The Wired Word for 04192026 - CourtneyR.dev's 2nd Brain

The Wired Word for 04/19/2026 ![rw-book-cover](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article1.be68295a7e40.png) 🔗 **Source:** [The Wired Word for 04/19/2026]() Dear Class Members, Last year, the nonreligious share of the American population dropped again. The portion that is atheist-agnostic is back to the 2014 level. The Roman Catholic Church is seeing a rise in conversions in many areas. What is going on? This installment of *The Wired Word* will focus on revival, conversion and church growth. ![](https://www.thewiredword.com/_img/tww_logo_email.jpg) **Signs of Religious Revival in the United States** ***The Wired Word*** **for the Week of April 19, 2026** **In the News** With the pews in many churches packed on Easter Sunday, people are talking about a religious revival in the United States. There is evidence to support this. The atheist-agnostic share of the population is back down to where it was in 2014. Bible sales have risen steadily since 2021, Roman Catholics are seeing a rise in conversions in many American dioceses, and young men are flocking to Eastern Orthodox churches (see "Young Men Now More Religious Than Young Women," *The Wired Word* for the week of October 20, 2024). After rising over the course of 15 years, the nonreligious share of the American population stopped growing in the early 2020s. "Ever since," writes Ross Douthat in *The New York Times*, "there's been a vigorous debate over whether this plateau is a precursor to religious revival or just a leveling off preceding a further fall from faith." There is no hard evidence that Gen Z (born from 1997 through 2012) is more religious than the millennials (born from 1981 through 1996). The recent increase in attendance in some churches may just be an ongoing recovery from the pandemic. Douthat uses Roman Catholicism as an example of how there can be trends in a church that are in conflict with one another. On the revival side, there is currently a big rise in conversions to Roman Catholicism across many American dioceses. On the decline side, a recent survey reveals that Catholicism loses far more Catholics than it gains in converts. Putting these trends together, says Douthat, "helps explain a key reason this debate is so unsettled: It's entirely possible for a faith to experience revival and decline simultaneously." According to Religion News Service, 34,501 adults in the United States were baptized into the Catholic Church in 2024. This is up from the pandemic year of 2020, when only 25,356 were baptized. But 2024 is lower than the pre-pandemic year of 2019, when 35,799 adults were baptized. Looking back over the decades, the number of baptisms has been generally decreasing since 1964, when 118,622 adults were baptized. "It would take a huge increase in adult baptisms to get anywhere near the numbers we had then," says Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest. "And until that happens, we should not speak of a Catholic revival." *Fox News* reports a nationwide surge in baptism and church attendance, with young adults returning to religious traditions. According to commentator Lawrence Jones, "We’ve seen an epidemic of loneliness. It's a basic human fact. People need community. Today, they're finding it in faith." Jones explores the resurgence of Jewish life following the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel, and the renewed sense of identity within the Jewish community. He profiles the Ablaze Youth Choir, a group that is remixing traditional gospel for a new generation, and speaks with actor Zachary Levi about his attempts to bring a faith-based perspective back to Hollywood. While it appears that secularization has currently stalled, the past few decades have seen about 40 million Americans leave the church. This departure has had extraordinary effects, writes Lauren Jackson in *The New York Times*: "It changed how people gather, vote, marry, volunteer and find meaning in their lives." These changes are profound, and they cannot be reversed by simply returning to worship. Real conversion requires that people change their identities. "Young people today say that they are interested in spirituality and are longing for community. Almost by definition, that is what Christianity is supposed to provide," says Reese, the Jesuit priest. "The church also needs to be more welcoming if people are to see a community that they want to join. This means more than offering coffee and doughnuts after Mass. The church must be a place where people are spiritually nourished and feel welcomed and at home. That would cause a real Catholic revival." Lauren Jackson, host of the *Believing* newsletter, says that it is "important to recognize that something is, indeed, shifting in the culture." Silicon Valley billionaires are embracing church, Hollywood is making religious movies again, and pop stars are singing about faith. "All of that is pretty new, and would have been hard to imagine even 10 years ago," she concludes. "Before we declare 'revival,' though, we're going to need more data." More on this story can be found at these links: [Opinion: Is There a Religious Revival in America?](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPrcrazHfVJKn-2B7HnFm2vxy9BojtbdsdUD83-2BtGq-2FKcTfg4LEptedDlUiAwrlRLDS3DXHsc0awOPZs4kEYS1lXp8fYwU_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePkAdkvAvSMbq36cqaBRcmALtZGR3SzROObCcp5IzkVbHcCVDo0zFBvtHwHnzhAp0fQBJXpLh0-2FEWGmZL0zuJTe-2BXL5B8wJ-2Bednh-2Fnu4YG4MSqz-2F9id-2F3Se7P7KjbjE5j8teYoMVTSrS-2B3BrpnpqJYGsM5WMymhqDleQwDekfoB0vBTsrcgzn75Qs0O7qyk0ECwy6RvDepiPHnevw529jUvM-3D) [*The New York Times*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPrcrazHfVJKn-2B7HnFm2vxy9BojtbdsdUD83-2BtGq-2FKcTfg4LEptedDlUiAwrlRLDS3DXHsc0awOPZs4kEYS1lXp8bKKS_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePoMZMrb80TBHLbBimEtUpG7-2FI9Pexb2ig6lOZueiTo-2F6pUPhB31Z0WSmo-2FMM820W5J-2Fe5MsU8-2BSZngark4bfQPk8uDSLy7XgcxgPdlv-2BcRg-2BvnNHWRaHUKUhrZErIK5RtuiRTIVpchlf3L-2FAtQ9bu24YMGJwg9TgdHHbpf3sT-2BMA9ziCYt4MgNVRT3U59wUCEFnaKscnfHso7smd2RK7E0c-3D) [Why We Are Not in a Catholic Revival -- Despite Increase in Adult Baptisms.