From the Home Place

May 18, 2026

Good morning, MOISTURE!!! Oh, it may not be the inches of rain that we need, but it is a blessing, and we thank you Lord Jesus for taking care of Your creation!

For today, let’s talk about American Christianity. May I suggest to you that you tap into the “Barna Group” to find relevant statistics about today’s world. A world that is for the most part, walking away from the organized church. Stats show that church attendance is nearly one-half the number it was twenty years ago.

For the most part, the younger the generation, the less likely a person is to look to the church for spiritual guidance. More teen and college age people of today look for spiritual guidance from “social contacts” more often than they turn to the church to assist them in drawing closer to God. Both Gen Z (born 1997-2012) and Millennial (born 1981-1996) generations feel that the opinion of their peers is of greater value than the teachings or words of older generations.

Yet, it is interesting that each of these generations feel that “sharing life stories” is of great value. That means these two generations are less likely to attend a formal “study” but are quite likely to sit with older person at a coffee shop and talk about life experiences. That is, they want to tell you about their life experiences, and they also want you to tell them about your life. Yet, they do not want you to be critical or judgmental about where they are in their life experience.

May I suggest that the Gen Z and Millennial generations are open to visiting with you about Jesus, but they want to see Him at work in your life before they decide to follow Him. In other words, they are interested in only “authentic faith.”

You see my friends, the young people among us are at a point that if walking with Jesus hasn’t made a significant change in your life, why would they want to waste their precious time believing in a God who doesn’t make a difference in the world around them. However, it they do see that Christianity has made a real change in who you are, they are quite likely to want to talk with you about how such a faith has changed you and could possibly, positively impact their life as well.

So, rather than condemning these young folks, perhaps we need to open our homes and lives to them and share stories with them as how walking with Jesus has transformed our life. However, you must be ready to allow them to challenge your belief as they test the genuine value of said faith.

Yep, it’s a different world out there today, but hiding in our churches and complaining about all of the people who do not attend church is not going to change the world either. Once again, we need to follow the example of Jesus, we have to live our lives among the people we are called to make disciples of. For you see, the way Jesus loved people is still relevant for today.

It seems that the best way to reach today’s world it to invite them as the Apostle Paul invited his generation when he wrote these words in the second half of 2 Thessalonians 3:9, “but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.” As I have often said, “We need to be careful to set a good track for other to follow, always ending up at the foot of the cross of Christ.”

After all, using my life as an example, Jesus is the only one who can transform a person’s life. It always amazes me that we get to invite others to “follow me as I follow Jesus,” thus introducing them to the One who has changed us, and can also change others.

In Ephesians 3, the Apostle Paul concludes his prayer with these words in verses 20-21, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within you, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, Amen.” Please note his mention of “all generations.” Every person, regardless of their generation, needs to experience the love of Jesus Christ as He lives through your life.

Valuing people who are important to Jesus with you, Neal