| | Survey: Young adults may be committed to Christ—but they're not in church | | Curated for you byCP Editors | | Good afternoon! It's Thursday, August 11, and today's headlines include research on young adults' church attendance habits, Liberty University gearing up to find its next president, and a pastor's sermon examining whether the Bible is sexist. | | The August edition of the American Bible Society's "State of the Bible: USA 2022" report shows that 40% of Generation Z adults ages 18 and over attend church "primarily online." Churchgoers 77 and up slightly trailed the younger demographic at 36%. The report suggests that around two-thirds of Gen Z and Millennials who have made a meaningful commitment to Jesus do not attend church in person or online at least monthly. While 54% of all adults up to age 57 said they have "made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in your life today," less than one-third of those in the three youngest generations who have made that commitment are "practicing" Christians. Practicing Christians were defined as those who identify as Protestants or Catholics, consider their faith very important to them and attend religious services at least once a month. In contrast, non-practicing Christians identify as Christians but fall short in at least one of those categories. | | Per the survey's definitions of "practicing" versus "non-practicing" Christians, nearly half of all American adults (46%) fall into the non-practicing category. "You might consider them the 'sleeping giant' of the church," the survey noted. "They have some contact with the Bible and the church. They know some things about Jesus. Yet they're saying they long to know more. How will churches respond? How will publishers, charities, schools, and creative artists step up to this curiosity?" Read more. | | P.S. Looking for a way to close out your week? Stay in the know with In Case You Missed It, a Friday-only newsletter that features a roundup of the top stories of the week and a selection of faith-based highlights. Subscribe here. |
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| CarterBaldwin to find Liberty University's next president | | Liberty University has enlisted the help of Georgia-based CarterBaldwin Executive Search to conduct the search for the next president of the Evangelical university, which was founded by Jerry Falwell Sr. Liberty's interim president, Jerry Prevo, has served in the role since the resignation of former President Jerry Falwell Jr. in 2020. The university plans to release a position profile in mid-September to begin the search and evaluation process, with the Liberty board of trustee's search committee hoping to install a new president ahead of the 2023-2024 academic school year. Prevo will continue to serve as acting president until the role is filled. Read more. | | Also of Interest... | | Liberty University accepts Jerry Falwell Jr.’s resignation ‘effective immediately’ | | Gunshots cause over 50K in damage to Catholic church | | Authorities are investigating two separate incidents of gunfire that hit the exterior of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in unincorporated Adams County north of Denver on Aug. 6 and 8. Security footage shows what appears to be a motorcyclist firing a gun as they drove by the church in the initial incident, Deacon Derrick Johnson told The Christian Post. A spokesperson for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the investigation, told CP "at this time, it does not seem like the church was specifically targeted." Despite the attack and damages that are estimated to be between $50,000 and $75,000, Johnson says the church is ready to forgive whoever is responsible. "The parish is here for you … and so is the mercy and reconciliation of Christ," he said. Read more. |
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| In everything, strive for the secret things of God | | Oscar Amaechina shares why it is important to demonstrate humility and diligently seek God, saying He will reveal certain secrets to those who make the effort to discern them. Amaechina points out the importance of not complaining about why God has allowed certain things to happen and writes, "God’s people are destroyed every day for lack of knowledge. Spiritual intelligence is a necessity if we are to navigate through the obstacles and challenges of life." Read more. | | It’s time to end the 'insanity' of typical youth ministry | | With research suggesting around 1 million Christian teens leave their churches and their faith annually, Dare 2 Share Ministries International Founder and President Greg Stier says now is the time to revitalize youth ministry. Noting that youth ministry has remained virtually unchanged for the last half-century, Stier asks, "What if we let the 'youth ministry' philosophy of Jesus drive our youth ministry model? What if we focused on building a strong leadership team (aka 'the disciples') who were all in to lead the way for spiritual growth and Gospel Advancement for the other teens in our youth groups?" Read more. |
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| The graduating class of 2023 is in for a big surprise this year. Are they ready for it? | | After a lackluster couple of years of job creation, 2023 is poised to be a much stronger year for new graduates. According to The New York Times, "Seniors and graduates are again in demand as companies revive recruiting, underscoring the economic premium that comes with a diploma." | | This is good news for this emerging generation, but there will still be obstacles. With more employers opening back up, the experienced employee will still be in demand, making things a challenge for new grads. Fortunately, "challenge" is not an unfamiliar word for Gen Z... Read more. | | |
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| Nigeria: Terrorists kill elderly Christian, kidnap others | | Suspected Muslim terrorists in northern Nigeria killed Daniel Yatai, an 86-year-old Christian man, in his home on Aug. 2. The group also kidnapped two others who were released, likely after ransom payments, according to sources. "The terrorists forcefully broke into their home as they were already sleeping, shot our dad and kidnapped my niece," Yatai's son told Morning Star News. He says the terrorists called them on Wednesday morning and asked for a ransom of 15 million naira [US$35,845] to secure the release of his niece. Yatai did not confirm whether the ransom was paid but confirmed on Aug. 5 that his niece had been released. Read more. |
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| Is the Bible sexist? Pastor examines 'weaker' reference in Scripture | | Pastor David Marvin of Watermark Community Church in Dallas preached a sermon last week addressing whether the Bible is sexist. Marvin focused on 1 Peter 3:7, which describes women as the "weaker partner" to men, and explained that the word "weaker" can be translated from the Hebrew language to mean "delicate," "delicacy" or "gentle, refined and tender." The pastor highlighted why this does not translate into women being less significant or the Bible being sexist, contrasting the verse with ancient Jewish society, which would have labeled women "property," that husbands "don't have to listen to them" and that "if they step out of line, you can do basically anything." Marvin also reminded the audience of their "eternal value," saying men have a responsibility to avoid anything that sexually objectifies women, while women have a responsibility to ensure they don't endorse or promote things that say they are valuable due to their sex or body. Watch now. | | | | | | | | Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow! -- CP Editors |
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