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPCHqQGefcQySWH-2Bid1tRnzZFisxjrOSH0Q2XtdDt-2BfMnvDwdNDcMtqCU8P-2BFaMT183SiU5fCAMIrRwCXY3-2FqO5FvYw6o-2B9z2duogO-2B-2BUSPxHuUSC1MYDIDR0QwHQEIBhRkpKNtmglylZvVN73U6OKnw-3Do6HJ_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePvGWNj6DeK-2Fz-2BZrQe0wCBJ5VAgkswe2LCtnzNWfWKtKK7Vw1fFQhRtYUYba4bdh3MUk-2FfBb-2FuCMFz5uQg-2Fh5f3OuZyqR70AekEx8IQiQknWeDdrbBFuG0BsxeB36uofGO8zS1JLjVDrlbqjxqxw4tGDcIzf3fsURqznofqqyvEGoOAMvqjAdULiuo1skfj1DTTcczaXUjD-2BrTtIGhCaS26g-3D) [*Religion News*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPCHqQGefcQySWH-2Bid1tRnzZFisxjrOSH0Q2XtdDt-2BfMnvDwdNDcMtqCU8P-2BFaMT183SiU5fCAMIrRwCXY3-2FqO5FvYw6o-2B9z2duogO-2B-2BUSPxHuUSC1MYDIDR0QwHQEIBhRkpKNtmglylZvVN73U6OKnw-3DCbqu_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePlh383m00rHBnyw6epZavcadTGDZ-2Fe8tu8Cg08NT6RSyV1RyyzdY1YC28h4kKVlIUPPGWMQDSHxPjVJR1kb-2Bn0FhL91r130PdqjcSujb26QSfoEMbrrqymfza6GVgKpIIqUnm3pReYi5rv507LQP4-2FvOrSL99PMiz4VfaxXIzLA-2FfveZlvZ03X92qW2pxOSLipGEIk626uezDDS8v-2B1yF3c-3D) [Lawrence Jones Reveals Why a New Generation Is Returning to God in Fox Nation's 'Revival.'](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPNnRLkPfLAMpP6p3RttiMUGZb7KRbvTmVLLs7b3hrfc2HYqC-2Bg-2FEBjJySSursPyY37R4JUnJMQ1pgOhGly6xzL3tejGlNAIpAwPExPUMIKTwyG9K9AEAB66tapVFmkIcqUDEb4EBI3oYfwgf5DdOqgk-3DR9Q-_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePuqX7dQJv1sLJUIL2LbZ-2BNVkCNAG1G51rZrpkou7e9k-2B8taSZeFDcFUUnl0Zt-2BwHKB62Cl-2BmbazIYQy6ladOvt8kuQsR1uq8dDnlXl9o7ps1BJaauZJLbvX8fmapTXl4sspdpLH99CG2p8CJvh4AkSdadtu7S43kLkRMtcPoJQbTI1OqMmF2kvQeTqVaY-2B-2BmviE4gG-2BenvXpwRQVPorpjuM-3D) [*Fox News*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPNnRLkPfLAMpP6p3RttiMUGZb7KRbvTmVLLs7b3hrfc2HYqC-2Bg-2FEBjJySSursPyY37R4JUnJMQ1pgOhGly6xzL3tejGlNAIpAwPExPUMIKTwyG9K9AEAB66tapVFmkIcqUDEb4EBI3oYfwgf5DdOqgk-3DD7yY_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePvkdLIgR9E2YIn6D64wFge39uQ8Ik9HdWC7vq7PeHT7df3Sx-2BXcU2GRWxpqCg2TLt-2FirvdrN8i8TQqezK-2B3Zt3329Bewfc83UHEFvAJAdv95Uc444JXjs2hGmP644vkkS-2FOc0DC2iLRwyckTjLc7TBzX6Nb2sMblZb-2F6-2BBFKbdKoQGsxrS-2Fy-2FzuTLbLIBIu2sxz07Zz4sxZIJdM6BDW7-2Blk-3D) [Is Christianity Making a Comeback?](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPoh9Objg8blXo5HxycrhubndUnhSauuAcNM1cV9sQfSvJb6MXd22r46m73oxsK5gyH96KxKn6Caf-2BkodtfsxqwfaHsB_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePvu3LC-2BK1da22BGeW-2BUwjdi5oFJXxWYxY9YAaNzGccqcvJS7T8enR2cONYin3o8CMsaVFZBukTK8tvJokgSaf6kGB5Wf6gQI-2FPWi2EuaYbdJJdlrmMVnlReciJ3XMxEmDzC7S2t-2Fr0ley5OtlzaLbEgiHaU-2BCFcNNgfuEJdiDuHp-2BnR-2B2ue7OrZsw-2BArL10totOWLM6c3s-2FSfXaH-2B-2BZpwhE-3D) [*The New York Times*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPoh9Objg8blXo5HxycrhubndUnhSauuAcNM1cV9sQfSvJb6MXd22r46m73oxsK5gyH96KxKn6Caf-2BkodtfsxqwfoO5D_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePjP1c5JhbqcN6vJyAKLZYA1e-2FdOMJO9-2F0x6dXysv52Ns0SVmS2hfRYJCXCoGUWAidrsdAAJmMxz7IizvZS7hhSMebKSDZMxhFQz5Gn9Elbr9J2T-2BtoOnCrcAPMjdTgxUO0BXTMyo00JrxvJELxEEMLPTnIM7ELP6ubzUjfnvQlzkYGExql29elNk-2F91IKDRwFA-2FBxtGHh-2F-2BOoCCjYdILTBs-3D) **Applying the News Story** Discuss where you see signs of revival, conversion and church growth in the United States today and in your own community. Talk about where you see decline as well. **The Big Questions** 1. Where do you see signs of religious revival today? Where do you see evidence of decline? How can both be present simultaneously in a particular church? 2. How would you define true revival? How does a person's identity change through conversion? 3. The departure of church members in recent decades has impacted every church. What has been the effect on your congregation? How have you responded, if at all, in efforts around church growth? 4. How is your church engaging with young adults? What are the younger generations in your church seeking? 5. What keeps you active in the life of the church? In what areas do you feel a need for personal revival? **Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope**Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion: **2 Kings 17:15***They despised [God's] statutes and his covenant that he had made with their ancestors and the warnings that he had given them. They went after false idols and became false; they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do as they did.* (For context, read [2 Kings 17:6-23.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxzmbiUTAz53-2FiMOHoDD-2BywYuJZZiOP5-2FcYKdp2e-2FIkroorl4cKcMccikhYP7rFuj6R293_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePkFdECMW5jhhfjBDViGzJjMWL14qSmrVAYJdqYlMUAIznpKfukc4QCpkcs-2B9-2Br800S7Nahgg1Qn9u2QGOHojwAhyh2XS0f71TcHrpWL3-2FES2uU40mdTHDC-2FWO6-2BzGBPH3-2FdOFIwSAnMy9PuVTFffwHYaVKOSDOFWEYK01GJeqVZBxNx4bNVqKVJE5c06ZIDZ9BPcDIbFLAR4SePQ-2FdKmElQ-3D)) Elijah and Elisha are ancient prophets of Judaism and Christianity, and their stories are told in the first and second books of Kings. The name Elijah means "My God is YHWH" (the personal name of God in Hebrew is YHWH), while the name Elisha means "My God is salvation." At the beginning of 2 Kings, Elijah condemns King Ahaziah of Israel for turning to a foreign god, and Elijah calls down fire from heaven on the king's messengers. The importance of faithfulness to YHWH (a name which appears as "LORD" in many Bibles) is a recurring theme in 2 Kings. In the 17th chapter, the king of Assyria takes the Israelites into exile. This is a punishment on the Israelites because they had not kept God's commandments and remained faithful to God's covenant with them. The people of Israel "worshiped other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the people of Israel" (vv. 7-8). Instead of remaining faithful to God, they "went after false idols and became false; they followed the nations that were around them." Because of this behavior, "Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria" (v. 23). > **Questions:** In recent decades, what sorts of false idols have led people away from participation in the church? What is the value of faithfulness to God, in ancient Israel and today? Why are some people today returning from "exile" and seeking a relationship with God? **Psalm 119:25** *My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to your word.