Podcasts about The Barna Group

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by John Plake, Chief Innovation Officer and Editor-in-Chief of the State of the Bible research at the American Bible Society. With decades of experience as a pastor, missionary, professor, and researcher, John brings a unique perspective on how people are actually engaging with Scripture and what we should do about it. The “movable middle” is growing. // One of the most significant insights from recent research is the rise of what John calls the “movable middle”—millions of people who are open to the Bible but not yet engaged with it. This group has grown by approximately nine million people in recent years. They are curious, interested, and even positive toward Scripture, but they lack the tools, confidence, or guidance to engage it meaningfully. This represents a massive opportunity for churches willing to step in and help. People want a guide. // Through focus groups and research, John discovered that many people in the movable middle feel intimidated by the Bible. They struggle with language, context, and navigation. But perhaps most striking is they want help. Contrary to what some leaders might assume, they are not rejecting the church as a guide. In fact, many say, “If we can't trust the church to help us understand the Bible, what good is it?” This creates a clear invitation for churches to step into a more relational, guiding role in discipleship. A surprising discipleship gap. // One of the most sobering findings is that nearly half of weekly church attenders are not regularly engaging Scripture on their own. While churches invest heavily in preaching and programming, many people are not developing personal habits of Bible engagement. John suggests that churches often focus on delivering content rather than equipping people to engage Scripture themselves. The result is a gap between what happens on Sunday and what happens in everyday life. From teaching to equipping. // If churches want to close that gap, they must shift from being primarily content providers to equipping environments. This means helping people develop the skills, habits, and confidence to read and apply Scripture on their own. It also requires understanding the real barriers people face, like time constraints, confusion, or lack of community support, and addressing those barriers with practical solutions. A new tool for churches. // To help leaders take action, the American Bible Society has developed the “Next Step for Church” assessment. This free tool allows churches to measure spiritual health, Bible engagement, and key leadership behaviors within their congregation. Within a few weeks, leaders receive a detailed, data-driven report highlighting strengths, challenges, and suggested next steps. Data that leads to discipleship. // John emphasizes that data is not an end in itself; it's a tool for better shepherding. By listening to their congregation at scale, leaders can identify patterns, confirm instincts, and prioritize what matters most. The assessment surfaces both what's working and where growth is needed, giving churches a clear path forward. It also connects individuals to personalized Scripture engagement resources, helping them take their next step spiritually. Why Scripture engagement matters most. // Nothing has a greater impact on spiritual growth than a person's relationship with the Bible. In fact, Scripture engagement accounts for a significant portion of overall spiritual health. When people consistently engage with God's Word, transformation follows—affecting beliefs, behaviors, and relationships. Signs of hope for the future. // Despite broader cultural challenges, John sees encouraging trends, especially among younger generations. Millennials and Gen Z show increasing openness to Scripture, even if they are still exploring. While overall trends may appear flat, meaningful change is happening beneath the surface. For churches willing to engage this moment, there is real opportunity for impact. To explore the research further or access the free church assessment, visit church.nextstep.bible and begin discovering how your church can better equip people to engage Scripture every day. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Risepointe Do you feel like your church’s or school's facility could be preventing growth? Are you frustrated or possibly overwhelmed at the thought of a complicated or costly building project? Are the limitations of your building becoming obstacles in the path of expanding your ministry? Have you ever felt that you could reach more people if only the facility was better suited to the community’s needs? Well, the team over at Risepointe can help! As former ministry staff and church leaders, they understand how to prioritize and help lead you to a place where the building is a ministry multiplier. Your mission should not be held back by your building. Their team of architects, interior designers and project managers have the professional experience to incorporate creative design solutions to help move YOUR mission forward. Check them out at risepointe.com and while you’re there, schedule a FREE call to explore possibilities for your needs, vision and future…Risepointe believes that God still uses spaces…and they're here to help. Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. I am so glad that you have decided to tune in today. This is one of those episodes that there’s a great resource in it that going to want to make sure you engage with. There’s super helpful content. Plus it’s about an area that I know so many of us are thinking about, we’re wondering about, we’re asking questions about. Rich Birch — So super excited to have John Plake with us today. He is the chief innovator ah innovation officer and editor-in-chief of the State of the Bible Research Series, which comes from the American Bible Society. And they’re on a mission to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford so that all may experience its life-changing message. ABS has really a whole bunch of different tools and approaches, and we’re excited kind of expose a little bit more about that today. John has been in ministry over 30 years. We’ll just call it over 30 years. And it served as a pastor, missionary, professor, researcher. John, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here.John Plake — Thanks so much for having me today. It’s great to be with you.Rich Birch — Why don’t you fill in the picture a little bit? Tell us a little bit about your background. You know, what brings you to your current work?John Plake — Yeah. Closer to 40 years now. Rich Birch — Nice. Yeah, yeah. That’s great.John Plake — It’s a little uncomfortable to talk about that.Rich Birch — That’s great.John Plake — Yeah. You know, I start out like a lot of people in ministry. I grew up in a home that ministry was central. Actually, both my grandfathers were ministers. My father was a minister. Ministry is kind of the family business in a way, but I really did sense a direction from God when I was about 15 years old to to pursue full-time ministry.John Plake — There was some detail around that. Ended up going to Bible college and and then started what turned out to be about nine years of full-time pastoral service. And I hadn’t been in that for very long before I realized that everything I learned in Bible College was preparing me to serve a generation that no longer existed in a culture that was gone. John Plake — And I thought, my goodness, I know God’s word pretty well. And mean, I’m a lifelong learner of God’s word. I love the Bible. And yet, didn’t really know culture very well. And I didn’t develop those tools until just years and years of practice, some missionary service, wonderful teachers at at Wheaton College and graduate school and and just a lifelong journey of learning.John Plake — So at American Bible Society, when I got here, the State of the Bible, program or this research project was already underway. And we’d been helped out by the Barna Group, which does some wonderful foundational work. And eventually it just kind of grew up and it got to a place where we had an internal team that was running it ourselves, now in collaboration with the National Opinion Research Council or NORC at the University of Chicago. We just do, I think, what is the largest ongoing study of Americans’ relationship with the Bible and faith and the church. And we get to talk about it all the time. Rich Birch — Yeah, I love it.John Plake — So, I mean, this is the best job in the world.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. It’s it’s great research, something that I think should be on the kind of list of things that we need to be paying attention to. It’s been a gift to the church for so long and something that we should continue to to pay attention through. Now, let’s talk about you specifically. You spent three plus decades. I didn’t want to say almost 40. You know, I’m not saying that. I’m not saying that. I could say that, you know, a couple years ago, I clicked across one of those numbers with a zero on the end as my birthday. And ever since then, I’m a little sensitive about the the age thing. Rich Birch — So anyways, As a ministry, missionary professor, researcher, you’ve done a lot. How does wearing all of those hats, what do you what does that bring to you as you come to the data? How does that impact you as you think about really the state of the Bible research?John Plake — Yeah, you know, I think research can be dull. You know, it can sound like it’s all about writing questions or it’s all statistics and numbers. But for me, the research is all about the people. Rich Birch — So true.John Plake — It’s all about the people in our communities and in our churches that we’re trying to understand better so we can serve them well with the gospel. I, for years, I’ve used the analogy that that being in gospel ministry is like being a human bridge across a river. I grew up not very far from the Mississippi River in the St. Louis area, and there was a big 100-year flood when I was early on in ministry. And I mean, none of the bridges worked anymore. You couldn’t get from one side to the other.John Plake — And I thought, you know, that’s a tragedy that I encountered sometimes in ministry where maybe I was deeply rooted in one bank of the river, the text, but I wasn’t necessarily deeply rooted in the other bank of the river, which was the context.John Plake — And it’s this lived experience of the people that I was I was serving. And that I wanted to serve in my community, but I needed to understand them better. So I wasn’t just spouting you know Aristotelian logic to them. Or I wasn’t just coming at them with the pat answers that I’d learned. Like I’d never heard anybody in my life walk into my office and say, Pastor John, you got to tell me, what can you describe hamartiology to me from. You know like I had to learn that in school, but that’s not what people struggle with. Rich Birch — That’s so true. Yeah. John Plake — They had totally different questions and I needed to love them and honor them enough to understand their questions and answer them responsibly and reliably from the pages of scripture.Rich Birch — Yeah, love it. Okay, well, we’re going to dig into a little bit of just a couple of the findings just to kind of, we’re trying to whet your appetite, friends, to take steps towards this. So the 2025 data showed, and we’ve seen this, a real bump in Bible engagement, particularly among millennials and men. If I’m reading it correctly, though, we saw 2026, a shift happen, maybe back down. And so what’s going on? Actually, I heard another sociologist in a kind of a related field that was about church attendance talked about the dead cat bounce, that it was like, you know, which I thought, oh, that’s a, but there’s a similarity going on here. Pull this, this finding apart. Help us understand this.John Plake — Yeah, apologies to cat lovers out there.Rich Birch — Yes, exactly.John Plake — We were we were hoping, you know, I think we were really hoping. We looked at 2025. We saw that men in particular were leaning into the Bible in ways we hadn’t seen recently. Millennials doing the same thing. There there were some interesting numbers in 2025. And so when the 2026 numbers came to my desk in late January, I thought, I hope we’re extending I hope it’s going to be a trend. But it wasn’t. It was a blip.John Plake — And there’s more to it, though, than just the fact that scripture engagement didn’t go up. It also didn’t go down. And the level of people in America who are Bible disengaged, meaning they never pick up the Bible on purpose at all, that actually didn’t go up either. What grew was this kind of curious explorer group in the middle that we call the movable middle. And over the last two years, it’s grown by 9 million American adults. Rich Birch — Wow.John Plake — And so what we do see is there’s there’s openness to the Bible. There’s experimentation with the Bible. But people are jumping in and they’re trying it and they’re not being able to get hold of it. And I think that’s largely because of us.John Plake — Because Bible people who are around them aren’t saying, please come do this with me. Let me help you. Let me honor you enough to to respect your questions, to ask what you’re dealing with, and help you explore those issues through the pages of Scripture.Rich Birch — I love that movable middle, man, that feels like the kind of group we want to connect with and reach out to in our community. Any other, when you, when you’ve been thinking about this movable middle, what are some other kind of characteristics of those people or other things that, you know, are kind of telltale signs of this group as we’re thinking about them as it, as it pertains to Bible engagement?John Plake — Yeah, they’re an amazing group, and we’re going talking more about them all year, but they are probably my favorite subject in America. There are 74 million American adults that are in the movable middle.Rich Birch — Wow.John Plake — 74 million of our neighbors who are like…Rich Birch — Wow.John Plake — …and here’s what they tend to say: They love the Bible. They think it’s a great idea. But if you handed them a Bible, they don’t know how to find what they’re looking for. They don’t know how to navigate it. They get confused by the language in in Scripture.John Plake — I remember doing a a focus group with a bunch of people in the movable middle. I was in Chicago. it was an area I was really familiar with. I used to pastor in that area. And we got them talking about their experience with the Bible. And we said, hey, does anything ever stop you or kind of you know make you check out because you’re struggling with what’s going on? John Plake — And one young lady at the table said, yeah, you know the language of the Bible is really really hard for me to understand. It’s it’s a really old book. It uses expressions I don’t understand. And a gentleman sitting across the table from her just kind of chuckled and said, yeah, what the hell’s a mustard seed? And everybody laughed.John Plake — I was behind the glass and I just about fell out of my chair because they didn’t teach me to talk like that in a Assemblies of God seminary.Rich Birch — Yes.John Plake —Things like that, you know, that’s just not the way we roll.Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah. Yes.John Plake — But it was so authentic and he wasn’t being mean.Rich Birch — No.John Plake — He was just saying, boy, I don’t I don’t get it. And then they said, you know, we really want a guide. Rich Birch — That’s good.John Plake — And so we pushed on that a little bit. At the time, there were some clergy abuse scandals that actually there were billboards up in Chicago about clergy abuse scandals that all of us lamented. And so we’re like, OK, listen, do you trust the church to be your guide? Because ee saw these billboards, you know, and it’s your city. And so what what do you think?John Plake — And they said, well, of course we do. I mean, it’s terrible when people in the church abuse their position and abuse others. And that’s not what they’re supposed to do. But if we can’t trust the church to help us understand the Bible, what good are they, really? And so, yes, we’re looking to you, church, to help us connect more deeply with the Bible, understand what it meant to the original hearers and readers and how we apply it to our lives today.Rich Birch — Okay, that’s yeah, that’s really cool. I look forward to hearing more about the movable middle in this coming year. Another thing that jumped out to me, which I feel like, man, I’ve seen this in my church. This is like you you named a group that I see, but it’s surprising, at least it’s surprising on its face. So nearly half of weekly church attenders, weekly church attenders, which is, that’s like really engaged, you know, are not regularly engaging, engaging scripture on their own.Rich Birch — Man, what, so what should we do about that? That’s an interesting, how does, how should that impact our discipleship strategy? What are you encouraging us to be thinking about? And these people that are with us all the time, but they’re not engaged with scripture.John Plake — Well, I think the first thing to do is to just recognize it. Rich Birch — Right.John Plake — You know, a lot of pastors that I’ve talked to, when we talk about scripture engagement, they tell me things like this: Everything we do is scripture engagement. I spend my whole week preparing a scriptural message. I’m, you know, we’re preparing small group curriculum and Sunday school curriculum and all of this stuff. It’s all about the, everything we do is about the Bible. John Plake — Well, okay. But I had a I had a young youth pastor come to me not that long ago and he said, John, look, you were me once a few years ago. If you knew then what you know now, what would you do differently?John Plake — And the answer is I would do everything differently, than the way I ought to do it. Because what, in my tradition, there was a lot of emphasis on the preaching event, and I put a lot of effort into those communication events, but what I didn’t put as much effort into is empowering people in my church to do what I was doing, which was dig into scripture, understand it for themselves, giving them the tools to do that.John Plake — And then in May, we’re going to be releasing a chapter, just in a few few days now, we’re going to be releasing a chapter all about parents. And one of the startling things is the time pressure that moms are under. I mean, it’s incredible. And so we need to understand where they’re coming from and where they have barriers, but also have some compassion on them and help to support them when they’re really facing struggles. Like they don’t have enough time. They don’t have the resources or the community coming around them to help them to engage God’s word ah more fulsomely, more transformatively.John Plake — We know how to do this stuff, but we’re not connecting the dots to everybody that’s coming to hear us talk every…Rich Birch — That’s good. That’s good. I know I’ve in my seat as an XP, um you know, I’ve overseen a lot of what we do on the programming side and what we do on the weekends. And I’ve, you know, it’s like, that i don’t think I’ve ever said this publicly. It’s like the kind of behind the scenes conversation. I’ve sometimes wondered, I’ve said, you know, like, what we do on the weekend to try to make the Bible understandable is so completely different than Tuesday morning in someone’s life. Rich Birch — Like, we pull out all the stops to make it interesting. We get like world class communicators, incredible graphics, you know, emotional music, all of this to try to… But then the question is, okay, so now on Tuesday morning when you’re tired and you haven’t had your coffee yet and you’re just about to go read scripture, man, like that feels like a long ways away. There’s like a gap there that I sometimes wonder maybe we’re making it worse. You know. Maybe we’re making it harder. I said that. You didn’t say that. Rich Birch — So maybe there’s pastors that are listening here and they read this kind of report. They read this kind of finding and they’re like, hey, that’s interesting. But like, how what do I do in my church specifically? So you know we want we don’t want to just leave people with a tough stat.Rich Birch — I think we see that in our church. There’s people in our church that are here all the time. They’re not that engaged. But you’ve actually developed a new tool or ABS has developed a new tool to help us think through that. Why don’t you walk us through it? Tell us a little bit about it. How’s it work? Talk us how it can help us.John Plake — Yeah, so recently we developed two tools that kind of work together. One of them you can find on the internet at nextstep.bible. And it’s just for anybody who’s like, hey, I’m on a spiritual journey. I’m kind of stuck. I don’t really know what to do next. Maybe you’re just getting started exploring what it means to be a Christian. Maybe you’re Jesus’ little brother or sister. Wherever you are in that journey, there’s always a next step for us.John Plake — And so what we’ve done is analyzed along about a million spiritual life surveys. Rich Birch — Wow.John Plake — And from this huge quantity of data, we’ve learned that people are at different places in that journey. They’re at different points on the map. And we want to make sure that they’re equipped to have the right