This past Thanksgiving week, I, along with 165 other Orange Lutheran students had the pleasure of serving God through serving others in Leslie County, Kentucky. Whether we were building ramps, repairing roofs, bringing spirit to nursing homes, or giving lessons in STEM to elementary students, our mission was to spread the gospel and carry out God’s calling to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ. This trip opened my eyes to various realities about Christianity in the modern world.
Christianity is experiencing rapid decline in the United States. In 2009, 77% of American adults claimed to be Christians or at least practicing believers in Christ in some capacity. 23% identified as Catholic and atheists and agnostics only made up 12% of the population in America. These numbers have changed significantly. According to a 2019 study, only 65% of Americans identify as Catholic or Christian and 26% are agnostic or atheist. It is projected that by 2070, the number of American adults that identify as Catholic or Christian will shrink to 35%, and the main demographic of people leaving the church are people aged 15-29 that grew up around religion.
Why is this a bad thing? Most Americans and people around the world will agree that the US is falling into severe moral decline. School and mass shootings rage across America while crime rates soar. Depression and suicide is at an all time high. In 2019, 47,511 Americans died by suicided Andover 1.4 million attempted. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 10 to 34, second only to gun violence.
As middle aged and teenaged Americans drift from religion in general, the world has become violent, people have become depressed, and morality has declined. Religion offers not just salvation, but distinct moral codes. Christianity, for example, follows the Ten Commandments telling people not to murder, to love others as themselves, and not to cheat or steal. As Christians, we are to love others more than ourselves and to serve each other as such. This trip to the Appalachian region of Kentucky, which is rich in faith, has demonstrated the power Christianity brings to those in economic and situational despair. Many of the people in Leslie Count do not come from money and were born into broken homes and unfortunate situations. However, these people are the prime example John 14:8 which states that if God is all you have, you have all you need. Their happiness and love prevails through economic struggle as well as struggle with addiction or abuse. The world can take a lesson from the people of Leslie County on how keeping Christ at the center of your life brings a strengthened moral compass and a happiness made possible through the promise of eternal life.
PC: https://buildingontheword.org/what-to-do-with-a-cross/
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