* (For context, read [Psalm 119:17-32.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxqeSUAn-2B-2Bl1-2FWXpdQetpZnDcqGczBWgtxIj15rr1drqq14lKoStfa2XVleF5ujUy1tz3v_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePvQu8VkLqdkXpEgkphdOFhx1nVXkQcIS7t4wtrNjKWkp2gW39vdQxn1vyTxWxQAQGjzeI7f7FsWS66bTCEL1O0V5Od8dxKRqkyCzaZp9z561c4CB-2Bl3mH93XtK7c7SlweGaWyBm3UXrSMU-2F6o1aeXM-2Bz6nx5BQ3wt8vGY8AxuVUApu8Vt-2FtrirL24V5RKNnP31XL2Av37Rv0YKga1Lafayw-3D)) The Hebrew title for the book of Psalms is *Tehillim,* which is translated "Praises." Together, this collection of praise songs served as the hymnbook of the people of Israel. It is a collection of 150 prayers and songs that give praise to God, give thanks to God, and make requests of God. Psalm 119 focuses on the glories of God's law, and the writer makes the request: "Open my eyes, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your law" (v. 18). The psalm-writer is full of longing for the commandments of God, and he considers God's decrees to be not only his "delight" but his "counselors" (v. 24). The psalm makes clear that God's word is the key to religious revival. The writer prays to God, "Revive me according to your word." He sees God's word as a source of strength, and makes the commitment, "I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your ordinances before me. … I run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding" (vv. 30, 32). > **Questions:** How has God's word been the key to revival, both historically and today? What is meant here by "God's word"? What are other possible meanings of "God’s word"? How has the word of God enlarged your understanding? What role does God's word play in the life of your church, and in your personal life? **John 3:3** *Jesus answered [Nicodemus], "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."* (For context, read [John 3:1-17](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxdtbt6bH-2Fhcc2GTT0q2impU3oGTJEaBfykkvrWivB7Kp6cSxKzYh5PK01-2BbphywvIWdKT_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePsWCYJG0KJ16OSLomNO7-2Fhp2HbtYliM5DGpds5xRJoEfX9kpCQUhcAooHHB5izOKBOzNrvofjLaCDA88Cyo6Bg2CTYNaFPghsqIpewQw56xM6JW-2BZmHiqA4HX71XO1ErHanDe-2BzmtWmjyTqj-2BIR6aIhZc9u1BCrxbs9Nl8nfywHxmm5fCVf13m7m2nNQP5FCd4TVHkitjLOqKEX-2BRzi76GM-3D).) The Gospel of John begins by saying, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (1:1), echoing both the creation story in Genesis 1 and the passage about Divine Wisdom in Proverbs 8. John's account of the life of Jesus stands apart from the other gospels, and his first chapter says that "the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth" (1:14). This Word is *logos* in the Greek of the New Testament, and here it means God's reason or plan. In chapter 3, God's plan becomes clear when a Pharisee named Nicodemus visits Jesus in the night. This leader of the Jews acknowledges that Jesus is a teacher from God, and then Jesus says that "no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." The Greek "born from above" can also be translated "born anew," signifying that spiritual renewal is both the work of God and an experience of spiritual renewal. When Nicodemus becomes confused about how a person can be born a second time, Jesus makes clear that it is the work of God's Spirit. Jesus goes on to say that belief in him is the key to eternal life, and he offers a line that is probably the most famous verse in the entire Bible, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." Martin Luther called it "the gospel in miniature." > **Questions:** How would you describe your own experience of being born from above, born anew, or born again? Where do you see the Spirit working for renewal in the church today? How do you, in your daily life, express your belief in Jesus? What difference does it make? **2 Corinthians 5:17** *So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being!* (For context, read [2 Corinthians 5:16-21](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzx5N3asDrM8aLtAZM6HVDt1aw9adGFzqR9ClYZox8YyW2BnEaNyC6c-2FpNiw-2B-2FDnV1nq7kLIyxKgyb2uUYcXP-2BqGA-3D-3DCsC4_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePsmBS31RPM8R-2Bri1sh3xkdZqPfTfb1Ab0tLSf-2FnhWiftTau5ZwkKMfLxvoQg9CTUGE1R0Nm5-2F4gBp2V6GCAmjMbO-2Fw5tLxSyMrgtC0cX3S31Sl8esFJVDTarTRVdTDG9INa8OhHmNzXHC9UuwqeHuEHBAzv2sRyPwvLplRartfljlqOHbg7WLlDwJoM8j4wLHWCpI5HbX1AZG9a4wq-2FJIMk-3D).) Paul's second letter to the Corinthians was written after he became estranged from this community and feared that another visit would be painful (2:1). Although he wanted to visit Corinth, he felt that his leadership there was being questioned, and his ministry was being disrupted by people who were false apostles (11:13). If he came to the city, he feared there would be "quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder" (12:20). Paul loved the Corinthians and, more than anything else, wanted peace with them. So, in chapter 5, he describes what it means to become "a new creation" in Jesus Christ, a conversion in which "everything old has passed away" and "new things have come into being." The center of this new identity is the work of reconciliation, which started with