thing at the right time. I think currently there are 21,000 scripture engagement resources available there.Rich Birch — Wow.John Plake — They’re absolutely free. They’re in English, Spanish, and French. So go check it out, nextstep.bible.John Plake — But if you’re a pastor or you’re a church leader, you’re probably wondering, well, what’s going on in my church, right? So I see all the national data, but I think our tendency is to say, well, we’re the exception, right?Rich Birch — So true. Well, that’s not our people. John Plake — I know I know everybody else is struggling, but we’re doing okay.Rich Birch — Yes.John Plake — And and so it’s good to check our assumptions a little bit. They used to say a really sad statistic that 10 o’clock on Sunday morning was the most segregated hour in America, which makes me sad. What makes me sad also is that 12 o’clock noon in America is the most dishonest hour in America. That’s the hour when pastors tend to start greeting their people after the church service closes and they hear all these comments: oh, Pastor, that was the best sermon I’ve ever heard. And it wasn’t. It just wasn’t. All right, let’s face it.John Plake — There’s somebody out there who preaches better than you do and better than I do. They’re available on YouTube. People don’t need you to be the best Bible teacher in the world. They need you to be the best pastor for them. Rich Birch — That’s good.John Plake — And the tools that are all about focusing on their relationship with the Bible, their holistic spiritual formation, and our leadership behaviors. And so for that, we built the Next Step for Church Assessment.John Plake — It’s actually standing on the foundation or built on the engine block, if you want a different metaphor, of the old reveal research that the Willow Creek Association had come out with. It’s no longer available. And we were able to acquire all of their historical learnings, but also add in things like human flourishing and e-pastoral leadership behaviors that lead to churches really being missionally effective and strong. Excellent stuff on Bible engagement and spiritual formation. John Plake — So the the big challenge we had, I was talking with Dr. Ed Stetzer about this because he was at LifeWay Research when the Transformational Church Assessment was being built. And it was always hard because analyzing this kind of data required a lot of human intervention. It’s very expensive to do. It’s very complicated to deliver. And even a small cost can be a barrier for churches that have strained budgets. It doesn’t matter if you’re a church of, you know, 2,500 25,000 or 250. There’s always more places to put your money than there are dollars that are available to do it.John Plake — And so at American Bible Society, we said, you know what, as a gift to the church, because we love the church, we need to make it completely free. And so you can go to church.nextstep.bible and you could sign up today. Literally, we’re recording this on a on a Thursday. You could go there today and by Sunday, you could be launching your survey. Two weeks later, you’d automatically have results in your own online dashboard. You’d get key highlights emailed to you. There’s a place for custom questions. There’s just all kinds of really, really rich information.Rich Birch — So good.John Plake — And it it doesn’t take the place of the kind of learning that you have as a pastor. You learn deeply in relationship with others. You’re observing what’s going on. You have a team that’s around you. But what it does is it provides this valid, reliable sift and sort function. It’s based on well, I don’t know even know how many, well over 3000 churches, well over half a million survey responses went into building this and making it a tool that that is a good benchmark for you to say, you know what, if we want to move from where we are today to where God is calling us, here are the things we need to focus on.Rich Birch — It’s so good. And friends, I want to encourage you to to go there. Just church.nextstep.bible. I know many of us have a heart for saying, listen, we want to measure more than just nickels and noses. The number of people that show up and revenue that comes in. And this a great way to kind of inject at something that’s at the core of what we’re supposed to be doing as a church. So why don’t we just give a little bit more detail?Rich Birch — What is it? You know, what’s it actually measuring? How is it? You know, how could it be helpful? How how could it kind of dovetail with some of the things we’re already tracking? Maybe give us, you know, what kind of insights are we going to gain from this if we if we put our people through this?John Plake — Yeah, maybe it’s worthwhile to just back up and say it’s based on a congregational assessment. So really this kind of work is all about just listening to your congregation at scale. So if you have 25 people coming to church, you can probably have this conversation with them if you know how to ask the right questions. Rich Birch — Right.John Plake — You can go to the website. You’re like, what’s in the survey? There’s a button you can click. You can read the whole survey. It’s fine. We’re not going to try and surprise you with anything. But really simple stuff. How’s your relationship with Jesus? How often are you interacting with Scripture? What difference is that making in your life? We ask the standard Harvard human flourishing questions. We ask about um how the pastoral team or the senior pastor, him or herself, is doing at actually modeling Christlike leadership for you. Rich Birch — It’s so good.John Plake — And all of that reporting then gets brought into a database. It’s all anonymous. So individuals don’t, they don’t have to tell you who they are. They can’t tell you who they are other than by characteristics. And you’re going to get this really good, robust picture of what’s going on at the church. John Plake — Now, what does it take for somebody to do that? It takes about 20 minutes of their time, and time is expensive, right? People always have too much to do. So in return for that investment, at the end of their survey experience, they will have already told us everything we need to know to match them to great resources at nextstep.bible.John Plake — And with their permission, not without it, they can click a button, pass that data over to the individual nextstep.bible platform. They can create an account and right away, they’re going to be finding things like YouVersion Bible reading plans that are just for them.John Plake — If you’ve got people in your church and they’re outliers, they’re they’re way more spiritually advanced than everybody else, or they’re just getting started and everybody else is way ahead of them, these kinds of tools create bespoke pathways for them so they know what to do next. All the while, the church leadership can sit back and say, okay, here’s our results. And as a team, now what do we need to do to serve the whole congregation well?Rich Birch — I love this. You know, this is what incredible tool that you’ve put together here for our churches to wrestle through and to, you know, not only help us as a church as we’re thinking about these issues, but then help individuals in our church. What what would be some of the ways that churches might use the data that’s generated to impact what we’re doing in our programming? How how could we use this to improve what we’re doing?John Plake — Sure. There are really three things we want everybody to do. First, just discover what’s going on. Just just check your assumptions at the door and and say, okay, what do the data tell us about what’s going on in our church life and in our people’s lives? That’s the first thing.John Plake — Second thing is it’s going to surface for you the top three things that you’re doing great. And it’s going to give them to you in the report. And you need to throw a party. Like there are people who make these things happen for you. No pastor is doing this all by themselves. And so plan a party, celebrate what’s going well.John Plake — The third thing it’s going to do is it’s going to give you suggestions about, okay, here’s where your congregation is today. It won’t surprise you, but it might inform you. I’ve never seen a pastor look at the report and go, ah you guys got it wrong. Rich Birch — Sure, right.John Plake — Usually they they see the report and they go, yeah, okay, yeah, you got me.Rich Birch — Yeah. Confirmed some hunches I’ve had. Yeah. Yeah.John Plake — Right? But we don’t we don’t have time. We don’t have the resources. We don’t have the expertise to be able to sit down and and kind of scientifically walk through this process. So we do that for you. We deliver the report. And then we’re going to give you two key action items that we think churches like yours in a similar place have done that have helped move them toward spiritual health and missional effectiveness.John Plake — And that’s really what it’s all about. We want your congregation to be spiritually healthy. We want your your church as a whole to be missionally effective. And when that happens, often there’s numerical growth. Often there’s financial growth. But there’s certainly more missional impact that’s coming through your congregation and its work.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s cool. So if I’m like a church of a thousand people, let’s say, and just round number to picking out of the sky, how how what kind of percentage of my congregation would I need to take this to give me a reasonable, you know, statistical, you know, feeling good about the data for it? What what kind of number um should I be thinking about?John Plake — Well, the first thing is we’ve built in a tool that will tell you how to get to a margin of error of plus or minus 3%. Rich Birch — Love it.John Plake — And that does vary depending on the adult attendance that you have. So let’s say you’ve a thousand adults. And by adults, I mean anybody in high school or older can probably take this survey. Rich Birch — Yep.John Plake — And you can cut the data like by gender or by age. All of that live filtering is in the online platform. Rich Birch — Oh, that’s so good.John Plake — So if you’re the you’re the youth pastor and you’re like, well, wait, tell me about the young people that took the survey. You can just look right at them and compare them to the rest of the congregation, which I bet will be enlightening. But nevertheless, how many do you need if you’re a church of 1,000, it’s about 275.Rich Birch — Okay.John Plake — If it’s a smaller church than that, then you’re still going to need a pretty significant percentage. So if I roll that all the way down to a church of 100, you need 80.Rich Birch — Okay.John Plake — And if you roll that up to a church of 5,000, well, you don’t need that many more than 275.Rich Birch — Interesting.John Plake — So you’re going to report that out to you. It’s very, very doable. And, you know, I’ve pastored at large churches and I pastored a small church. And I’ll tell you, when I pastored a church of under 100, I could have gotten a census of the people, like everybody, to do a survey like this. They would have been glad to tell me these things. Rich Birch — Right.John Plake — And it’s not that I couldn’t have had a conversation one-on-one with most of the adults in the congregation. It was something different in that case. I actually didn’t know what to ask. I used to run into this when I was a campus pastor at a Christian university. And I would have young people walk into my office and I was like, I know I should be able to help them, but the challenge they’re facing is different than anything I’m familiar with. I don’t have any analog for this in my personal experience. And so this sort of takes the mystery away. We don’t ask fluffy questions. We ask research proven questions that are going to give you the information you really need so you can take action.Rich Birch — That’s amazing. That’s think this is such a great tool for people. I can see how, you know, it’d be so helpful for folks that are listening in to, you know, might be be able to plug in grab this experience for their people, help their church, help the folks that are attending. That’s, that’s incredible.Rich Birch — So, you know, you’ve picked an interesting vocation to be connected with the American Bible Society. And because, you know, this is such a critical and important part of developing people’s relationship, obviously, with Jesus; its core to all of it. And we have seen a long historical downward trend, and you’re pushing against that, which is amazing. But what gives you hope in the middle of all of that? What would it when you look at the church around you know, the country, where do you see flashes of just good things going on that are like, you know, when it comes to the relationship with scripture that even, you know, even when we see maybe the overall numbers are not as great as we want them to be, what are some kind of flashes of hope we should, that we could encourage folks with today?John Plake — Well, I’d like to maybe point to just three things that leap to mind. Rich Birch — Yep.John Plake — The first of them is I never talk to anybody in the church who says the Bible is a bad idea. Rich Birch — Sure.John Plake — Everybody likes the Bible. We’re all trying to figure out how to communicate its message better, to understand it more deeply. It’s transforming our lives, and we want to be able to share it with others. John Plake — And that’s great because, number two, there’s nothing that makes a bigger difference in somebody’s spiritual life than their relationship with the Bible. I mean, absolutely nothing. And I’m saying this as a researcher. I’ve tested it. I can’t find anything that makes a bigger difference. John Plake — In fact, when we looked at Christian college and university students, 60% of their overall spiritual health across lots of domains—beliefs, practice, putting faith into action, loving God, loving others, all these things, 60% of the variance in their spiritual health is solely accounted for by their relationship with the Bible.John Plake — So if we can help people have a dynamic relationship with scripture, we win. That’s all there is to it. It’s just that simple. And so that is really encouraging.John Plake — And then the third thing, ah the third thing is how I say this nicely? I'm I’m from Gen X and so to my Baby Boomer friends, I’m sorry, but you guys don’t have the influence that you once did.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s true.John Plake — And that’s a good thing because there’s new openness among Millennials, and Gen Z and even younger Gen X um that we just don’t see among Baby Boomers. It’s like Baby Boomers made up their minds in the 60s and early 70s and said, this is what I believe and I’m not changing. And they haven’t. John Plake — That’s not to say that someone who’s a Baby Boomer can’t have a a spiritual experience and transformational experience. It does happen. But on the population level, like when we looked at the Bay Area of San Francisco, if you look at the scripture engagement, church engagement, love God, love others data in the Bay Area, it looks like what you’d expect, until you strip out the Baby Boomers. And then suddenly it looks better than every place else in America.John Plake — You’re like, what’s going on? Well, looks like all the unreconstructed hippies that moved to the Bay Area are actually holding a lid on the population numbers. And when you remove that and you go, oh, wait a minute, let me look under the headline and say what’s happening. There’s more going on than is easy to see. And I think this happens in big national trends.John Plake — Oh, is Scripture engagement up or down? Is you know church attendance up or down? Whats what’s going… big national trends. Yeah, okay, those are helpful, and we want those to change. But what’s changing first is below the fold. Things in Gen Z, things among Millennials, things in young men, those things are starting to change, and I think those are the first glimmerings that God is at work in a new way in America, and I can’t wait to see it.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s that’s a great word. And that lines up with what we’re seeing, even just experientially talking to churches across the country. You know we’re so we’re seeing there is something going on with younger generations, which is great to see. I was I was born in 1974, the lowest birth rate year of the 20th century. I am classic Gen X. Like you know I am like statistic I’m the statistical average Gen X and has spent a lot of my time trying to hand stuff from the Boomers to the Millennials. And, yeah, there’s lots of encouraging news there, particularly with the younger generations. Rich Birch — I also want to speak to on the the work I’ve done in the church growth stuff that I’ve done and coaching I’ve done with churches, one of the things that’s just undeniable is churches that have a high view of scripture, that is, they’re trying to get people engaged with scripture. They they talk about it like it’s actually true. How do we say don’t know what’s the best way to talk about that? Those are the churches that are prevailing, and that actually works out statistically. You see that time and again. Talk to us about that dynamic, which is kind of co-related to the things we’re talking about today. From your perspective in the stats and all that, how how have you seen that work out as you’ve looked at churches across the country?John Plake — Yeah, I think you’re exactly right. The churches that are the healthiest in America, that are growing, that where where people are spiritually healthy, have a really dynamic relationship with Scripture. And it kind of it cuts across tradition. Rich Birch — Yep.John Plake — There are some traditional things going on. I was listening to Justin Brierley and his surprising Rebirth of Belief in God podcast, and it was from last season, and he he had someone on, he was interviewing, and what she was saying was there are the parts of the church that seem to be thriving are kind of the, the the older, the ancientness traditions, whether it’s Catholic or Orthodox, that what she called somewhat irreverently, the smells and bells side of of the church.Rich Birch — Sure, sure.John Plake — And on the other side, kind of my end of the swimming pool, I’m, from the Assemblies of God, so the Pentecostal and Charismatic side. And she said, what’s going on is that both ends of that spectrum are totalizing. John Plake — They’re saying, you know what, the the Bible places certain expectations and demands on people. Christ places certain expectations and demands on people. And these parts of the church aren’t sort of shy about talking about that from a biblical perspective. She said, what’s what’s dying is that part in the middle where we’ve reduced church to a PowerPoint and you know an Excel spreadsheet. And she said, that part of the church seems to be dying and no one’s coming to the funeral. Rich Birch — That’s good. John Plake — And I thought, you know okay, right?Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, that’s good.John Plake — So if we revitalize our relationship with God through scripture, there’s a next step for every church. It doesn’t matter what, you know whether you’re mainline or evangelical or, you know, Pentecostal or Orthodox or whatever it is, but but reviving our relationship with God through Scripture is really where it’s at.Rich Birch — That’s so good. i Yeah, I call that middle group the just because it rhymes doesn’t mean it’s true group. You know, like the, you know, were just like, it’s all my thoughts. No one wants to come and find us. They want to find God ultimately. Well, I don’t want to pick any fights with anybody that’s listening in, but I really appreciate today’s conversation, John. This has been great. So we want to send people to church.nextstep.bible.Rich Birch — The the promise of in two weeks, your church could have a comprehensive report on spiritual health, on where your church is, spiritual health is at, that’s a huge promise. And so again, this is go to church.nextstep.bible. Any kind of final words as we wrap up today’s episode?John Plake — You know, you might be familiar with Cally Parkinson. Cally was the co-author of all of the Reveal books, every single one of them. She was head of communications for the Willow Creek Association when they were running this. She’s probably had more conversations with pastors and church leaders about survey results like this than anybody I know, maybe than anybody alive. And Cally likes this so much. She said, John, I want to have a personal consultation with the first hundred churches that go through this.John Plake — And so if you want to be in that group, she’s going to offer to spend an hour with you and just walk through your results and help explain it. There are videos throughout the platform that will explain it as well. And you can’t beat talking to Cally. She loves pastors. She says you’re the salt of the earth. And she just really wants to serve you because the work that you do to save people is just so valuable to her. So anyway, just wanted to offer that. And I know you’d probably love to meet Cally.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s fantastic. Well, appreciate you being here today. Thanks for the great work you do at the American Bible Society. John, appreciate you being on today. Thank you.John Plake — Thank you.

