപ്പെടുന്നവര്‍ക്ക് രാജ്യം വിട്ടുപോകേണ്ടതായും വരും. ഓരോ ണിക്കൂര്‍ ദൈര്‍ഘ്യമുള്ള എപ്പിസോഡുകളാണ് പരിപാടിയില്‍.

സ്വര്‍ണം കുഴിച്ചെടുക്കുന്നത് മുതല്‍ ഫോര്‍ഡിന്റെ പഴയ മോഡല്‍ കാര്‍ അഴിച്ച് സെറ്റ് ചെയ്യുന്നതുവരെ മത്സരങ്ങളുടെ പട്ടികയിലുണ്ട്. യുഎസിലേക്കുള്ള കുടിയേറ്റക്കാരുടെ പ്രവേശനകവാടമായ എലിസ് ദ്വീപിലാണ് മത്സരം ആരംഭിക്കുക. ഓരോ എപ്പിസോഡിലും ഒരു മത്സരാര്‍ഥി പുറത്താകും. കഴിയുന്നത്ര പിടിച്ചുനില്‍ക്കുകയും മത്സരത്തില്‍ വിജയിക്കുകയുമായിരിക്കണം ഓരോ കുടിയേറ്റക്കാരന്റേയും ഒരേയൊരു ലക്ഷ്യം.
Sources:azchavattomonline.com

http://theendtimeradio.com

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering taking part in a reality TV show in which immigrants would compete for American citizenship, the department confirmed on Friday.

Asked about the reported idea, DHS responded with a statement that said the pitch “has not received approval or rejection by staff,” and that “each proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval.”

“We need to revive patriotism and civic duty in this country, and we’re happy to review out-of-the-box pitches,” Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in the statement.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the proposed show — which was pitched by a Canadian American named Rob Worsoff — would see contestants face off to prove they are the most American.

“This isn’t ‘The Hunger Games’ for immigrants,” the newspaper quoted Worsoff as saying — a reference to a dystopian novel and subsequent movie about children forced to kill each other in a televised competition for survival.

“This is not, ‘Hey, if you lose, we are shipping you out on a boat out of the country,'” he said.

The Journal reviewed a 36-page slide deck from Worsoff’s team about the proposed program, which would see contestants compete in one-hour episodes.

This could include a gold rush competition to see who can retrieve the most precious metal from a mine, or one in which contestants would work in teams to assemble the chassis of a Model T car, according to the newspaper.

The show would start with an arrival at Ellis Island — the traditional entrance point for immigrants to the United States — and would see one contestant eliminated per episode.

The news comes as former reality show star President Donald Trump’s administration has moved to end temporary protected status (TPS) for various groups of immigrants it had shielded them from deportation.

Federal law permits the government to grant TPS to foreign citizens who cannot safely return home because of war, natural disasters or other “extraordinary” conditions.

Since taking office, Trump has sought to strip TPS protections from citizens of countries including Afghanistan, Haiti and Venezuela as part of his broader crackdown on immigration.
 http://theendtimeradio.com

One of life’s greatest joys is being a parent. It can also be incredibly challenging, and today, many parents are dealing with anxiety. It’s especially true for moms.

A study by the Urban Institute finds that 13.5 percent of mothers struggle with moderate or severe anxiety.

Several well-known Christian women are speaking directly into this space.

Among them is Sissy Goff, co-host of the popular podcast “Raising Boys and Girls” and longtime counselor at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville.

“In 31 years of counseling kids and families, I have never seen mothers as stressed, as much pressure, even feel like they’re failing their own kids,” Sissy told CBN News.

“I think part of that is the pressure that comes from social media and from watching all these people telling you as a mom how you’re supposed to do it and really if there’s anything I want moms to hear in my office… it would be, you know your kids better than anybody else and I want you to trust your gut and trust that the Holy Spirit is speaking to you in that gut in terms of what your kids needs the most,” she said.

Goff also just came out with a children’s book, “Lucy Learns to be Brave,” which addresses anxiety in kids.

“The overarching theme of that book is that Lucy, my little dog who practiced with me at Daystar for 15 years, really discovered that she was brave and that she had this special gift. She waved at people on command, and she discovered that gift when she learned to trust how much I loved her,” explained Goff. “And so, kind of the premise behind that for kids is the more we can learn to trust in God’s love for us, in their parents’ love for them, I think the more they feel like they are courageous and can step out and do these brave things.”

Anxiety in moms is something Erin Mashaw of “Birds on a Wire Moms” is tackling, too.

“We just had our annual conference last month and it was themed, ‘Peace for the Anxious Mom,’ because I think that there’s an anxious mom in all of us,” Mashaw told CBN News. “There’s something about becoming a mom that can just make us fearful and worried about all the things that can go wrong, or you hear other stories of things that are happening.”

“Birds on a Wire Moms” puts a big emphasis on a mother’s own relationship with Jesus.

“So while we do want to give practical advice, at the end of the day, what’s most helpful when my kids are going through something really hard isn’t a mom hack,” she said. “What’s most helpful in that moment is my relationship with Jesus, and so I think that what ‘Birds on a Wire’ has really strived to do is, yes we want to give practical advice but we also just want to be able to equip moms to be able to grow in their faith and to know how to pass on that faith and help their kids build a foundation of faith for themselves.”

“Wire Talk” is the name of their podcast. “Birds on a Wire Moms” also offers devotionals and prayer journals.

Abbey Wedgeworth is another Christian woman speaking to the issue of anxiety facing moms.

She’s the author of the popular children’s book series, “Training Young Hearts.”

“The series was born out of a poem that I wrote for my kids,” she explained to CBN News. “And it was just celebrating all of the amazing things that their hands can do. Also pointing to the way there are right and wrong ways to use their hands, and then equipping them to respond when they do use their hands in a way that God did not design them to be used. For example, hitting, pushing, snatching.”

Her books point to Jesus as the perfect example and the perfect savior.

“I’ve heard from a lot of parents that if their kid hits a sibling, they’ll run to get the Hands book, or if they bite, like an older sibling will run to get the Mouths book for their little sibling,” she said. “They really also provide a refrain for parents to say, ‘Did God make your mouth to bite? No, of course not.’ And then they can use their mouth to confess and ask for help.”

Wedgeworth has also written a book called “Held” for women dealing with pregnancy loss, and out of that spun her podcast with the same name.

She told CBN News she recently submitted a manuscript for another book, “Help, I’m Ruining My Kids.”

“When I share that title with women, they either get tears in their eyes or a lot of times it leads to a deeper conversation with them, just sharing ways they feel like they’re ruining their kids,” said Wedgeworth. “So, lately I’ve found myself sharing the message with a lot with moms that nothing you do is beyond redemption. Not your own heart or actions or your effect on your kids. God is at work, and you are a work in progress.”

And that’s a message for all moms: Your kids are growing, and so are you, and there’s a lot of grace along the way.
Sources:CBN News

http://theendtimeradio.com