God, the one who "reconciled us to himself through Christ" (v. 18). It continues with us, who are given "the ministry of reconciliation" (v. 18). This identity is thoroughly Christ-centered, because "in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself … and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us" (v. 19). For Paul, reconciliation is the heart of Christian identity -- reconciliation of people to God, and people to one another. You may be interested in the [Confession of 1967](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJru3K2T-2F7AkU00Cmw7KlPa2IvLl2ovM17zishG6ClFDdVKwx69xTwN-2FRe-2FecYXCQg-3D-3DriiY_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePpC97EIJLvWAHgHctFVsaPQMsnzlIKDEk5idm79tktFoNBu2wI0XHXlfEyalG0WYHyz2-2FwCZrSGY5aHlsmIkepeykoHlijHma7LtBu8xCO4ZH6Al2hhOlkDbsydVffuKJVuNEh7a074xe0XgMzf-2FJqgJt2XQBEZz2585sezFbgDUPOoTkLmtpoI8-2FjA4o-2Fr1zSRfFWCMPWB01C40sVIT3Mc-3D), a Presbyterian (USA) confession that is all about reconciliation. > **Questions:** What does it mean to you to be a new creation in Christ? How is it tied to God's work of reconciliation? How is a ministry of reconciliation practiced in your church? **For Further Discussion** 1. TWW Team Member Mary M. Sells wonders if people coming to church today are looking for ways to gain community and strength. How do current trends reflect a desire for societal and personal change? Does your church have insight into why it is increasing or declining in attendance? How can your congregation be better involved in God's work of revival? 2. [Commentator Ross Douthat is seeing](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPrcrazHfVJKn-2B7HnFm2vxy9BojtbdsdUD83-2BtGq-2FKcTfg4LEptedDlUiAwrlRLDS3DXHsc0awOPZs4kEYS1lXp8LccP_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePtyWuZCNw6asWcdNNlj7BvDfro-2F4Q6BV0qVKs9Rrb8VICY1BpoySIWi40zlnH1OSwB1EwVqSKA8MxbORaHNUuYQG6dnPnMY4mINNvBQ3viHsEuXOjIFB6x8BLytIztyhDhSk8tRTnQxD71KF1LeVqGMsGCjndgOyGb87-2BQzGsyVxz3LqBVPsb4cyvnO1jhhl-2BNmaskiM8O09qqDfBYVqChI-3D) a class polarization "in organized religion, where going to church is increasingly associated with higher education levels, with ambition and upward mobility, while secularization is often strongest among the downwardly mobile and disaffected, people who aren't choosing atheism but are simply drifting away from church." Where are you seeing this trend in your church or community, if anywhere? What questions or concerns does it raise for you? 3. Rural areas are more religious than urban, observes Jesuit priest Thomas Reese. People who move away from family and neighbors "tend to lose contact with their religion. In villages and ethnic neighborhoods, if you were not at church, the neighbors noticed and commented. In the past, social pressure kept people going to church even when they no longer wanted to. Now, nobody cares if you don't go to church. It is a personal choice, a commitment you have to make on your own." What kind of social pressure do you feel to go to church, if any? How is your participation a personal choice? What would encourage your neighbors to make such a choice? 4. "I think people [are going] back to authenticity," [says 28-year-old "Duck Dynasty" star Sadie Robertson Huff](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPNnRLkPfLAMpP6p3RttiMUH1BGdOik4V7qPU0sFivl95QJzfGZbKuDxgxvzOQXXUYiZGg-2BbmGuyDXZQeW2pE3jFGiS3jb1uAeCCXVpJz8GUuysriF7Dbs-2FFJGUcR48Q9s7pXqqHN0REwFfodz45YQPY2A-2BmmPLQKQy945xVxq4ijWBrV_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePp5vJj7nC5S6Oe2E4rlItNd0otcgbzm3PEsdGCAf17wqz7Yz1bk3BNYdQ4BC82aoxo7JdajQBJDxoXbMiuIhmZo44y8VtmBK-2FXx408cQEe4z-2FAEgKogzRhNSfn-2BVkkGxr-2FThDNo5IomVyvBEDrVm8XdNjf15j19l7ebBWjEHqH2EoEksjfv0cbd65ltOphS7mI-2BQkTFV4JfTPMC8CMjvmtg-3D). They "are kind of tired of faking it … just going with the flow, like, just like, no, I want hope. I want something real. I want somebody to be honest with me. I want truth. I want to really experience what God has for me in this life. I want to live on purpose. And I think that's a beautiful thing." Respond. **Responding to the News** Look for signs of revival in your church and community. Participate in activities that are grounded in God's word, focused on reconciliation, and filled with God's Spirit. Trust that God is always at work, in ways that lead people to Jesus. **Prayer** We thank you, God, that your Word became flesh in Jesus, so that all who believe in him would be given the gift of everlasting life. May your Spirit continue to blow where it chooses, inspiring people to gather in Christian community and find new meaning and purpose for life. In Jesus' name. Amen. ****Copyright 2026 Communication Resources**** [Unsubscribe From This List](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/asm/unsubscribe/?user_id=14323725&data=D_hhkoYBqltgHsXAX1JEHI8volMiQ51jWg7OuWzJarBoMDAwdTAwMDBlCI0oU2wiuxuyNFZXU7Hugx1EF_AAgI-PvXiKxXJlGLhkc9MRApZI2nzvmCRT-qk-QjfQR6Bd2MO7d3NZcNIX9LTXMIBvgRFZgfYcHcULJwmAzAdhPZNu1vAXSadC7t2iNyeNG2u2SA-OjAMUSBCErow2DMnfWuzIPv3OpcP-5mMb5U9LsF5OFDZMpk2VotNdgRxY84Pr_mKpK9ulQN_okjryWKQ8cB92XaPx-1-73K-yYeoOc44DN0PYfM6HdIRejHxjx0N-MUjMySNwjUgo7XKF8frqTZn7_KnNp71aYKvCySKg9vPTHQEzICm0dNqNExOznLRfC9152eElP_BKFp4Kqaxvzx7X4KGp5Vgr7Bm-pEyDaOlof8knD0z9N2cfPIhSX6qDVpI8u2znmWy7-i94mZ5VRGryp6hwP9dF_qF89lqu5njhGlmIkwvoVcAIkFwSiiXZqcu8sDtWqocxg5qIXqkKVGwfnWqJ7gYzAn1v2TBxuYinSYSE510Ao_TlFVCXyU5zy_0kL8y5zt3PDWsfctjrE7E6c99LRFZpcKrKo0QwkPmRfha7y2qg3RJKZ4olHQNI6ImkovO-u2o=) <div>Dear Class Members, Last year, the nonreligious share of the American population dropped again. The portion that is atheist-agnostic is back to the 2014 level. The Roman Catholic Church is seeing a rise in conversions in many areas. What is going on? This installment of The Wired Word will focus on revival, conversion and church growth. <center><img src="https://www.thewiredword.com/\_img/tww\_logo\_email.jpg"/></center> Signs