Why are so many Gen Z students turning to tarot cards, crystals, mindfulness, and alternative spirituality while walking away from the church? In this thought-provoking conversation, Mark Matlock, Executive Director of Urbana and Senior Fellow at Barna Group, unpacks what younger generations are really searching for and why many are asking not just “Is Christianity true?” but also “Is it beautiful?” From global missions trends to the church's discipleship crisis, this episode explores the spiritual hunger shaping Gen Z, the future of missions mobilization, and what it will take for Christians to authentically reflect the transforming beauty of Jesus in a skeptical culture.Mark Matlock joins Ted Esler and Matthew Ellison on the Mission Matters Podcast to discuss Gen Z, discipleship, and the future of global missions through the lens of decades of ministry experience and research. The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

https://youtu.be/k_iB97pDFGA https://www.uncommen.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/June-5th.mp3   There is a silent but devastating crisis actively destroying men from the inside out, and it has absolutely nothing to do with external circumstances. It has nothing to do with a bad economy, a failed business, an unexpected diagnosis, or a job that evaporated overnight. The crisis is happening inside the chest of men who did everything right — who worked hard, sacrificed, prayed, and planned — and still watched it fall apart. We hear the same exhausted, confused sentiment from men all over the country: "I did everything right, Lord. Where are you in this?" They built a plan. They believed in the plan. And then the plan got wrecked. What follows that wreckage — the bitterness, the identity collapse, the spiritual paralysis — is where the real damage is done. Letting go of control and trusting God is the most counterintuitive thing a driven man will ever be asked to do. The modern definition of success has completely sold men on the idea that the right plan plus the right effort equals the right outcome. We have been handed a transactional faith — pray, work, sacrifice, and God owes you the life you drew up. But that is not the deal. Proverbs 16:9 cuts through that illusion with brutal clarity: "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." That verse is not a comfort card. It is a direct challenge to every man who has mistaken his roadmap for God's will. This article is about what letting go of control and trusting God actually looks like in the middle of the wreckage — not on the other side of it. Quick Answers What does letting go of control and trusting God mean for men? Letting go of control and trusting God means releasing your grip on outcomes you were never designed to manage and actively choosing faith over the illusion of control. It does not mean abandoning planning or effort. It means holding your plans loosely enough that when God redirects, you move rather than dig in. It is an act of aggressive, daily surrender — not passive resignation. How do you trust God when your plans fall apart? You start by separating your identity from your circumstances. A failed plan is not a failed man, and a closed door is not God's rejection of you — it is often His protection of you. Practically, trusting God in uncertainty means staying in Scripture, staying connected to your church, and taking the one next step He is showing you rather than demanding the full blueprint before you move. The Identity Crash: When Your Plan Becomes Who You Are Men do not just build plans. They build their identity into those plans. The business was not just a business — it was proof of competence, proof of provision, proof of worth. The job title was not just a paycheck — it was the answer to the question "Who are you?" So when the plan collapses, it does not feel like a setback. It feels like a death. And that is exactly where the enemy wants to keep you — convinced that a failed plan means a failed man. Letting go of control and trusting God begins with a brutal, necessary truth: you were never the one in control. You believed you were. The calendar, the five-year plan, the savings account — all of it created the comfortable illusion that you were piloting this thing. But God establishes your steps, not your spreadsheet. The illusion of control is not a harmless personality trait. It is a form of functional idolatry, and when the plan fails, that idol gets exposed. The crash is not God punishing you. The crash is God removing a false foundation so He can build something that will actually hold. Look at Joseph. He had a dream — God-given, not self-generated — and instead of a straight line to the throne, he got a pit, a slave market, and a prison cell. None of that was his plan. All of it was God's sovereign plan. The same thread runs through Moses, through Paul, through every man in Scripture who was used significantly by God. The path went through suffering and disorientation before it arrived at purpose. That pattern is not a bug in the system. It is the design. The Bitterness Trap: Processing Disappointment Without Poisoning Your Soul Disappointment is not the problem. Unprocessed disappointment becomes the problem. When a man grips a failed plan long enough — refusing to release it, rehearsing what should have been, nursing the wound — it calcifies into bitterness. And bitterness is one of the most spiritually devastating forces in a man's life because it is almost entirely invisible until it has already done catastrophic damage. You are not angry, you tell yourself. You are just realistic. You are just protecting yourself from more of the same. Letting go of control and trusting God requires you to actually feel the loss. Not perform gratitude over it. Not spiritually bypass it with a verse and a smile. Acknowledge it directly: "This hurt. This was not what I wanted. I am disappointed." That is honest, and God can work with honest. What He cannot easily reach is the man who has quietly decided that God let him down and built a wall around that conviction, because that wall does not just keep out pain — it keeps out everything. Every future move God tries to make runs directly into that wall. The Psalms are full of this kind of raw, unfiltered prayer. David did not politely thank God while running for his life from Saul. He poured it out. He asked the hard questions. He let the grief be real. And then — not immediately, but eventually — he came back to "Nevertheless, You are God, and I trust You." That is the model. Trusting God in uncertainty does not mean pretending the uncertainty does not hurt. It means walking through the hurt without letting it become the final verdict on God's character or yours. Control Versus Surrender: Who Is Actually Driving There are two postures a man can take when his plans get wrecked. The first is to white-knuckle it — rework the plan, adjust the variables, push harder, sleep less, and refuse to release the steering wheel. This is incredibly common among high-functioning men who have conditioned themselves to believe that the right response to any setback is more effort, more control, more planning. The second posture is surrender — not the passive, give-up-and-quit kind, but the deliberate, costly decision to hand the wheel to God and trust that He actually knows where you are going. Letting go of control and trusting God is not the same as letting go of effort or responsibility. You still work. You still plan. But you hold the plan loosely — in pencil, not in stone. The distinction is entirely internal. It is the difference between a man who prays "Lord, bless my plan" and a man who prays "Lord, what is Your plan?" One of those prayers is asking God to rubber-stamp what you already decided. The other is genuinely open to a different answer. God's sovereign plan and your preferred plan are often two completely different routes to the same destination — and His route will take you through terrain you never would have chosen, but absolutely needed. David modeled this repeatedly. When he was on the run, outmanned, and making military decisions that could get people killed, he constantly asked God whether to advance against an enemy. He did not assume. He did not execute his tactical plan and ask God to cover it after the fact. He sought direction at every step. That kind of trusting God in uncertainty is not weakness. It is the most masculine form of wisdom available to you. Sovereign Redirection: Closed Doors Are Not Punishments The hardest part of letting go of control and trusting God is accepting that a closed door can be an act of protection. When you are standing in front of a door that just got slammed in your face, it does not feel protective. It feels devastating. It feels like rejection. It feels, in the worst moments, like God simply does not care. But the closed door between you and the wrong outcome is one of the most merciful things God can do for a man. Consider what a hurricane wrecked in a family's life and what it ultimately built. Displacement. Evacuation. A year and a half in a city that never felt like home. A long road back to something that looked nothing like the original plan. And at the end of that road: new community, new purpose, new work that would not have existed without the forced detour. That is God's sovereign plan in action — not a comfortable cruise toward a preset destination, but a radical redirection that could not have happened any other way. You would not have chosen the path. You would have argued with it. But you cannot see the whole route. That is the point. Jonah is the most clarifying picture of what happens when a man tries to outrun God's sovereign plan. He did not like his assignment and ran from it. God redirected him anyway. The destination did not change. Only the amount of misery Jonah accumulated on the way there. That is still one of the truest portraits in Scripture of what resistance to God's redirection actually costs — and why letting go of control and trusting God, painful as it is, is always the better path. Trusting God in Uncertainty: The Discipline That Holds You You cannot hear God's voice in a crisis if you have not been building the habit of listening before the crisis. This is the thing most men miss. They want divine clarity in the moment of maximum pressure, but they have not been cultivating a relationship with God in the quiet moments that makes that kind of directional trust possible. Trusting God in uncertainty is not a crisis skill — it is a daily discipline that either exists before the storm or does not exist at all. That means the Word, consistently. Prayer that is honest, not performative. Accountability with other men who will tell you the truth when your bitterness is showing. Research from the Barna Group consistently shows that men engaged in

