Fewer Kids Among Us: Children under age 18 made up 26% of the U.S. population in the year 2000. By 2020, that number will decline to 24%. By contrast, at the end of the baby boom in 1964, kids made up 36% of the population. With fewer kids and longer lives, expect greater need for senior adult ministry.
Pre-Nup Discussions: Children and finances top the list of premarital counseling topics in a new survey. One-third of couple chose those as key issues to cover before saying “I do.” Only 19% claim that religion is important, while 7% cite work-life issues.
Techno-Frazzled: What do computers, cell phones and digital video recorders add to our lives? About one in ten adults feel overwhelmed by new technologies that make life more hectic. The majority of adults (56%) like the new stuff, while 32% said it made no difference to them.
If God’s voice were a ring tone, would people answer?
We Need ZZZs: If they’re sleeping in church, it’s because they don’t sleep at home. Lack of shut-eye is dunning our days, including job performance. Nearly one quarter of those polled report catching a few winks while in a meeting, while 18% say a presentation suffered as a result, and 14% blame lack of sleep for missing a meeting or a flight. In Books & Culture, Lauren Winner called on Christians to do a really counter-cultural thing—stop your overachieving and get a good night’s sleep.
—poll results from USA Today Snapshots
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