of Religious Revival in the United States The Wired Word for the Week of April 19, 2026 In the News <div style="mso-element: para-border-div; border: none; border-bottom: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in 0in .25in 0in; background: white;"> With the pews in many churches packed on Easter Sunday, people are talking about a religious revival in the United States. There is evidence to support this. The atheist-agnostic share of the population is back down to where it was in 2014. Bible sales have risen steadily since 2021, Roman Catholics are seeing a rise in conversions in many American dioceses, and young men are flocking to Eastern Orthodox churches (see "Young Men Now More Religious Than Young Women," The Wired Word for the week of October 20, 2024). After rising over the course of 15 years, the nonreligious share of the American population stopped growing in the early 2020s. "Ever since," writes Ross Douthat in The New York Times, "there's been a vigorous debate over whether this plateau is a precursor to religious revival or just a leveling off preceding a further fall from faith." There is no hard evidence that Gen Z (born from 1997 through 2012) is more religious than the millennials (born from 1981 through 1996). The recent increase in attendance in some churches may just be an ongoing recovery from the pandemic. Douthat uses Roman Catholicism as an example of how there can be trends in a church that are in conflict with one another. On the revival side, there is currently a big rise in conversions to Roman Catholicism across many American dioceses. On the decline side, a recent survey reveals that Catholicism loses far more Catholics than it gains in converts. Putting these trends together, says Douthat, "helps explain a key reason this debate is so unsettled: It's entirely possible for a faith to experience revival and decline simultaneously." According to Religion News Service, 34,501 adults in the United States were baptized into the Catholic Church in 2024. This is up from the pandemic year of 2020, when only 25,356 were baptized. But 2024 is lower than the pre-pandemic year of 2019, when 35,799 adults were baptized. Looking back over the decades, the number of baptisms has been generally decreasing since 1964, when 118,622 adults were baptized. "It would take a huge increase in adult baptisms to get anywhere near the numbers we had then," says Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest. "And until that happens, we should not speak of a Catholic revival." Fox News reports a nationwide surge in baptism and church attendance, with young adults returning to religious traditions. According to commentator Lawrence Jones, "We’ve seen an epidemic of loneliness. It's a basic human fact. People need community. Today, they're finding it in faith." Jones explores the resurgence of Jewish life following the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel, and the renewed sense of identity within the Jewish community. He profiles the Ablaze Youth Choir, a group that is remixing traditional gospel for a new generation, and speaks with actor Zachary Levi about his attempts to bring a faith-based perspective back to Hollywood. While it appears that secularization has currently stalled, the past few decades have seen about 40 million Americans leave the church. This departure has had extraordinary effects, writes Lauren Jackson in The New York Times: "It changed how people gather, vote, marry, volunteer and find meaning in their lives." These changes are profound, and they cannot be reversed by simply returning to worship. Real conversion requires that people change their identities. "Young people today say that they are interested in spirituality and are longing for community. Almost by definition, that is what Christianity is supposed to provide," says Reese, the Jesuit priest. "The church also needs to be more welcoming if people are to see a community that they want to join. This means more than offering coffee and doughnuts after Mass. The church must be a place where people are spiritually nourished and feel welcomed and at home. That would cause a real Catholic revival." Lauren Jackson, host of the Believing newsletter, says that it is "important to recognize that something is, indeed, shifting in the culture." Silicon Valley billionaires are embracing church, Hollywood is making religious movies again, and pop stars are singing about faith. "All of that is pretty new, and would have been hard to imagine even 10 years ago," she concludes. "Before we declare 'revival,' though, we're going to need more data." More on this story can be found at these links: <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPrcrazHfVJKn-2B7HnFm2vxy9BojtbdsdUD83-2BtGq-2FKcTfg4LEptedDlUiAwrlRLDS3DXHsc0awOPZs4kEYS1lXp8fYwU\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePkAdkvAvSMbq36cqaBRcmALtZGR3SzROObCcp5IzkVbHcCVDo0zFBvtHwHnzhAp0fQBJXpLh0-2FEWGmZL0zuJTe-2BXL5B8wJ-2Bednh-2Fnu4YG4MSqz-2F9id-2F3Se7P7KjbjE5j8teYoMVTSrS-2B3BrpnpqJYGsM5WMymhqDleQwDekfoB0vBTsrcgzn75Qs0O7qyk0ECwy6RvDepiPHnevw529jUvM-3D">Opinion: Is There a Religious Revival in America? </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPrcrazHfVJKn-2B7HnFm2vxy9BojtbdsdUD83-2BtGq-2FKcTfg4LEptedDlUiAwrlRLDS3DXHsc0awOPZs4kEYS1lXp8bKKS\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePoMZMrb80TBHLbBimEtUpG7-2FI9Pexb2ig6lOZueiTo-2F6pUPhB31Z0WSmo-2FMM820W5J-2Fe5MsU8-2BSZngark4bfQPk8uDSLy7XgcxgPdlv-2BcRg-2BvnNHWRaHUKUhrZErIK5RtuiRTIVpchlf3L-2FAtQ9bu24YMGJwg9TgdHHbpf3sT-2BMA9ziCYt4MgNVRT3U59wUCEFnaKscnfHso7smd2RK7E0c-3D">The New York Times</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPCHqQGefcQySWH-2Bid1tRnzZFisxjrOSH0Q2XtdDt-2BfMnvDwdNDcMtqCU8P-2BFaMT183SiU5fCAMIrRwCXY3-2FqO5FvYw6o-2B9z2duogO-2B-2BUSPxHuUSC1MYDIDR0QwHQEIBhRkpKNtmglylZvVN73U6OKnw-3Do6HJ\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePvGWNj6DeK-2Fz-2BZrQe0wCBJ5VAgkswe2LCtnzNWfWKtKK7Vw1fFQhRtYUYba4bdh3MUk-2FfBb-2FuCMFz5uQg-2Fh5f3OuZyqR70AekEx8IQiQknWeDdrbBFuG0BsxeB36uofGO8zS1JLjVDrlbqjxqxw4tGDcIzf3fsURqznofqqyvEGoOAMvqjAdULiuo1skfj1DTTcczaXUjD-2BrTtIGhCaS26g-3D">Why We Are Not in a Catholic Revival -- Despite Increase in Adult Baptisms. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPCHqQGefcQySWH-2Bid1tRnzZFisxjrOSH0Q2XtdDt-2BfMnvDwdNDcMtqCU8P-2BFaMT183SiU5fCAMIrRwCXY3-2FqO5FvYw6o-2B9z2duogO-2B-2BUSPxHuUSC1MYDIDR0QwHQEIBhRkpKNtmglylZvVN73U6OKnw-3DCbqu\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePlh383m00rHBnyw6epZavcadTGDZ-2Fe8tu8Cg08NT6RSyV1RyyzdY1YC28h4kKVlIUPPGWMQDSHxPjVJR1kb-2Bn0FhL91r130PdqjcSujb26QSfoEMbrrqymfza6GVgKpIIqUnm3pReYi5rv507LQP4-2FvOrSL99PMiz4VfaxXIzLA-2FfveZlvZ03X92qW2pxOSLipGEIk626uezDDS8v-2B1yF3c-3D">Religion News</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPNnRLkPfLAMpP6p3RttiMUGZb7KRbvTmVLLs7b3hrfc2HYqC-2Bg-2FEBjJySSursPyY37R4JUnJMQ1pgOhGly6xzL3tejGlNAIpAwPExPUMIKTwyG9K9AEAB66tapVFmkIcqUDEb4EBI3oYfwgf5DdOqgk-3DR9Q-\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePuqX7dQJv1sLJUIL2LbZ-2BNVkCNAG1G51rZrpkou7e9k-2B8taSZeFDcFUUnl0Zt-2BwHKB62Cl-2BmbazIYQy6ladOvt8kuQsR1uq8dDnlXl9o7ps1BJaauZJLbvX8fmapTXl4sspdpLH99CG2p8CJvh4AkSdadtu7S43kLkRMtcPoJQbTI1OqMmF2kvQeTqVaY-2B-2BmviE4gG-2BenvXpwRQVPorpjuM-3D">Lawrence Jones Reveals Why a New Generation Is Returning to God in Fox Nation's 'Revival.' </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPNnRLkPfLAMpP6p3RttiMUGZb7KRbvTmVLLs7b3hrfc2HYqC-2Bg-2FEBjJySSursPyY37R4JUnJMQ1pgOhGly6xzL3tejGlNAIpAwPExPUMIKTwyG9K9AEAB66tapVFmkIcqUDEb4EBI3oYfwgf5DdOqgk-3DD7yY\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePvkdLIgR9E2YIn6D64wFge39uQ8Ik9HdWC7vq7PeHT7df3Sx-2BXcU2GRWxpqCg2TLt-2FirvdrN8i8TQqezK-2B3Zt3329Bewfc83UHEFvAJAdv95Uc444JXjs2hGmP644vkkS-2FOc0DC2iLRwyckTjLc7TBzX6Nb2sMblZb-2F6-2BBFKbdKoQGsxrS-2Fy-2FzuTLbLIBIu2sxz07Zz4sxZIJdM6BDW7-2Blk-3D">Fox News</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPoh9Objg8blXo5HxycrhubndUnhSauuAcNM1cV9sQfSvJb6MXd22r46m73oxsK5gyH96KxKn6Caf-2BkodtfsxqwfaHsB\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePvu3LC-2BK1da22BGeW-2BUwjdi5oFJXxWYxY9YAaNzGccqcvJS7T8enR2cONYin3o8CMsaVFZBukTK8tvJokgSaf6kGB5Wf6gQI-2FPWi2EuaYbdJJdlrmMVnlReciJ3XMxEmDzC7S2t-2Fr0ley5OtlzaLbEgiHaU-2BCFcNNgfuEJdiDuHp-2BnR-2B2ue7OrZsw-2BArL10totOWLM6c3s-2FSfXaH-2B-2BZpwhE-3D">Is Christianity Making a Comeback? </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPoh9Objg8blXo5HxycrhubndUnhSauuAcNM1cV9sQfSvJb6MXd22r46m73oxsK5gyH96KxKn6Caf-2BkodtfsxqwfoO5D\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePjP1c5JhbqcN6vJyAKLZYA1e-2FdOMJO9-2F0x6dXysv52Ns0SVmS2hfRYJCXCoGUWAidrsdAAJmMxz7IizvZS7hhSMebKSDZMxhFQz5Gn9Elbr9J2T-2BtoOnCrcAPMjdTgxUO0BXTMyo00JrxvJELxEEMLPTnIM7ELP6ubzUjfnvQlzkYGExql29elNk-2F91IKDRwFA-2FBxtGHh-2F-2BOoCCjYdILTBs-3D">The New York Times</a> Applying the News Story Discuss where you see signs of revival, conversion and church growth in the United States today and in your own community. Talk about where you see decline as well. The Big Questions 1. Where do you see signs of religious revival today? Where do you see evidence of decline? How can both be present simultaneously in a particular church? 2. How would you define true revival? How does a person's identity change through conversion? 3. The departure of church members in recent decades has impacted every church. What has been the effect on your congregation? How have you responded, if at all, in efforts around church growth? 4. How is your church engaging with young adults? What are the younger generations in your church seeking? 5. What keeps you active in the life of the church? In what areas do you feel a need for personal revival? Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion: 2 Kings 17:15 They despised [God's] statutes and his covenant that he had made with their ancestors and the warnings that he had given them. They went after false idols and became false; they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do as they did. (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxzmbiUTAz53-2FiMOHoDD-2BywYuJZZiOP5-2FcYKdp2e-2FIkroorl4cKcMccikhYP7rFuj6R293\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePkFdECMW5jhhfjBDViGzJjMWL14qSmrVAYJdqYlMUAIznpKfukc4QCpkcs-2B9-2Br800S7Nahgg1Qn9u2QGOHojwAhyh2XS0f71TcHrpWL3-2FES2uU40mdTHDC-2FWO6-2BzGBPH3-2FdOFIwSAnMy9PuVTFffwHYaVKOSDOFWEYK01GJeqVZBxNx4bNVqKVJE5c06ZIDZ9BPcDIbFLAR4SePQ-2FdKmElQ-3D">2 Kings 17:6-23.</a>) Elijah and Elisha are ancient prophets of Judaism and Christianity, and their stories are told in the first and second books of Kings. The name Elijah means "My God is YHWH" (the personal name of God in Hebrew is YHWH), while the name Elisha means "My God is salvation." At the beginning of 2 Kings, Elijah condemns King Ahaziah of Israel for turning to a foreign god, and Elijah calls down fire from heaven on the king's messengers. The importance of faithfulness to YHWH (a name which appears as "LORD" in many Bibles) is a recurring theme in 2 Kings. In the 17th chapter, the king of Assyria takes the Israelites into exile. This is a punishment on the Israelites because they had not kept God's commandments and remained faithful to God's covenant with them. The people of Israel "worshiped other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the people of Israel" (vv. 7-8). Instead of remaining faithful to God, they "went after false idols and became false; they followed the nations that were around them." Because of this behavior, "Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria" (v. 23). <blockquote> Questions: In recent decades, what sorts of false idols have led people away from participation in the church? What is the value of faithfulness to God, in ancient Israel and today? Why are some people today returning from "exile" and seeking a relationship with God? </blockquote> Psalm 119:25 My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to your word. (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxqeSUAn-2B-2Bl1-2FWXpdQetpZnDcqGczBWgtxIj15rr1drqq14lKoStfa2XVleF5ujUy1tz3v\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePvQu8VkLqdkXpEgkphdOFhx1nVXkQcIS7t4wtrNjKWkp2gW39vdQxn1vyTxWxQAQGjzeI7f7FsWS66bTCEL1O0V5Od8dxKRqkyCzaZp9z561c4CB-2Bl3mH93XtK7c7SlweGaWyBm3UXrSMU-2F6o1aeXM-2Bz6nx5BQ3wt8vGY8AxuVUApu8Vt-2FtrirL24V5RKNnP31XL2Av37Rv0YKga1Lafayw-3D">Psalm 119:17-32.</a>) The Hebrew title for the book of Psalms is Tehillim, which is translated "Praises." Together, this collection of praise songs served as the hymnbook of the people of Israel. It is a collection of 150 prayers and songs that give praise to God, give thanks to God, and make requests of God. Psalm 119 focuses on the glories of God's law, and the writer makes the request: "Open my eyes, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your law" (v. 18). The psalm-writer is full of longing for the commandments of God, and he considers God's decrees to be not only his "delight" but his "counselors" (v. 24). The psalm makes clear that God's word is the key to religious revival. The writer prays to God, "Revive me according to your word." He sees God's word as a source of strength, and makes the commitment, "I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your ordinances before me. … I run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding" (vv. 30, 32). <blockquote> Questions: How has God's word been the key to revival, both historically and today? What is meant here by "God's word"? What are other possible meanings of "God’s word"? How has the word of God enlarged your understanding? What role does God's word play in the life of your church, and in your personal life? </blockquote> John 3:3 Jesus answered [Nicodemus], "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxdtbt6bH-2Fhcc2GTT0q2impU3oGTJEaBfykkvrWivB7Kp6cSxKzYh5PK01-2BbphywvIWdKT\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePsWCYJG0KJ16OSLomNO7-2Fhp2HbtYliM5DGpds5xRJoEfX9kpCQUhcAooHHB5izOKBOzNrvofjLaCDA88Cyo6Bg2CTYNaFPghsqIpewQw56xM6JW-2BZmHiqA4HX71XO1ErHanDe-2BzmtWmjyTqj-2BIR6aIhZc9u1BCrxbs9Nl8nfywHxmm5fCVf13m7m2nNQP5FCd4TVHkitjLOqKEX-2BRzi76GM-3D">John 3:1-17</a>.) The Gospel of John begins by saying, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (1:1), echoing both the creation story in Genesis 1 and the passage about Divine Wisdom in Proverbs 8. John's account of the life of Jesus stands apart from the other gospels, and his first chapter says that "the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth" (1:14). This Word is logos in the Greek of the New Testament, and here it means God's reason or plan. In chapter 3, God's plan becomes clear when a Pharisee named Nicodemus visits Jesus in the night. This leader of the Jews acknowledges that Jesus is a teacher from God, and then Jesus says that "no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." The Greek "born from above" can also be translated "born anew," signifying that spiritual renewal is both the work of God and an experience of spiritual renewal. When Nicodemus becomes confused about how a person can be born a second time, Jesus makes clear that it is the work of God's Spirit. Jesus goes on to say that belief in him is the key to eternal life, and he offers a line that is probably the most famous verse in the entire Bible, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." Martin Luther called it "the gospel in miniature." <blockquote> Questions: How would you describe your own experience of being born from above, born anew, or born again? Where do you see the Spirit working for renewal in the church today? How do you, in your daily life, express your belief in Jesus? What difference does it make? </blockquote> 2 Corinthians 5:17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being! (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzx5N3asDrM8aLtAZM6HVDt1aw9adGFzqR9ClYZox8YyW2BnEaNyC6c-2FpNiw-2B-2FDnV1nq7kLIyxKgyb2uUYcXP-2BqGA-3D-3DCsC4\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePsmBS31RPM8R-2Bri1sh3xkdZqPfTfb1Ab0tLSf-2FnhWiftTau5ZwkKMfLxvoQg9CTUGE1R0Nm5-2F4gBp2V6GCAmjMbO-2Fw5tLxSyMrgtC0cX3S31Sl8esFJVDTarTRVdTDG9INa8OhHmNzXHC9UuwqeHuEHBAzv2sRyPwvLplRartfljlqOHbg7WLlDwJoM8j4wLHWCpI5HbX1AZG9a4wq-2FJIMk-3D">2 Corinthians 5:16-21</a>.) Paul's second letter to the Corinthians was written after he became estranged from this community and feared that another visit would be painful (2:1). Although he wanted to visit Corinth, he felt that his leadership there was being questioned, and his ministry was being disrupted by people who were false apostles (11:13). If he came to the city, he feared there would be "quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder" (12:20). Paul loved the Corinthians and, more than anything else, wanted peace with them. So, in chapter 5, he describes what it means to become "a new creation" in Jesus Christ, a conversion in which "everything old has passed away" and "new things have come into being." The center of this new identity is the work of reconciliation, which started with God, the one who "reconciled us to himself through Christ" (v. 18). It continues with us, who are given "the ministry of reconciliation" (v. 18). This identity is thoroughly Christ-centered, because "in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself … and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us" (v. 19). For Paul, reconciliation is the heart of Christian identity -- reconciliation of people to God, and people to one another. You may be interested in the <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJru3K2T-2F7AkU00Cmw7KlPa2IvLl2ovM17zishG6ClFDdVKwx69xTwN-2FRe-2FecYXCQg-3D-3DriiY\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePpC97EIJLvWAHgHctFVsaPQMsnzlIKDEk5idm79tktFoNBu2wI0XHXlfEyalG0WYHyz2-2FwCZrSGY5aHlsmIkepeykoHlijHma7LtBu8xCO4ZH6Al2hhOlkDbsydVffuKJVuNEh7a074xe0XgMzf-2FJqgJt2XQBEZz2585sezFbgDUPOoTkLmtpoI8-2FjA4o-2Fr1zSRfFWCMPWB01C40sVIT3Mc-3D">Confession of 1967</a>, a Presbyterian (USA) confession that is all about reconciliation. <blockquote> Questions: What does it mean to you to be a new creation in Christ? How is it tied to God's work of reconciliation? How is a ministry of reconciliation practiced in your church? </blockquote> For Further Discussion 1. TWW Team Member Mary M. Sells wonders if people coming to church today are looking for ways to gain community and strength. How do current trends reflect a desire for societal and personal change? Does your church have insight into why it is increasing or declining in attendance? How can your congregation be better involved in God's work of revival? 2. <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPrcrazHfVJKn-2B7HnFm2vxy9BojtbdsdUD83-2BtGq-2FKcTfg4LEptedDlUiAwrlRLDS3DXHsc0awOPZs4kEYS1lXp8LccP\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePtyWuZCNw6asWcdNNlj7BvDfro-2F4Q6BV0qVKs9Rrb8VICY1BpoySIWi40zlnH1OSwB1EwVqSKA8MxbORaHNUuYQG6dnPnMY4mINNvBQ3viHsEuXOjIFB6x8BLytIztyhDhSk8tRTnQxD71KF1LeVqGMsGCjndgOyGb87-2BQzGsyVxz3LqBVPsb4cyvnO1jhhl-2BNmaskiM8O09qqDfBYVqChI-3D">Commentator Ross Douthat is seeing</a> a class polarization "in organized religion, where going to church is increasingly associated with higher education levels, with ambition and upward mobility, while secularization is often strongest among the downwardly mobile and disaffected, people who aren't choosing atheism but are simply drifting away from church." Where are you seeing this trend in your church or community, if anywhere? What questions or concerns does it raise for you? 3. Rural areas are more religious than urban, observes Jesuit priest Thomas Reese. People who move away from family and neighbors "tend to lose contact with their religion. In villages and ethnic neighborhoods, if you were not at church, the neighbors noticed and commented. In the past, social pressure kept people going to church even when they no longer wanted to. Now, nobody cares if you don't go to church. It is a personal choice, a commitment you have to make on your own." What kind of social pressure do you feel to go to church, if any? How is your participation a personal choice? What would encourage your neighbors to make such a choice? 4. "I think people [are going] back to authenticity,"<a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPNnRLkPfLAMpP6p3RttiMUH1BGdOik4V7qPU0sFivl95QJzfGZbKuDxgxvzOQXXUYiZGg-2BbmGuyDXZQeW2pE3jFGiS3jb1uAeCCXVpJz8GUuysriF7Dbs-2FFJGUcR48Q9s7pXqqHN0REwFfodz45YQPY2A-2BmmPLQKQy945xVxq4ijWBrV\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmVz8CVFWsg1g97ycsUaInHR0g6kWNBYG7CxebU-2B0DuP-2Bv64TJh-2FOiYj78-2Fq9W3pePp5vJj7nC5S6Oe2E4rlItNd0otcgbzm3PEsdGCAf17wqz7Yz1bk3BNYdQ4BC82aoxo7JdajQBJDxoXbMiuIhmZo44y8VtmBK-2FXx408cQEe4z-2FAEgKogzRhNSfn-2BVkkGxr-2FThDNo5IomVyvBEDrVm8XdNjf15j19l7ebBWjEHqH2EoEksjfv0cbd65ltOphS7mI-2BQkTFV4JfTPMC8CMjvmtg-3D"> says 28-year-old "Duck Dynasty" star Sadie Robertson Huff</a>. They "are kind of tired of faking it … just going with the flow, like, just like, no, I want hope. I want something real. I want somebody to be honest with me. I want truth. I want to really experience what God has for me in this life. I want to live on purpose. And I think that's a beautiful thing." Respond. Responding to the News Look for signs of revival in your church and community. Participate in activities that are grounded in God's word, focused on reconciliation, and filled with God's Spirit. Trust that God is always at work, in ways that lead people to Jesus. Prayer We thank you, God, that your Word became flesh in Jesus, so that all who believe in him would be given the gift of everlasting life. May your Spirit continue to blow where it chooses, inspiring people to gather in Christian community and find new meaning and purpose for life. In Jesus' name. Amen. </div> Copyright 2026 Communication Resources <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/asm/unsubscribe/?user\_id=14323725&data=D\_hhkoYBqltgHsXAX1JEHI8volMiQ51jWg7OuWzJarBoMDAwdTAwMDBlCI0oU2wiuxuyNFZXU7Hugx1EF\_AAgI-PvXiKxXJlGLhkc9MRApZI2nzvmCRT-qk-QjfQR6Bd2MO7d3NZcNIX9LTXMIBvgRFZgfYcHcULJwmAzAdhPZNu1vAXSadC7t2iNyeNG2u2SA-OjAMUSBCErow2DMnfWuzIPv3OpcP-5mMb5U9LsF5OFDZMpk2VotNdgRxY84Pr\_mKpK9ulQN\_okjryWKQ8cB92XaPx-1-73K-yYeoOc44DN0PYfM6HdIRejHxjx0N-MUjMySNwjUgo7XKF8frqTZn7\_KnNp71aYKvCySKg9vPTHQEzICm0dNqNExOznLRfC9152eElP\_BKFp4Kqaxvzx7X4KGp5Vgr7Bm-pEyDaOlof8knD0z9N2cfPIhSX6qDVpI8u2znmWy7-i94mZ5VRGryp6hwP9dF\_qF89lqu5njhGlmIkwvoVcAIkFwSiiXZqcu8sDtWqocxg5qIXqkKVGwfnWqJ7gYzAn1v2TBxuYinSYSE510Ao\_TlFVCXyU5zy\_0kL8y5zt3PDWsfctjrE7E6c99LRFZpcKrKo0QwkPmRfha7y2qg3RJKZ4olHQNI6ImkovO-u2o=">Unsubscribe From This List</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/open?upn=u001.ri3TO7QGEXgsxcVdo6-2BoAGTuuWiDEfH5lVjP7AVQ-2Bcl7JaDKdeJ1ydQkXpTFAEqRD2SOncm40jgMuVls37ZLseTP-2Bc5kaLjFJf1Q3kw4FZdt1YoCkYWvLa1l-2BT-2F-2F8yIUiLbFHrmn64p2Xwmffzl3edR6Ty8TRKnThBIufHec6MYr94WZQxWVvMWvfNqNZdVSm2JpSP2sJuJ7h3Z8Ne0G7lUcy6M0-2FqCt6Vf9yP97P-2Blexn2kdFQRcsIstoXFDZP5jPn4BQTgEh2tuTXfgR0DijH1rVUbcEWNsg9EiWM-2FapVvRBuQccYxDio1uTtTEjubD7eOc66X6Z8Yc-2Fy4HGAk5GKxM1AzygDShlgroK65eYiT7-2FaeaKm5JehS7dVWvtB3ClsSwzM0bXnywU-2F-2FLlk6cc8AMzHUhobluzMBa1wYjiocHXasAPMCGJgRHuA2xPHSEnQRoMeHH2hNd6DzL-2Fj13lTcWwUaJ6kYPfZffL3jn4w-3D" style="height:1px !important;width:1px !important;border-width:0 !important;margin-top:0 !important;margin-bottom:0 !important;margin-right:0 !important;margin-left:0 !important;padding-top:0 !important;padding-bottom:0 !important;padding-right:0 !important;padding-left:0 !important;" width="1"/> </div>, The Wired Word for 04/19/2026, The Wired Word, 01kp9gtgwgwk0z9e10xrfagc9q.