https://youtu.be/Qd6qplgMVdU https://www.uncommen.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/May-29th.mp3 The Devastating Cost of Staying Out of the Way There is a silent but devastating epidemic crippling the modern Christian home, and it has absolutely nothing to do with being a bad provider or a bad person. The crisis is happening inside our own families, dressed in the most comfortable, socially acceptable clothing available. It sounds exactly like this: “I just let my wife manage the schedule because she's better at it anyway, and it creates less conflict.” Men repeat this line like a badge of wisdom, like a strategy, like the peace they think they are building. But that sentiment is not wisdom. It is a devastating retreat from the very post God called you to guard — and your family is paying the price for your absence every single day. The modern definition of keeping the peace has tricked men into completely abandoning biblical leadership in the home. We have been sold a massive lie that staying out of the way is a form of grace toward our wives and families. For generations, men have mistakenly assumed that biblical leadership in the home was reserved for intense spiritual giants — the guys who pray for an hour before sunrise and have every theological answer ready on demand. But biblical leadership in the home is not a personality type; it is a command, and it belongs to every man sitting on a couch while his family drifts without direction. The cost of outsourcing this responsibility is not just inconvenient. It is spiritually catastrophic. The Adam Problem: Passivity Is Not Neutral Most men think of passivity as the absence of a problem. If you are not yelling, not absent, not addicted to something destructive, you have cleared the bar. This is the Adam Problem, and it is as old as the first chapter of the human story. When the serpent approached Eve in the garden, Adam was right there — physically present and spiritually absent. He let the enemy speak without challenge, let the fruit get picked without intervention, and then had the audacity to blame the woman God gave him for the entire catastrophe. Biblical leadership in the home was the first thing men abandoned in human history, and we have been repeating that exact pattern ever since. Passive leadership is not neutral territory. Passive leadership is still leadership — it just works entirely for the wrong team. When a passive husband refuses to initiate the spiritual direction of his family, someone else fills that vacuum immediately. The culture fills it. The screens fill it. The school system, the friend group, the social media algorithm fill it. Biblical leadership in the home does not operate in a vacuum; it operates under constant pressure from forces that are absolutely hostile to the faith you are trying to build. Every time you “stay out of the way,” you are making a leadership decision. You are making it by default instead of by design, and the enemy could not be more grateful for your cooperation. Peacekeeping Versus Peacemaking: The Cold War at Your Kitchen Table There is a fundamental, critical difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking, and a staggering number of passive husbands have confused the two completely. Peacekeeping is conflict avoidance dressed up as gentleness. It looks like a man who lets his wife carry the full weight of the family schedule because confronting the chaos feels worse than ignoring it. It looks like a man who goes quiet during an argument because checked out is easier than engaged. Peacekeeping creates a shallow, exhausting Cold War climate in your marriage — the kind where everything appears fine from the outside, but where both people know something critical is fundamentally missing. Biblical leadership in the home is not peacekeeping. It is peacemaking. Peacemaking is far more costly than peacekeeping. In Matthew 5:9, Jesus says: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9, ESV) The Greek word used here — eirēnopoios — means one who actively creates peace, not one who passively avoids conflict. Biblical leadership in the home is the work of a peacemaker: a man who walks directly into the hard conversation, the messy logistical disaster, the spiritually drifting household, and brings the full weight of his calling to bear on the problem. A passive husband keeps the peace by retreating. A man committed to biblical leadership in the home makes the peace by stepping in, owning the moment, and working toward genuine unity — not just the absence of noise. The Cold War comparison is not an exaggeration. When a man consistently avoids leading, his wife does not feel loved by his deference; she feels alone in it. She adapts by handling everything herself because someone has to. He retreats further because she seems to have it covered. Over time, the marriage develops a functional distance that has nothing to do with love and everything to do with leadership failure. Biblical leadership in the home does not just affect your spiritual life. It shapes the entire emotional climate of your household, and your silence is one of the loudest statements you make every single week. The Numbers 32:6 Indictment: Why Are You Sitting There? The Bible has absolutely no patience for men who stay on the sideline while others carry the battle. In Numbers 32:6, Moses delivers a direct, brutal rebuke to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who wanted to settle comfortably on the east side of the Jordan rather than cross into the fight: “Shall your brothers go to the war while you sit here?” (Numbers 32:6, ESV) This is not a gentle pastoral suggestion. This is a public indictment of men who found a comfortable situation and decided that the battle belongs to someone else. The spiritual application is devastating in its accuracy. Every passive husband sitting in a home where his wife is fighting the spiritual battle alone is sitting in the exact same chair as Reuben and Gad. Your brothers are going to war. The fight for your children's faith is happening right now, inside your own living room, and biblical leadership in the home demands you pick up and step into it. Not dominate. Not micromanage. But lead. The verse does not ask whether you are a good provider, a conflict-avoidant man, or a genuinely well-meaning husband. It asks one devastating question: Why are you sitting there while the battle rages around you? Biblical leadership in the home does not require perfection. It requires presence — the kind of engaged, intentional, willing-to-be-uncomfortable presence that most passive husbands have been systematically outsourcing for years. What Biblical Leadership in the Home Actually Looks Like Here is what biblical leadership in the home is not: it is not the loudest voice in the room, the man who controls every decision, or the theological expert who delivers a sermon at the dinner table every night. Those are caricatures, and they are the exact caricatures that passive husbands use to justify their retreat. “I'm not that kind of guy,” they say — as if the only two options are domineering tyrant or quiet bystander. Spiritual leadership for men looks nothing like either extreme. Biblical leadership in the home looks like a man who notices the spiritual temperature of his household and takes responsibility for it. It looks like praying out loud with your wife before bed — not because you have the perfect words, but because you refuse to let that moment go unclaimed. It looks like driving the family devotional even when you feel completely unqualified, because your kids do not need a theologian at the head of the table; they need a father who takes their faith seriously enough to show up for it. It looks like sitting down with your wife and presenting a thoughtful game plan for a major family decision instead of waiting for her to solve it alone. Spiritual leadership for men is fundamentally relational and practical, not performative. The Barna Group has documented consistently that men who actively step into the spiritual leadership of their homes raise children dramatically more likely to maintain their faith into adulthood. (Barna Group Research on Family and Faith) Biblical leadership in the home has generational consequences that ripple far beyond the week you decide to start. The man who steps into this calling today is not just changing his marriage. He is redirecting the trajectory of his entire family for decades. Blind Spots: Why Good Men Stay Passive Most passive husbands are not cruel men. They are not men who have consciously decided not to lead. They are men who have developed powerful, deeply ingrained blind spots that make their retreat feel reasonable — even noble. Understanding these blind spots is a critical component of reclaiming spiritual leadership for men who genuinely want to change. The first blind spot is the competency myth: “She is better at this than I am.” This statement is almost always true on a functional level and completely irrelevant on a leadership level. Biblical leadership in the home is not about being the most competent person in the household. Your wife may be a better organizer, a more emotionally intelligent parent, and a more consistent prayer warrior. None of that eliminates your responsibility to lead. A man who truly grasps biblical leadership in the home invites his wife's strengths into the process rather than using them as an excuse to opt out permanently. The second blind spot is the conflict avoidance trap. Men who grew up in explosive households are often so committed to not repeating that environment that they swing entirely to the opposite extreme. The silence feels like safety. But biblical leadership in the home requires you to make a fundamental distinction: there is a massive difference between a man who avoids creating unnecessary conflict and a man who avoids every uncomfortable moment....

This Easter—2026—multiple Catholic parishes across the nation saw a surge in adult baptisms and new converts entering the church. Some dioceses reported all-time records for people becoming Catholic at Easter. This trend parallels a broader trend of renewed interest in religion, especially with young people. Protestant and nondenominational churches have also had an influx of younger converts. According to a study from Barna Group, which tracks data on faith in U.S. culture, younger adults—Gen Z and Millennials—have become the most regular churchgoers, outpacing older generations.  While some are calling this a religious revival, the reality is that attracting young people to church doesn't necessarily, automatically translate into offering them a reason to stay for the long term. If young people are showing up for church because they are looking for something—are they finding what it was they were looking for? On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talked to three guests from different backgrounds and Christian affiliations about what young people want from the church. Catalina Morales Bahena is Director of Learning at Faith in Action; Drew Stever is a chaplain, spiritual director, and ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and Baird Linke is an activist who currently serves as pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Bonner, Montana. They are some of the contributors to a new book, Hungry for Hope: Letters to the Church from Young Adults (Edited by Jeremy Paul Myers and Kristina Frugé, and published by Eerdmans).  Learn more about this topic in these links.   Hungry for Hope: Letters to the Church from Young Adults  New Barna Data: Young Adults Lead a Resurgence in Church Attendance Rise in Young Men's Religiosity Realigns Gender Gaps Religion Holds Steady in America "Young people are seeking connection. Can the church respond?" A U.S. Catholic interview "What young Catholic peacemakers want from the church," by John Noble "Younger Catholics are seeking new models of sainthood," by Rhina Guidos "Church revival? New numbers don't show whole picture, experts say," by Brian Fraga  

Mike and Trey take a look at some Barna Group research and Gallup Poll finding to explore why young men are more lonely today than before. But there is good news...

Gen Z is more connected than any generation in history, yet also more isolated, anxious, and uncertain about their identity and purpose. In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Dr. Stephanie Shackelford, senior fellow at the Barna Group and author of You on Purpose, to explore the findings from Barna's latest research on Gen Z mental health. While anxiety and depression are on the rise, this conversation goes deeper. What if the core issue is not just mental health, but a lack of purpose, connection, and grounded identity? Drawing from extensive research and expert interviews, Stephanie shares six key themes that offer a path forward for families and schools: Creating tech-free spaces to reduce anxiety and restore focus Supporting parents as a critical foundation for student wellbeing Rebuilding real, in-person relationships and community Helping students reframe struggles with resilience and hope Returning to faith practices that ground identity and purpose Cultivating a sense of responsibility and calling beyond self

Six years removed from COVID, the data tells a more nuanced story than most headlines. In this episode of The Mobilized Church Podcast, we look at insights from Pew Research Center, Gallup, Barna Group, and Lifeway Research to understand where the Church and mission field really stand today.Yes, decline may be slowing, but stabilization is not transformation. Spiritual openness is still there, especially among younger generations, but it's often unformed and fragmented. At the same time, rising anxiety and renewed interest in faith point to a deep hunger that has yet to become real discipleship.This episode challenges the Church to look beyond attendance and ask the deeper question: are we actually forming disciple-makers?

Seth discusses the challenges of reaching Gen Z, with data from the Barna Group revealing a lukewarm affirmation of revival among young adults. Seth also delves into the role of institutions and the importance of building a moral culture that values truth, evidence, and logic. Seth also delves into the role of institutions and the importance of building a moral culture that values truth, evidence, and logic. A listener call-in question on a quote from President George Washington. We're joined by John Dombroski, founder and president of Grand Canyon Planning Associates. A quote from Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk on the mortal danger of dehumanizing someone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is a spiritual resurgence really happening or are we just seeing isolated moments?In this episode of the Cause+Effect Podcast, Trent Dunham sits down with David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, to talk about what Barna's latest research is revealing about faith, church attendance, and spiritual openness in America.David shares why younger generations, especially Gen Z, may be showing more openness to Jesus than many leaders expected, why that openness does not always translate into comfort with traditional church structures, and what it means for ministries trying to reach the next generation. Together, Trent and David unpack the opportunities and challenges facing church leaders today, from discipleship and mentorship to intergenerational ministry and creating environments where people can truly be known.This conversation is both encouraging and clarifying for leaders asking a critical question: is the Church prepared for what may be coming next?Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:06 Live from the Dunham+Company Summit02:52 Is a spiritual resurgence happening?08:42 Gen Z, Jesus, and the future church12:07 Is the church ready for this moment?19:10 Why mentorship and healthy leadership matter26:29 The church's opportunity with the next generation33:55 Outro

This episode of The Alex McFarland Show was recorded live at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville. Alex McFarland sits down with Matt Markins, President and CEO of Awana, a global leader in child discipleship.As a leading voice in children's ministry and discipleship research, Matt has commissioned eight major research projects since 2013, including the Barna Group study Children's Ministry in a New Reality. He is also the co-founder of the Child Discipleship Forum and the D6 Conference.Together, Alex and Matt discuss how parents and church leaders can effectively reach and disciple children with the Gospel of Christ—both in today's culture and around the world. This conversation offers practical insight, encouragement, and a renewed vision for raising the next generation in faith.Scriptures:Proverbs 221 Peter 3:15Links:Alex McFarlandAsk AlexMy Relationship with God Free e-bookBook: The Assault on AmericaThe Cove - July 17-19 & 27-31Equip Retreat Camps United in Prayer DevotionalsBook: 100 Bible Questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times Speaking CalendarBook AlexFollow Alex on  XGive OnlineAlex McFarland MinistriesP.O. Box 485Pleasant Garden, NC 273131-877-937-4631 (1-877-YES-GOD1)Guest Info:Awana WebsiteChild Discipleship ForumChild Discipleship WebsiteKeywords/Hashtags:#podcast #pfcaudiovideo #thealexmcfarlandshow #alexmcfarland #podcastcommunity #Bible #author #apologist #speaker #christians #wordofGod #apologetics #religion #prayer #truth #scriptures #alexmcfarlandministries #mattmarkins #awana #trainupachild #childdisciples #reachingkidswiththegospelSend us Fan Mail

Rád by som vám predstavil fakty, ktoré odhalil výskumorganizácie Barna Group medzi duchovnými v posledných rokoch v USA. Rozoberieme detailnejšie prečo zanedbávame sami seba a samozrejme: pozrieme sa na konkrétne spôsoby ako si zabezpečiť zdroje pre duševné zdravie a životnýštýl odpočinku aj v duchovnej službe na plný úväzok.Seminár je určený nie len pre duchovných, ale aj im blízkychľudí, ktorí sa ich snažia podporovať.Podklady k semináru nájdete tu: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vfYU_rDYMquNA0YUGpKbNuaUA8vcmRqI?usp=sharing

It's Wednesday, April 8th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Hindu nationalists attacked two pastors in India Hindu nationalists attacked two pastors in India last week ahead of Resurrection Sunday. The pastors were distributing Christian literature in a village in Karnataka State. The Hindu nationalists verbally abused the pastors before physically assaulting them and taking their literature.  One of the pastors, aged 60, required emergency medical care after the attack. He told International Christian Concern, “We would have been killed if police had not intervened in time. The police eventually arrived at the scene, rescued us, and took us to the hospital for treatment.” India's new census In other India-related news, the country began the world's largest census last week. The year-long census will collect information from the country's 1.4 billion citizens. India conducted its last census back in 2011. Since then, the country surpassed China as the world's most populated nation.  For the first time in decades, India's census will ask people what caste they belong to. The census already includes questions about religion. Religious freedom groups warn the government could use these data points to discriminate against religious minorities like Christians.  55% of Russians do not attend church The Russian research organization Levada Centre published a new survey on church attendance in the country.  A record 55% of respondents said they do not attend religious services. That's up 11 percentage points since last year.  The lack of church attendance was particularly common among men, young people, and students. Only 16% of respondents said they attend services at least once a month.  Trump announced 2-week suspension of Iran attack At 5:32pm ET on April 7th, President Donald Trump shared a major update on Truth Social about the war with Iran. He wrote, “Based on conversations with [Pakistani] Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and [Pakistani] Field Marshal Asim Munir and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. “This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE!  The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive agreement concerning long-term PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East.” President Trump concluded with these words. “On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the countries of the Middle East, it is an honor to have this long-term problem close to resolution.” Vice President Vance: “Very shortly, this war is going to conclude” Vice President J.D. Vance, who was meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Hungary, said the war in Iran is coming to an end soon, reports Real Clear Politics. Listen. VANCE: “First of all, the United States has largely accomplished its military objectives. There are still some things that we'd like to do, for example, on Iranian ability to manufacture weapons that we'd like to do a little bit more work on militarily. But fundamentally, the military objectives of the United States have been completed. “So, that means, as the President has said, very shortly, this war is going to conclude. And I think the nature of the conclusion is ultimately up to the Iranians. “I think there really are two pathways. I'm oversimplifying this a little bit, but I think pathway one is where the Iranians decide they're going to be a normal country. They're not going to fund terrorism anymore. They're going to be part of the world system of commerce and exchange, and that's going to mean much better things for them economically. It's going to mean better things for the peace and safety of the world. That's option A. Okay? “Option B is that the Iranians don't come to [the] table and they stay committed to terrorism, to terrorizing their neighbors, not just Israel, but of course, their Arab neighbors too. Then, the economic situation in Iran is going to continue to be very, very bad, and frankly, it will probably get worse.” California dropped prosecution of undercover pro-life videographer In the United States, California finally dropped its prosecution of pro-lifer David Daleiden. The undercover journalist is the president and founder of The Center for Medical Progress. In 2015, the group exposed Planned Parenthood's illegal sale of baby body parts.  Daleiden faced years of legal battles since then. He posted a statement on X last week, saying, “As promised, the final charge has been DISMISSED and the case completely expunged.” Court: California must pay $4.5 million over gender confusion case In other Golden State news, California must pay $4.5 million in a case involving its promotion of gender confusion in public schools. The state passed a law in 2024 that prohibited schools from informing parents if their child identified with a sexually perverted lifestyle.  On Monday, a U.S. District Court ruled in favor of teachers and parents who challenged the law. Peter Breen with the Thomas More Society commented on the victory. He said, “California threw everything it had at this case. It lost at summary judgment, lost at the Supreme Court, and now Californians will foot the bill for their government officials' refusal to respect the fundamental rights of families.” Isaiah 10:1 says, “Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed.” 29% of Americans believe revival will happen within the year A new survey from the Barna Group found a growing share of Americans believe a spiritual revival is coming. Twenty-nine percent of U.S. adults believe a revival is likely to happen in the next 12 months. That number rose to 38 percent among Gen Z, those between the ages of 14 and 29.  Top reasons respondents gave for why a revival might happen included prayer, younger generations turning to God, and the search for meaning and purpose.  David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna, said, “The research doesn't predict a revival. … Yet, it reveals something worth paying attention to: a large number of Americans believe one is possible—and for younger adults especially, that belief is being forged in some of the most difficult circumstances of their lives.” Trump called Christ's resurrection “the most glorious miracle in all of time!” And finally, President Donald Trump delivered a message to Christians around the world over Easter weekend. In fact, he quoted John 3:16 in his message. TRUMP: “This Holy Week, I'm proud to join with Christians across the country, and around the world, to celebrate the most glorious miracle in all of time: the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. “In His life, Christ displayed true humility. In His death, He modeled true love. And in His resurrection from the tomb, He proved that even death itself will not silence those who place their trust in Almighty God. As it says in Gospel of John, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, April 8th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

It's Thursday, April 2nd, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Nepalese Hindus dragged 3 Christians to police station for evangelism Three Christians in Nepal, the country north of India, are facing persecution for simply sharing the Gospel last week. A group of Hindus dragged the Christians to a police station in response to their evangelism. It is illegal to convert someone to another religion in the country. And Hindus increasingly target Christians who share their faith.  One local believer told International Christian Concern, “In spite of the absence of any substantiated evidence, the police ordered an investigation. These actions make life difficult for these poor Christians.” Presidential elections in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil Millions of Latin Americans will vote in presidential elections this year in countries like Peru, Colombia, and Brazil.  A survey from Pew Research found most adults in these countries see a role for religion in key aspects of public life. Protestants are a growing minority in Latin America. They express the strongest support for Christianity's influence on their country's leadership. Even a sizable minority of the religiously unaffiliated in the region said the Bible should influence their country's laws.  Wisdom says in Proverbs 8:15, “By me, kings reign, and rulers decree justice.” Supreme Court: Christian therapists allowed to help “homosexual” kids On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court struck down Colorado's ban on so-called “conversion therapy” The court ruled 8-1 that the ban violated the First Amendment rights of Christian therapist Kaley Chiles. Colorado passed the Minor Conversion Therapy Law in 2019. The measure prohibited therapists from using faith-based counseling to help kids who no longer want to identify with sexually perverted lifestyles.  Listen to comments from Kaley in an interview with Fox News. CHILES: “I am elated by the ruling, and I am very excited for the kids and their families, who have been simply seeking options in counseling, and now will get to do so. “I also hope this ruling emboldens counselors because we will either do justice to our clients or we will let the government silence us into pretending that there is medical consensus on this issue.” Kansas prohibits cities from forcing pro-life centers to promote abortion The state of Kansas enacted a law to protect pro-life pregnancy centers last Friday.  The Pregnancy Center Autonomy and Rights of Expression Act forbids state and local governments from forcing pregnancy centers to promote or participate in abortions.   While Democrat Governor Laura Kelly initially vetoed the measure, the state's legislature thankfully voted to override the veto -- within hours.  To their credit, the Republican-controlled House voted 87-35 and the Republican-controlled Senate voted 30-9 to override the pro-abortion governor. More Americans struggling economically A new survey from Gallup found that 49% of U.S. workers report they are struggling in their lives compared to 46% who report they are thriving.  Between 2009 and 2019, nearly 60% of Americans said they were thriving. Most U.S. workers say it is a bad time to find a quality job. This was especially true for workers with a college degree or above.  A majority of workers also said they were actively looking for a new job. This was especially true of younger generations.  Barna: 40% of Protestant pastors see higher engagement from Gen Z A new survey from the Barna Group found that younger generations are becoming more engaged with their church. The study asked over 500 Protestant senior pastors about church engagement over the last year. Over 40 percent of pastors reported higher engagement from Generation Z who are 14 to 29, and Millennials, who are 30 to 45.  A similar number reported higher engagement from young men.  The study noted, “The story of the next generation and the church is still unfolding. But according to pastors across the country, signs of new engagement are beginning to appear.” Samuel Morse, Christian inventor of Morse Code, died on this date And finally, today is the anniversary of the death of Samuel Morse.  Does that last name ring a bell? The American inventor died on April 2, 1872. Before becoming an inventor, Morse was known as a painter, even gaining admittance to the British Royal Academy of Arts.  Later in life, he would make key contributions to the design and deployment of the telegraph system. He also co-developed the code that bears his name. Morse code would become the primary language for telegraphy and is still used to this day.  Notably, Morse was a devout Christian who gave glory to God for his inventions. Psalm 115:1 says, “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for the sake of Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness!”  Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, April 2nd, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami sits down with Dr. Stephanie Shackelford, a Senior Fellow at Barna Group, to talk about the power of relationships, purpose, and tech-free spaces for improving kids' mental health. Dr. Shackelford shares insights from her recent Barna report, Gen Z, Mental Health and Wellbeing.   Dr. Shackelford discusses the six themes identified in her research for supporting Gen Z mental health, including the critical need for tech-free spaces and consistent rhythms for connection. She explains that the youth mental health crisis, marked by skyrocketing anxiety and depression, correlates with the rise of smartphone availability between 2010 and 2015. Throughout the conversation, she offers practical advice for parents on setting boundaries, such as removing phones from bedrooms and dinner tables, and modeling healthy technology use.   This conversation eflects on how to cultivate purpose and meaning in Gen Z, arguing that focusing on purpose—using one's gifts to serve others—is more fulfilling than chasing happiness. This discussion highlights that half of Gen Z Christians value seeing Christianity promote good in the world more than knowing it is true. She emphasizes that in-person church attendance is a major buffer against poor mental health outcomes like suicide and depression, encouraging families to prioritize being contributors at church and cultivating a culture of service at home.   This episode is an encouraging reminder that when parents and caregivers approach these changes with a humble vision and start with small, actionable steps, they can foster deep connection and meaningful purpose for their children.   About the Guest Dr. Stephanie Shackelford is a Senior Fellow at Barna Group. She has researched and written for nationwide research studies covering topics such as Gen Z, mental health, purpose, calling, and discipleship. She and her husband live on the campus of Eagle Ranch, a ministry for Families in Crisis.   In This Episode What defines Gen Z (ages 9-27) The six practical ideas from the Gen Z, Mental Health and Wellbeing report How the rise of smartphones is correlated with increased youth anxiety and depression Creating tech-free spaces and the benefits of being bored and connecting with nature The meaning of "thick community" and "embodied experiences" to combat loneliness Inviting Gen Z into a narrative of purpose and redemption rather than happiness The protective role of in-person church attendance against poor mental health Cultivating a culture of service and calling at home and in the community   Resources + Links Learn more about The Forgotten Initiative Learn more about what at TFI Advocate does

JOIN THE 7 DAY RESET - ▶️ www.therebuiltman.com/7dayreset   What if the biggest struggle facing Christian men today is the one nobody talks about?   The Truth Most Men Never Hear   Porn addiction isn't just a moral issue. It's an intimacy disorder.   Many men turn to pornography not because they want sex—but because they are trying to escape stress, loneliness, pressure, or emotional pain.   Real freedom comes when a man learns to process those emotions, build brotherhood, and reconnect with God.   Freedom Is Possible   Coach Frank Rich spent 20 years trapped in pornography addiction.   Today, he has walked in freedom for more than seven years and has helped thousands of men break the same cycle.   His mission is simple: To help men rebuild their identity, reclaim their integrity, and become the leaders God created them to be.According to recent research from the Barna Group, 75% of Christian men regularly consume pornography. Even more concerning—64% of those men say they are comfortable with it.   That means the majority of men sitting in church every Sunday are quietly fighting a battle they feel powerless to win.   But what if freedom is actually possible?   In this powerful message delivered at a men's church event, Coach Frank Rich shares his personal story of spending 20 years addicted to pornography before finally breaking free. Today, Frank has walked in freedom for over 7 years and has helped thousands of men rebuild their lives and break the cycle of porn addiction.   In this episode, Frank reveals the five principles that have helped thousands of men break free from pornography and reclaim their identity as leaders, husbands, fathers, and men of faith.   This message is raw, honest, and deeply convicting—and it's a reminder that no man is beyond redemption.   What You'll Learn In This Episode • The shocking statistics about porn use among Christian men • Why porn addiction is destroying relationships, marriages, and leadership • The neuroscience behind how pornography rewires the brain • The real reasons men turn to porn (hint: it's usually not sex) • Why shame and secrecy keep men stuck in the cycle • The difference between behavior modification and identity transformation • How to rebuild self-respect and personal integrity • Why gratitude is one of the most powerful tools for rewiring the brain • How brotherhood and honest conversations unlock freedom     The 5 Principles That Help Men Break Free In this message, Frank breaks down five powerful principles that have helped thousands of men reclaim control over their lives.   1. Tell The Truth Freedom begins with honesty. As long as a man hides his struggle in secrecy, that struggle holds power over him. The moment a man begins speaking the truth about what he's facing, the grip of addiction begins to weaken.   2. Learn To Say No Self-control is a muscle. Learning to say "no" to smaller temptations—like food, social media, or comfort—strengthens the discipline needed to resist bigger temptations like pornography.   3. Focus On Identity, Not Just Behavior Trying to quit porn by force rarely works. Real change happens when a man stops trying to modify behavior and starts transforming his identity—becoming the type of man who simply doesn't live that way anymore.   4. Build Your Self-Reputation Your mind is constantly tracking whether you keep your word. When a man repeatedly breaks promises to himself, he loses trust in his own discipline. But when he begins doing what he says he will do, his confidence and integrity grow.   5. Live From A Place Of Gratitude Pornography is often an escape from stress, loneliness, or dissatisfaction. But when a man begins practicing daily gratitude, he rewires his brain to appreciate the life he already has—and stops feeling the need to escape from it.     Ready To Break The Cycle? If you're ready to take the first step toward rebuilding your life and breaking free from porn addiction, join our Free 7-Day Porn Reset.   This challenge will help you: • Break the addiction cycle • Rewire your habits • Build real discipline and structure • Begin stepping into the identity of The Rebuilt Man  

With more than 7,200 people groups in the world who have never heard the Good News of Jesus Christ, the staff at 1615 wondered, "How is the Church doing with its global missions engagement?" So they commissioned the Barna Group to survey American pastors to find out. The results are as exciting as they are challenging. In this episode, host Dave Jacob, interviewed Matthew and Denny from 1615 to hear the key findings from this ambitious research project. Here's what Dave asked: 1. What sparked the idea to produce this book?  2. What's the big idea? What issue are we trying to address?  3. Who is your target audience?  4. What did you learn from the Barna Study? Were there any surprises? 5. What do you hope pastors and senior leaders will gain from reading this book? 6. What change(s) do you hope to inspire/produce in the life of the reader and churches?    Find all the Show Notes at https://gospelmobilization.org/podcast.

It's Thursday, January 29th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Evangelical college fired teacher for calling homosexual behavior sin A Christian teacher in England went to court last week to defend his religious freedom. Dr. Aaron Edwards worked at Cliff College in Derbyshire. Three years ago, the Evangelical college fired him after he called homosexuality a sin in a social media post. Edwards is now appealing a tribunal decision that upheld his dismissal with the help of the Christian Legal Centre. Andrea Williams, chief executive of the organization, said, "This case raises serious questions about freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and the lawful limits of institutional authority.” Referencing Acts 4:20, Edwards said he does not regret speaking the truth, saying, “As the apostles said before their accusers, ‘We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.'” Euthanasia bill failed in French Senate A bill to legalize euthanasia failed in France's Senate last week.  Political deadlock among lawmakers effectively killed the bill. Gregor Puppinck is the Director General of the European Centre for Law and Justice. He said, “This text was terrible. It allowed euthanasia and suicide by decision of a single doctor, at the oral request of a patient, in three days, without the relatives being informed and able to take legal action.” Canada euthanized elderly woman against her will Meanwhile, in Canada, an elderly woman was tragically euthanized against her will through the country's Medical Assistance in Dying program.  This according to a report by the Office of the Chief Coroner. The report identified the 80-year-old woman as “Mrs. B.” She initially expressed interest in the program. But later, she wanted to withdraw her request, “citing personal and religious values and beliefs.” However, assessors with the euthanasia program approved the killing after her husband reported experiencing “caregiver burnout.” Proverbs 12:10 says, “The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” Canada backs off deal with China after Trump tariff threat Canada reached a preliminary agreement with China earlier this month to lower tariffs on certain goods. However, U.S. President Trump criticized the deal. He wrote on Truth Social, “If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.” In response, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney backed off the agreement with China. Federal Reserve didn't change interest rate In the United States, the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged yesterday. The central bank decided to keep its key lending rate between 3.5 percent and 3.75 percent.  The Fed noted, “Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has shown some signs of stabilization. Inflation remains somewhat elevated.” Fewer U.S. pastors leaving ministry A new survey from the Barna Group found fewer pastors are considering walking away from the ministry. Twenty-four percent of U.S. senior Protestant pastors say they have seriously considered leaving full-time ministry within the past year. That's down from 42 percent in 2022. Pastoral burnout heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic but has been stabilizing since then. The report noted, “Fewer pastors appear to be in immediate vocational crisis, even as many continue to carry fatigue, grief, and uncertainty about the future of ministry.” Today is birthday of Martin Luther's wife And finally, today marks the birthday of Katharina Von Bora, the wife of Martin Luther. She was born on January 29, 1499. Her mother died in childhood and she was sent to a Catholic boarding school before becoming a nun. At the convent, Katharina discovered the writings of Martin Luther. Along with other nuns, she learned about salvation by grace through faith in Christ. This led Katharina and the nuns to ask Luther for help to escape the convent.  Luther was able to help the nuns find husbands and jobs, except for Katharina. The two were eventually married. Together, they had six children.  Author Michelle DeRusha described Katharina as “a woman who risked marrying one of the most controversial men of the time – a man who could have very likely been burned as a heretic at any given moment. She was a woman who raised six children; ran a boardinghouse; oversaw a farm complete with fruit orchards, livestock, and a fishpond; and advised and cared for her husband.” Consider an excellent, full-color, beautifully illustrated children's book about her entitled Katharine von Bora: The Morning Star of Wittenberg. It is co-authored by Shanna and Jenna Strackbein, twin sisters who were homeschooled in Aransas Pass, Texas, by their beloved mother Jenny. Joel Beeke, President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan said, "Boys and girls (and adults too) will love this beautiful book about a godly woman who helped to change the world." Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, January 29th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Gallup tells us that somewhere between 60%-70% of Americans identify as Christians; that's pretty great. The Barna Group recently produced poll results that showed Idaho was #7 in the nation for the percentage of its citizens who embrace a Christian worldview, 7%. Alabama came in first with 12.6% of their citizens holding a Christian worldview; those are fairly paltry. And those two studies together clarify that while there are tens of millions of American Christians, a much much smaller percentage of them actually embrace a biblical worldview. Why? Well, as this series has asserted, because a massive slab of Christians live programmed by the Matrix. How does that happen? Significantly by Scripture twisting. In this conversational episode Mark and I discuss various kinds of Scripture twisting, some big-picture hermeneutical issues that cause the Bible to be erroneously interpreted, and the distinction between those who intentionally bend the Bible to their aims versus those who just misread it. Come laugh and think with us!

Any effective implementation of leadership begins with believing in a set of grounded and guided principles, and you are committed to unwaveringly adopting them to cultivate the culture you desire.  According to The Barna Group, an evangelical Christian polling firm based in Ventura, California, Values Driven: Among Christian faith CEOs and Organizational leaders, 34% list religious faith as one of the top personal values influencing their leadership, often placing it alongside values like integrity and service.  Active Integration: While a large majority identify as religious, only about half (51%) of these "Faith-Forward" leaders report that their faith actively motivates their decision-making, while 25% say it is not a factor at all.  Dr. Michael Wright is a Christian leadership expert, executive coach, and speaker who helps leaders align faith, purpose, and strategy to create lasting impact. With decades of experience in organizational leadership, ministry development, and executive coaching, Michael equips pastors, nonprofit leaders, and professionals to lead with clarity, integrity, and effectiveness. Michael's work focuses on developing purpose-driven leaders, building healthy leadership systems, and helping organizations thrive while staying rooted in biblical values. For more information: https://www.drmwright.com/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What kind of boss will you be remembered as being? We all get a "Sentence." When they think of you, how will they finish this sentence: "I used to work at such-and-such company, and my boss was..." Bob Robinson and David Loughney talk with Dr. Chip Roper. He is the Founder and President of the VOCA Center. The VOCA Center is a faith-based organization that brings God's wisdom to your work through teaching, coaching, and leadership development. It recently partnered with the Barna Group to conduct a research survey to discover what brings joy and what brings challenges in the contemporary workplace.Listen to the whole podcast here. Get full access to Bob Robinson's Substack at bobrobinsonre.substack.com/subscribe

"I can't stand my job anymore.""I feel like I have no direction.""What should I do with my life?" Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. Barna Group finds that 75% of Americans are seeking ways to live more meaningful lives. And among practicing Christians, only 40% have a clear sense of their calling. For over twenty years, our guest, Bill Hendricks, has been helping people of all ages and stages find meaning and direction for their work and for their lives. The key is harnessing the power of human giftedness. Every person has their own unique giftedness—including you! And the best way to discover it is not through a test or gift assessment exercise, but from your own life story. Join us to learn more!Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the episode this week: Nate is reeling and Aaron is back from DFW and thinking about carrying a bat. Aaron also uses his sports expertise to make comparisons between t-ball and recovery discipline. Nate talks about upcoming video podcasts. Nate and Aaron talk to Nick Stumbo. Nick shares Pure Desire's ongoing move from Oregon to Nashville, paving the way for In-N-Out Burger to move to Nashville too. JK, these moves aren't really connected, but both are in process. Nick discusses the updated statistics from a partnered study with Barna Group called Beyond The Porn Phenomenon. Some stats are up, others down, many surprises. Nick also guides us on how to translate the info as well as helpful resources. Links: Beyond the Porn Phenomenon Study Pure DesireNEW Samson Community App (Apple store) NEW Samson Community App (Google Store) June 5-7, 2026 Italian/International Samson Retreat Oct 23-25, 2026 U.S. Samson SummitSend mail to: Pirate Monk Podcast PO BOX 1656 Columbia, TN 38472If you have thoughts or questions and you'd like the guys to address in upcoming episodes or suggestions for future guests, please drop a note to piratemonkpodcast@gmail.com.The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society.For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com. Support for the women in our lives who have been impacted by our choices is available at sarahsociety.com.The Pirate Monk Podcast is provided by Samson Society, a ministry of Samson House, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. To enjoy future Pirate Monk podcasts, please consider a contribution to Samson House.   Pure Desire Ministries Pure Desire Ministries | Freedom & Healing A safe place to find hope and healing from compulsive sexual behavior. Christ-centered support groups, counseling, and resources for recovery. https://www.puredesire.org/beyond-porn-phenomenon     Pure Desire Ministries Pure Desire Ministries | Freedom & Healing A safe place to find hope and healing from compulsive sexual behavior. Christ-centered support groups, counseling, and resources for recovery. https://www.puredesire.org/     App Store Samson Community App - App Store Download Samson Community by Samson House on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips, and more games like Samson Community. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/samson-community/id6749582016     play.google.com Samson Society - Apps on Google Play Brotherhood & recovery hub https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mightybell.samsonsociety&pcampaignid=web_share                

Join the Theology in the Raw Patreon for bonus episodes and more! https://www.patreon.com/theologyintheraw Ashley Lalonde is actor, singer, dancer, and lifelong New Yorker with an incredible heart for evangelism. She's toured with Hamilton, sang at Carnegie Hall, and somehow has found extra time to serve as a research fellow at the Barna Group. In this episode, Ashley shares what it's like to follow Jesus in the Broadway world and how she approaches conversations about faith in some of the most diverse and influential cultural spaces in the country. Drawing from both her personal experiences in NYC and her research with Barna, we talk about evangelism, listening without judgement, being a peaceful presence, and more. Watch now! and learn more at https://www.ashley-lalonde.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

God did not create work to be drudgery, but due to the effects of the Fall and our sinfulness, work can definitely not be what it should be. But that does not mean that work is all bad. In fact, work is where we often find purpose and joy.Dr. Chip Roper is the Founder and President of the VOCA Center. The VOCA Center is a faith-based organization that brings God's wisdom to your work through teaching, coaching, and leadership development. It recently partnered with the Barna Group to conduct a research survey to discover what brings joy and what brings challenges in the contemporary workplace. This “Life@Work 2025 Report” is free to download here. Our conversation with Chip Roper:* We discuss practical strategies to increase joy at work for both workers and leaders. * The study discovered that the majority of U.S. adult workers (7 out of 10) say that they experience joy more than half the time they're at work.* What brings us joy at work includes (1) work relationships, (2) our achievements and purpose, and (3) helping others and making a difference.* Workers who derive their primary satisfaction from helping others are nearly 3 times more likely to experience high levels of joy compared to those motivated primarily by financial rewards.* Gen Z and Millennial workers seek meaning beyond the paycheck and find joy in helping others in and through their work.* While relationships with people bring joy at work, what's ironic is that this is the same category that scored high on what creates challenges at work.Scroll down to learn more about Chip Roper.Thanks for listening!If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your friends. Your hosts are Dr. Bob Robinson and David Loughney. For further resources on reintegrating all of life with God's mission, go to re-integrate.org.Dr. Chip RoperDr. Chip Roper is the Chief Solutions Officer and President of the VOCA Center. He earned a Doctorate of Ministry from Missio Seminary and an Executive Coaching Certification from Columbia University. He coaches business leaders, drawing on his 30-plus years of experience in Profit & Loss leadership. Get full access to Bob Robinson's Substack at bobrobinsonre.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. Today is our last episode of season 1. We're discussing what we learned in 2025 and sharing what's to come in season 2! Heather shares about the word learn - and how it's not always about answers but endurance. Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on what 2025 has taught them.  In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Deuteronomy 8, where Moses says, “Remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you.” As we prepare for season 2, we will be focusing on intercession. If you would like to be featured on the podcast for a specific prayer need please email us.  Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong TikTok CTA: Please donate today at MercyShips.org/podcast (http://mercyships.org/podcast) Visit OmahaSteaks.com (http://omahasteaks.com/) for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 off, use promo code FUN at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Jennifer Rob, a nurse practitioner and author who offers a transformative guide for mothers navigating their child's mental health struggles.  Today we're continuing in our series on How to End a Year Well. In this week's episode, we're discussing the topic: How do you finish well? Heather shares about the word end - how the way we choose to end a chapter could matter more than the beginning. Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on finishing well.  In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Acts 20, where Paul has his own ending, saying goodbye to the Ephesian elders. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Jennifer Rob  Warrior Mom Rising What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Barna Group reveals that Gen Z women are struggling deeply with their faith, citing isolation, anxiety, and a distrust of religious institutions. We examine why organized religion is failing young women and driving them towards secular communities and skepticism. This demographic shift underscores the critical role of intersectional issues ignored by rigid, traditional doctrines.News Source:Gen Z Women Struggling in FaithBy Unknown for Barna

Do you ever feel guilty because your family isn't "spiritual enough"? On this episode of Practice Makes Parent, Rebecca St. James and Dr. Danny Huerta discuss the pursuit of creating a Christ-centered home with guest Don Everts, a senior pastor and author of 'The Spiritually Vibrant Home.' We'll talk about how Jesus used household images to represent the Kingdom of God and delves into the structure of ancient households compared to modern ones. Evers shares insights from his research with Barna Group, highlighting three key habits of spiritually vibrant homes: messy prayers, loud tables, and open doors. The Spiritually Vibrant Home Here Are Some Conversation Starters Send us your email or voicemail questions here! Support the show! If you enjoyed listening to Practice Makes Parent with Dr. Danny Huerta and Rebecca St. James, please give us your feedback.

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Dacia Moore, CEO of Second Wind Counseling & Consulting. Dacia empowers Christian women in mid-life to find their second wind through faith-based principles and emotional regulation. Today we're continuing in our series on How to End a Year Well. In this week's episode, we're discussing the topic: What if the way I end the year matters more than how I started it? Heather shares about the word completion—and how it's the “act of finishing something.” Most of us feel the pressure to do more but in Scripture competition doesn't mean perfection.  Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on how the end of the year could matter more than the start?  In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Philippians 1:6, where Paul reminds us it isn't about you completing the work, it's about God completing the work. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Dacia Moore Website What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the C-Suite for Christ podcast, we're calling out the silent killer of the modern church: cowardice. We live in a world where standing for biblical truth can cost you everything, and too many believers have traded courage for comfort, conviction for convenience, and the cross for a couch.The world doesn't need more cautious Christians; it needs courageous ones. Courage isn't a personality trait; it's a biblical command. From David facing Goliath to the apostles facing execution, every generation has been called to pick up a stone and stand firm.This episode is a spiritual boot camp designed to expose the fears that keep us silent and reignite the holy boldness required to be a warrior for Christ.Buckle up. We're not here to be safe; we're here to be soldiers."Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." – Joshua 1:9Episode Highlights:07:55 - Satan loves silent Christians. He doesn't need to make you evil. He just needs to make you quiet. A 2023 Barna Group study found that 64% of Christians say they avoid sharing their faith at work out of fear of offending others or facing a backlash. Nearly two-thirds of believers admit they self-censor because they're afraid of what people might think about them.13:06 - Courage is what turns conviction into conduct. It's what transforms belief into boldness. Because without it, Christianity becomes nothing more than words, a bumper sticker, a slogan, heck, even a quaint little social club.56:28 - Courage will cost you something. Comfort, reputation, popularity, maybe even relationships. But the cross always costs. Courage doesn't mean you won't lose. It means you're willing to lose. And here's the paradox: what you lose for Christ, you never really lose.Connect with Paul M. NeubergerWebsite 

Barna Group recently highlighted three research studies showing signs of growing faith among the young, and young men in particular. The communications asked, “Are We Seeing Signs of Renewal?” It can be tempting to see favorable trends and declare victory. But we need to be careful not to define our optimism by the fickle hearts ... The post Big Picture appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Hedi Schaefer. Hedi is a TEDx speaker, award-winning coach, and founder of The Impact Boutique, known for bridging inner transformation with Work-Life-Innovation. Creator of The 3 Cs of Change, she empowers leaders and visionaries to navigate uncertainty with courage, consciousness, and creativity - because true transformation begins when we become the change ourselves. Today we're resuming our series on How to End a Year Well. In this week's episode, we're discussing the topic: Endings Are Sacred Too. Heather shares about the word sacred and endings—and how sacred endings can be an act of worship. Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on ending the year well. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, reminding us that there is a time and a season for everything. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Hedi Schaefer  Website Join The Impact Boutique App What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Amy Duggar-King, known as Crazy Cousin Amy on TLC's 19 Kids and Counting. Amy is an author, entrepreneur, and advocate known for her courage to speak truth in a world built on appearances. Today we're pausing our series on How to End a Year well to take some time to hear Amy's story. In this week's episode, we're discussing the topic: Family Secrets. Heather shares about the word secrets—and how they take more energy to avoid, often leaving us with superficial relationships.  Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on family secrets. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Genesis 37, the story of Joseph being sold into slavery and the huge family secret that is kept from Jacob. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Amy Duggar-King Amy's Website Amy's Instagram Amy's Book: Holy Disruptor  What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Monday, November 10th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Syria's President to visit White House in historic first ​​ Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is slated to visit the White House today, marking the first-ever visit by a Syrian president to Washington, D.C., reports International Christian Concern.  Al-Sharaa seized power in December 2024 after a rapid coup that toppled longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad.  In the months since coming to power, al-Sharaa has reached out to various religious and ethnic minority groups. However, he has also garnered significant criticism from minority groups and international human rights organizations, which point to the repeated massacres of Druze and Alawite civilians. At a recent Capitol Hill event titled “Fortifying Religious Freedom in Syria,” civil society groups gathered in support of decentralization. Speakers included Nadine Maenza, Ambassador Sam Brownback, Rep. Frank Wolf, and representatives of the Druze, Alawite, Kurdish, and Christian communities.  Al-Sharaa is moving toward a system that grants the central government significant authority, rather than a federated system in which local areas retain robust self-determination.  Some analysts predict that al-Sharaa's deep roots in Islamic jihad will lead to further attacks on ethnic and religious minority communities. Sharaa began his career with the Islamic State in Iraq, before creating his own al-Qaida-aligned militant group in Syria.  1,100 flights canceled Sunday amid nationwide air travel disruption On Sunday, more than 1,100 flights were cancelled across the country according to the FlightAware website, as the Federal Aviation Administration limited capacity at 40 major U.S. airports amid the longest government shutdown in American history, reports ABC News. On Saturday, 1,521 flights were canceled and 6,400 flights were delayed.  Defund Planned Parenthood by America's 250th birthday A coalition of pro-life groups led by Lila Rose of Live Action set as its next mission the passage of a permanent nationwide defunding of Planned Parenthood before the one-year-ban in the current law expires that will also coincide with the 250th anniversary of the United States, reports LifeSiteNews.com. This past July, President Donald Trump signed into law his so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill, a wide-ranging tax and spending package that contains a one-year ban on federal tax dollars going through Medicaid to any entity that provides abortions for reasons other than rape, incest, or supposed threats to the mother's life. That law forced the closure of numerous abortion mills. Rose said, “We cannot celebrate [250 years of] freedom while subsidizing the killing of American children.” Republicans have already proposed standalone measures to fully cut off Planned Parenthood's government funding: the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, which permanently bans federal funds from being used for abortion; and the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, which disqualifies Planned Parenthood and its affiliates specifically. More Americans are reading the Bible but fewer believe it's 100% accurate With Millennials and Generation Z leading the way, particularly among men, Bible reading among U.S. adults in 2025 is at its highest level in the last 15 years, reports The Christian Post. The initiative by Barna Group and Gloo collected data from 12,116 online interviews conducted between January and October 2025. The research revealed that approximately 50% of self-identified Christians report reading the Bible weekly, the highest level of Bible reading among Christians in more than a decade. Weekly Bible reading among all U.S. adults reached its lowest point in 15 years in 2024 when it hit 30%. In 2025, the figure rebounded 12 percentage points to 42%. Approximately 50% of Millennials reported reading the Bible weekly, representing a 16-point increase from the previous year. Bible reading among Gen Z increased by a staggering 19 points, from 30% a year ago to 49% in 2025. Gen X currently stands at 41%. Sadly, despite more Americans reporting regular Bible reading, fewer maintain that the Bible is 100% accurate. Only 36% of Americans now hold that the Bible is 100% accurate. In 2000, this share was 43%. Just 44% of self-identified Christians strongly affirmed the accuracy of the Bible. Proverbs 30:5 says, "Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” Two farmers rescue 20 kids from burning school bus And finally, last week, two California farmers were honored for being the first ones to help save over 20 students aboard a school bus that caught fire, reports GoodNewsNetwork.org. Long before the Madera County Fire Department arrived on scene on September 4th, Angel Zarco and Carlos Perea were there.  Providentially, they were repairing their tractor at the time. In fact, the pair noticed the smoke billowing from the back of the bus even before the bus driver did. Carlos Perea recognized it was God's perfect timing. PEREA: “God put us in that place for a reason, that was to help. Help out the kids.” Angel Zarco explained they jumped into action. ZARCO: “We were just making sure that the kids were far away enough so they wouldn't get hurt.” The men made their way through the dark smoke to reach the final children in the back row.   ZARCO: “The bus caught fire right away, probably within like two minutes, three minutes. It all happened right away.” They evacuated all the students on board before hightailing it to a safe distance as the school bus burst into flames. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the Earth!” Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, November 10th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Christian researcher, sociologist and Hamilton actress Ashley LaLonde joins The RELEVANT Podcast to unpack new data revealing why more Gen Z women are walking away from church. She explains how purity culture, politics and the lack of space for single or career-focused women are reshaping faith for a generation. It's a must-listen conversation! Plus, we have RELEVANT Buzz and Slices1:00 – The Crew Debates Big Napkin: Jesse exposes the “decorative napkin industrial complex.”6:30 – The Dollar Tree Uprising: The cast demands rebranding to “$1.25 Tree.”8:00 – Smooth Pivot Attempt: Cameron tries to move from napkins to faith and culture.9:00 – RELEVANT Buzz: This week's headlines at the intersection of faith and culture9:15 – Frankie Muniz Finds God: The Malcolm in the Middle star's surprising faith story12:00 – Christian Music Chart Update: Josiah Queen, Phil Wickham, and the rise of worship on Billboard's Hot 10015:45 – Hip-Hop's Chart Collapse: No rap songs in the Top 40 for the first time in 35 years16:00 – Derek's Deep Dive: Why hip-hop lost its cultural soul — from gatekeepers to gentrification25:00 – Special Guest: Ashley LaLonde (Barna Group / Hamilton) joins to talk about the new Barna study on Gen Z women and faith26:45 – Why Gen Z Women Are Leaving the Church: Ashley explains the data — 38% now religiously unaffiliated27:30 – The Purity Culture Fallout: How sexual shame and rigid gender roles alienated a generation28:10 – Politics and the Pulpit: How Christian nationalism and partisanship push women away29:20 – The Marriage Idol: Are churches overvaluing family and under-serving single women?30:45 – Solidarity and Inclusion: Why many young women leave in support of LGBTQ friends31:50 – Social Capital Shift: Why church is still “advantageous” for men but costly for women socially32:40 – A New Kind of Spiritual Hunger: How disengaged women are still deeply curious about faith34:10 – The Marriage Question: How this trend could reshape Christian dating and marriage rates35:00 – Ashley's Challenge to the Church: How to re-engage single women and rethink discipleship36:10 – The Urban Divide: Are cities different from suburbs? Ashley offers insight38:00 – The Fallout of Scandal: How church abuse crises have eroded trust among women39:15 – Reckoning with Failure: Ashley calls the Church to repent for how it's treated women40:00 – Ashley's Story: From Harvard to Hamilton to Barna Group — how faith shaped her calling42:45 – Perseverance and Purpose: Six years of rejection before booking Hamilton43:40 – From Broadway to Research: How she now combines creativity, sociology and ministry44:30 – The cast reacts — “That was the most insightful segment we've ever done.”45:00 – SLICES: • Jesse's “Aggressive Research Monkeys on the Loose” story • Derek's real-life 'Suits' case — the fake lawyer who won 26 casesWatch the full video episode on RELEVANT's YouTube channel!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Michelle Moragne-Morris. Michelle is the CEO of Untangle the Root, where she coaches people on navigating complex emotions and achieving goals as a business growth strategist.  Today we're beginning a new series on How to End a Year well. In this week's episode, we're discussing the topic: Before the Ball Drops: Making Space for God to Speak. Heather shares about the word space—and how it might seem simple, until you realize how little of it you have in your life. Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on making space for God to speak. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on a passage where Elijah is desperate to hear from God. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Study: People Would Rather Be Electrically Shocked Than Left Alone with Their Thoughts Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Michelle Moragne-Morris Michelle's Instagram What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Impact 360 Institute Podcast, host Jonathan Morrow analyzes dramatic new findings from Gen Z Volume 3 research (with Barna Group) about faith dynamics among young men and women. The conversation centers on the surprising trend: young men ages 18–24 are returning to church and recommitting to biblical faith while young women in the same age group are disengaging from organized religion at increasing rates.Topics Discussed:Introduction to biblical worldview and servant leadership  Review of Gen Z Volume 3 statistics: church attendance, faith identification, gender divide  Biblical foundation for male and female (Matthew 19:4–6); God's design for gender Why young men are experiencing renewed agency, hope, and church engagement  Factors behind female Gen Z's rise in “nones” (no faith affiliation) and moral relativism Cultural and educational shifts: college degree gaps, mental health, deaths of despair  Zero-sum game trap in faith conversations, why both young men and women matter “Men have been left behind, women have been lied to." Sexual revolution's consequences for women, featuring Louise Perry's journey from atheism to Christianity How secular scripts have failed young women's flourishing; marriage and family insights  Reanimation of meaning among young men, agency in faith, and rising Bible engagement  Discipleship challenges and practical steps for churches, parents, and leaders  Encouragement for creating men-friendly spaces, supporting both sexes, and clear gospel teaching  Resources and programs at Impact 360 Institute for Gen Z students and ongoing research Additional Links:Gen Z Volume 3 Research: https://www.barna.com/gen-z-volume-3/Impact 360 Institute Courses & Conferences: https://www.impact360institute.org/courses/Article: Gen Z Women's Faith Trends https://www.barna.com/trends/gen-z-women-struggling-in-faith/Louise Perry's Story: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/case-against-sexual-revolution-perry/Social Media & Contact:Instagram: @impact360instituteTwitter/X: @impact360Facebook: Impact 360 InstituteEmail: info@impact360.orgFor more resources, episodes, or to support discipleship initiatives, visit Impact360.org.

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Davey Blackburn. Davey is a pastor, author, and podcast host who shares his story of healing and redemption following the tragic murder of his wife. Today we're ending our series on Finding God in thin places. In this week's episode, we're discussing the topic: I Can't See God Right Now. Heather shares about the word faith—and how it isn't about certainty but choosing to believe what you cannot see.  Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on what it looks like to seek God when He feels distant. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on 1 Kings 19, where Elijah performs a great miracle. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Lisa TerKeurst: Forgiving What You Can't Forget Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Davey Blackburn Nothing Is Wasted Website Davey's Instagram What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which way are American young adults going when it comes to religion? Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Survey reports that only 45% of Americans 18–29 years old identify as Christians, compared to 54% of those aged 30–49, 72% of 50–64, and 74% of 65+. Barna Group's State of the Church initiative reports that young adults are leading “a resurgence in church attendance.” Gen Z (born 1999–2015) and Millennials (born 1984–98) attend church 1.9 and 1.8 weekends a month, respectively. By contrast, Gen X (born 1965–83), Boomers (born 1946–64), and Elders (born pre-1946) attend 1.6, 1.4, and 1.4 weekends monthly, respectively. So are American young adults secularizing or experiencing a revival? It's impossible to say for sure. The only way for Christians to find out is to do the work of evangelism and discipleship. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Josh Wellborn about ministry to the next generation of adults. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. Josh Wellborn is director of the Assemblies of God's Young Adults ministry and author of 30 Under 30. ————— This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of 30 Under 30. In 30 Under 30: Young Adults in Scripture Who Heard from God, you'll meet 30 young adults from the Bible who had their own defining moments. Heroes or cautionary tales—they all had a choice. This isn't just a history lesson. It's a call to action. God still speaks, and if you're willing to listen, He's got something to say to you. For more information about the 30 Under 30, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Tammy Melchien. Tammy is a writer and teaching pastor who is passionate about helping people take next steps with Jesus.  Today we're continuing in our series on Finding God in thin places. In this week's episode, we're talking about the Holy Spirit: is there anything we could be missing about who He is and how He works?  Heather shares about the word intercession—and how intercession isn't about spiritual performance. It's about proximity, it's the willingness to carry someone else's name into the presence of God because love compels you to. Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on the Holy Spirit. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Exodus 17, a story on intercession. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Tammy Melchien Tammy's website What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past Sunday, we were honored to welcome special guest David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, who shared an inspiring message on the importance of passing on faith to the next generation. Drawing from his personal experiences and groundbreaking research, David revealed that 72% of Americans are spiritually open and that 30 million people have committed to Jesus since the pandemic, reminding us that God is actively moving in our time. Using Paul's final letter to Timothy as a model, he highlighted the power of emotional and spiritual connection between generations and shared personal stories—including the impact of his late wife's prayers and the faith of his children. David encouraged us to take a simple, meaningful step by writing handwritten letters of faith to those we love, leaving behind a legacy of belief, hope, and community.

It's Thursday, October 16th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark British Christian teacher fired for Facebook post about Islamic violence A British Christian teacher, who was unjustly  fired, shared his testimony at a Reform UK party free speech conference last week. Simon Pearson had a 20-year unblemished teaching record. However, Preston College dismissed him last year for allegedly being “Islamaphobic.” He had simply expressed concern on Facebook over violent crime and political bias. Pearson is challenging his dismissal with the help of the Christian Legal Centre.  Listen to his comments at the free speech conference. PEARSON: “Previously, I've worked as a missionary in a communist country where freedom of speech and religion are tightly controlled. I know what it means to live under a regime where truth is suppressed and conscience is punished. “I never imagined I would face similar pressures in the United Kingdom, a country built on the foundations of liberty, of justice and of Christian values. I'm fighting for justice, not just for myself, but for every teacher, for every Christian and every citizen who fears that their voice no longer matters and they are being silenced.” Young people of Northern Ireland more open to Christianity Speaking of the United Kingdom, young people in Northern Ireland are leading a revival of interest in Christianity, according to a poll by The Iona Institute. The survey found 18-24-year-olds in Northern Ireland are more likely to have a very positive attitude toward Christianity than any other age group. These findings are similar to studies of young people in Ireland, Britain, and the United States. Gen Z boys most likely to believe that Jesus is way to Heaven Here in America, the Barna Group released new research from its ongoing State of the Church initiative.  Surveys show that Gen Z is increasingly open to Christian faith. However, among young people, women are the most likely to disengage from church, prayer, and belief.  Meanwhile, young men and especially teenage boys are the least likely to identify as having no faith among young people. They are also the most likely to believe in God and that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Fewer young Americans identifying as “transgender” Here some more good news. Trans identification is declining among young people in America. Eric Kaufmann, a Canadian professor of politics, posted the findings on Tuesday. His analysis is based on multiple data sets, including those from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. The data shows 3.6% of undergraduates identify as a gender other than male or female. That's down from 5.2% in 2024 and 6.8% in 2022.  The data sets also showed young people are becoming less likely to identify as something other than heterosexual.  Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk Presidential Medal of Freedom President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday. Kirk's widow, Erika, received the nation's highest civilian medal on his behalf on what would have been his 32nd birthday.  The ceremony comes about a month after the Christian activist was fatally shot while speaking at an event for his organization, Turning Point USA.  Listen to comments from President Trump. TRUMP: “Charlie never missed an opportunity to remind us of the Judeo-Christian principles of our nation's founding or to share his deep Christian faith. In his final moments, Charlie testified to the greatness of America and to the glory of our Savior with Whom he now rests in Heaven. Anniversary of martyrdom of two English reformers And finally, today is the anniversary of the martyrdom of two English Reformers. Their names were Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley. Both were bishops in the Church of England. Ridley was born in 1502, becoming a great scholar and renouncing Roman Catholic doctrine. Latimer was born earlier in 1485. He became a great Reformation preacher, also rejecting Catholic traditions. His preaching brought Protestant teachings effectively to the middle and lower classes. However, a Catholic queen came to power in England in 1553. She was known as “Bloody Mary” for her deadly persecution of Protestants. After her ascension to power, Latimer and Ridley were tried for their beliefs and burned at the stake on October 16, 1555. As they faced death together, Latimer told his friend, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.” In Romans 8:36-37, the Apostle Paul wrote, “As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, October 16th, in the year of our Lord 2025, the 60th wedding anniversary of my parents, Mike and Harriet McManus, with whom I will celebrate this very weekend.  Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Joan Murray. Joan is a dynamic speaker, author of 28 books, and global missionary. Today we're continuing in our series on Finding God in thin places. In this week's episode, we're talking about miracles: What if I'm wrong about miracles? Heather shares about the word miracle—and how it isn't always about seas parting or the blind seeing. Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on miracles. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on John 2, a story regarded often as Jesus' first miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Joan Murray  Joan Murray Ministries What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Lara Silverman, a Christian author and former federal prosecutor.  Today we're starting a brand new series called Finding God in thin places. In this week's episode, we're exploring the power of prayer. Heather shares about the word prayer—and how prayer is not just about asking, but also about thanking. Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on the power of prayer. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Matthew 6, where Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? N.T. Wright: The Lord and His Prayer Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Lara Silverman  Lara's Instagram What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong Tik Tok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Cloe Parker, CEO of Parker Pastures. Today we're wrapping up our leadership series with a fresh perspective. In this week's episode, we're exploring leadership through a different lens—specifically, within the meat industry. Heather shares about the word ethics—and how it is more than just following rules, it's a framework for leading with integrity. Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on ethical food consumption. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Micah 6:8, a verse that reminds us that ethical leadership asks us to weigh our choices not only by what benefits us, but by what brings justice, mercy, and humility into the world. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Cloe Parker Parker Patures What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong Tik Tok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Josh Clemons, executive director of OneRace Movement. Today we're continuing in our series on leadership. In this week's episode we're talking about why churches MUST lead in racial reconciliation.  Heather shares about the word reconciliation—and how it means making things right again.  Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on how we as the Body of Christ should be leading in these spaces of racial reconciliation. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Paul wrote these words to remind the church that reconciliation isn't just a divine transaction - it's a divine calling. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social Media Haley's Instagram Josh Clemons  OneRace Movement Josh's Instagram What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong Tik Tok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Bobby Gruenewald, CEO of the YouVersion Bible app.  Today we're continuing in our series on leadership. In this week's episode we're asking the question: Can God use social media? Heather shares about the word integrity—and how it means being the same person whether others are watching you or not.  Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on how God can use social media to speak to us.  In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Genesis 12, God doesn't always give us the whole plan but will guide us step by step by step. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social media Haley's Instagram Bobby Gruenewald Bobby's Instagram What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong Tik Tok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Kinnaman is the author of the bestselling books Faith For Exiles, Good Faith, You Lost Me and unChristian. He is CEO of Barna Group, a leading research and communications company that works with churches, nonprofits, and businesses ranging from film studios to financial services. Since 1995, David has directed interviews with more than two million individuals and overseen thousands of U.S. and global research studies. Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Zach Lambert. Zach is the lead pastor and founder of Restore church in Austin, Texas and he is the author of Better Ways to Read the Bible: Transforming a Weapon of Harm into a Tool of Healing.  Today we're continuing in our series on leadership. In this week's episode we're asking the question: Can leaders change their mind?  Heather shares about the word humility—and how it isn't weakness but wisdom. Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins for a conversation on why the best leaders aren't afraid to be wrong. In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Exodus 32, a story about God being willing to change His mind. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social media Haley's Instagram Zach Lambert Zach's Website What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong Tik Tok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices