Surgeon General: Church Attendance Is Healthy
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Surgeon General: Church Attendance Is Healthy
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According to a Surgeon General speaking for the government, church attendance contributes to better mental and physical health. A decline in church attendance may be leading to the widespread health issues America is experiencing.
From The Washingt0n Stand. In a recent official government report, the Biden administration has warned that Americans’ “health may be undermined” due to their “decline in participation” in church services and other religious activities.
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Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued the first-ever government advisory on the “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” earlier this month, calling persistent isolation an “urgent public health issue” that impacts the physical and mental health of millions. “Research shows that loneliness and isolation are associated with a greater risk of heart disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death,” says Murthy in an online video released to coincide with the report. …
Unfortunately, Murthy writes, Americans have become disconnected from one of the institutions that can forge deep and permanent social connections: church attendance. “Religious or faith-based groups can be a source for regular social contact, serve as a community of support, provide meaning and purpose, create a sense of belonging around shared values and beliefs, and are associated with reduced risk-taking behaviors,” Murthy writes. …
“Membership in organizations that have been important pillars of community connection have declined significantly,” including “faith organizations,” writes Murthy. “In 2020, only 47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue, or mosque. This is down from 70% in 1999 and represents a dip below 50% for the first time in the history of the survey question.”
Experts have known about the fraying web of meaningful personal relationships for decades. For instance, the percentage of American men who said they have no close friends had increased 500% between 1990 and 2021. But a persistent sense of abandonment reached societal proportions during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Church attendance and health issues have an inverse relationship, according to multiple studies, including a new report released by evangelical pollster George Barna.
The percentage of millennials who attended a church worship service, either in-person or online, dropped by seven percentage points over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, says the study from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University (ACU), where Barna is director of research. …
In part, Americans became disconnected from churches because of the churches — and government policies shutting down churches while allowing marijuana dispensaries to remain open.
“The last three years have been a time of high anxiety for tens of millions of adults. It was an ideal time for the Christian church to provide wise guidance and emotional calm. Unfortunately, most churches agreed to the government’s dictate that they close their doors and remain mostly silent,” says Barna in a statement accompanying the ACU’s research. …
Millennials were not the only demographic to give up congregational worship. Generation X saw their church attendance fall 13 points, from 41% to 28%. Although 53% of the oldest American generation attends church, that’s a three-point drop from 2020. Only Baby Boomers became “more likely now than they were before COVID-19 to read the Bible, praise and worship God, seek and do God’s will, and attend church services,” says the report.
During the pandemic, “every generation turns to their worldview to navigate the challenges,” says Barna. “As a nation, we may be past the danger of COVID-19, but we’re in the thick of the danger brought about by people relying upon syncretism as their dominant worldview. Biblical churches must see this as a time for an urgent response to the direction society is taking.” …
“While the Left pursues the Great Reset, it is time for the Church to pursue the Great Renewal — leading people’s hearts, minds, and souls back to God and His life principles,” wrote Barna. …
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(Excerpt from The Washington Stand. Photo Credit: Canva)
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Comments
Praying for America!!!
We surely need God’s direction.
My phone says yr letter is too long. I had to edit & condense
Lord God I pray for the truth and not the lies based on church attendance. As it has been said in the book of Revelation, more and more people are falling away from the church and rejecting the word of God and the Holy Bible and what it says. We are obviously living in the last days before Jesus comes and raptures his church along with his children! REPENT and accept Lord God Almighty as your Savior before it’s too late!!!
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it…. yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!” May we as a people, a nation and a CHURCH not forsake the assembling of one another, may we trust the. proven faithfulness of our God and turn from our sins and transgressions for a promise of grace and mercy. For we serve a God who delights in pouring out His Grace and mercy into the lives of His people. The place to experience this is in a Bible teaching Church under the teaching of The Word of God. Jesus Christ holds the key to salvation for all. Seek relationship with Our God and He will lead you to a place you can be challenged and grow in Him. we need church, we need one another for “it’s not by might nor by power, but by Your Spirit'” we shall overcome living in the culture we live in today.
Church attendance was healthy in 2019 before covid also! Thank GOD my church never closed during the mandates! Hopefully Surgeon General Murthy will focus attention on our unhealthy borders, the fentynal that is coming across our borders, children being raped and/or trafficked, the stress and tension of families living close to the borders watching hundreds of thousands of unvetted people in their yards, breaking into their houses, raping their children, robbing their houses, also people in communities all across America having to put up with illegal foreigners in our cities, etc. FATHER GOD, let us never be ignorant of satan’s devices. Help America to survive this administration’s severe incompetence and intentional destruction of our country! Let us have YOUR Heart and pray daily for YOUR help and that YOUR Will be done in earth as it is in Heaven in JESUS MIGHTY NAME! Amen!
Father we thank you for this report about church attendance. Turn our hearts to worship, of being together; may each person find their place and friendships. That is not easy but as we look to you, it can happen. Help us to desire to be a friend to others so we can ease their loneliness. May those who have come to Christ in revivals across the country find a church that teaches your word and will disciple them. Thank you, Jesus that we can encourage each other in this day of trouble!
The Peoples of the United states raise the American Flag and even pray on a daily basis besides Sunday attendance. It is inbreed across all walks of life since inception of Our Constitution and unnecessary to be educated on what is good for the mind and body!
I agree with the article. The source or name associated from, well, let’s just say” not judging is a goal and no one is perfect”. Prayers for all that this article reaches.
Dear Lord, may we have another Azusa St revival all across this nation? May the present revivals continue to grow and spread. Amen.
Breathe your Holy Spirit upon us all. Help me to hear the heart-cries of others. Amen.
Interestingly, I attend church, but I have not one close friend here in the city where God has placed me. After retiring in 2016, we volunteered in parks in the summer, so we were in and out of the community. Then, I had to leave a church in which I did have fellowship being part of the choir. We’ only recently settled into a church here, and have fellowship with the seniors once a month. I attend the ladies Bible study. I still have no one to have conversation with on a daily basis or even weekly. My husband is not much of a conversationalist. Besides, I need fellowship with other women.
My children live in other states, along with the grands and great-grands. What does it take to obtain another life-long friend where I live? What does it take to be welcomed into fellowship with other women? I don’t know any longer. Please pray for me.
Allena, I am experiencing the same thing you are going through. We can only keep our eyes on Jesus, Who is our best friend, and be grateful for the plans He has for us going forward. It takes years to cultivate friendships. Wait on Him and be friendly toward others. He will open those doors. He wants you to depend on Him first and not a friend. Be content, be at peace, serve others.
Such a lovely AND loving response Laura. Amen.
“Wait on Him and be friendly toward others. He will open those doors. He wants you to depend on Him first and not a friend. Be content, be at peace, serve others.”
Allena, I loved Laura’s response to you, such wise words. May God bless you with contentment, peace, and a desire serve others and may your waiting be powerfully enriching. Amen
I understand what you are saying! Keep reaching out to others and stay in touch with old friends. May God bless you with many covenant friends!
Allena.
I receive the daily devotional from Kim Potter and find it to really uplifting:
https://anewthingministries.com/
Press on
praying God will open the door to meeting even just one or two ladies you ‘click’ with! Bring them even out of nowhere Lord! I attend a large church , so many opportunities to meet lots of ppl. And be involved in different ministries. I also joined “40 Days for Life” 2 yrs ago, and meet them out on the street to pray in front of local abortion clinics. Met so many awesome ppl this way ! Praying God’s grace and favor over you.
Praise be to God for surgeon General Murthy – perhaps this is God’s person at a very high level inside the Biden administration!
Forgive us Lord when very early on in COVID we as a country did not heed President Trump’s word that our country and especially churches needed to reopen by Easter – he said it was Resurrection Sunday and it would be so appropriate to resurrect our country and churches on that day.
But Lord, we did not listen to Your voice because we as a country didnt like the one who spoke it forth! Forgive us, Lord!
And now, Lord, we thank You that Your ways are higher than our ways and Your thoughts higher than our thoughts! Use surgeon General Murthy and this report to embolden your people within the halls of Congess and throughout our government – that they might rise up and step out in faith to proclaim Your voice. And that we who follow You would do the same!
In the mighty name of Jesus we pray and proclaim Amen!
Churches need to prepare for the coming outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit.
It is time to clean house.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
Praise god! This is a very timely report! Lord, by Your grace, draw MORE people to You. Holy spirit, stir up a hunger for more of You in milleneials . Bring them back to You. In Jesus’ name.
We are created in the image of a triune God, we are body, mind and spirit – we can’t separate our three parts, health to one is health to all. Therefore, it is no surprise our that having a relationship with our almighty, eternal Creator God brings us health not only spiritually, but mentally and physically as well. We are created for relationship with Him and relationship with each other. It’s no surprise we don’t do well trying to live life on our own or in isolation. Isolation is death to us, spiritually, mentally and physically. We saw this truth play out during the pandemic with the implementation of forced isolation – weddings, funerals, birthday parties, graduations, back yard barbecues, church, exercise classes, etc. were forbidden (for our own good, we couldn’t be trusted to make those decisions for ourselves – maybe gatherings of ten were permitted outside – meanwhile the streets were packed with thousands of protesters/rioters for months on end – but that wasn’t a covid concern???) All that to say isolation probably led to the deaths of more people than we realize, people weren’t seeing their doctors and receiving routine care, they weren’t going to the gym (gyms were closed but liquor stores were open) we weren’t allowed to get together with family and friends – it doesn’t take a government funded study to figure out why loneliness, depression and anxiety rose while people’s health declined. Church attendance provides that connection of belonging to a community of fellow believers and gives us that connection to our Creator that is so essential for our human flourishing. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” During the pandemic we were told only “essential” things would remain open – well, turns out church/worshiping with others IS essential to our health – our physical, mental and spiritual health. They are all connected, we will not be physically and mentally healthy without being spiritually healthy, which comes from being connected to our Creator from whom we receive our identity, meaning, purpose and place in this life and the next. God’s presence in our lives provides us His comfort, peace, joy, and hope – hope that most essential, elusive element in life that we need to keep going when times are tough. Hope in God makes us resilient. Experiencing God’s forgiveness allows us to forgive others. The fact that church attendance is associated with positive health outcomes is not a surprise at all – but makes perfect sense. What didn’t make sense was closing churches during a time of great fear, uncertainly, loss and upheaval – turns out it is the churches that are “essential” for us, not the liquor stores and the riots. Lord, thank You that we can still meet together to worship You and study Your word – we know in many countries today this is not the case. May we not take these freedoms for granted but decide to protect them now and in the future. http://www.mtothe5th.wordpress.com
I believe it is up in the body of Christ becuz we know where our hope lies however if the government is saying its up and that’s good for mental health lm concerned especially becuz mental health is obviously an issue and that in the governance
Lord Jesus,
You have restored me in my darkest moments, when I was hit and thrown by a speeding truck at age 12yrs- You allowed me to live a restored physical life and I still succumb to the elements of my weaknesses, yet, a second major accident – Again after disabling news, You Lord kept my mind and body walking! Forgive me, for not accepting Your way by trying to take the credit without Glorifying the Almighty Name of Jesus Christ!! Is 6:1-3
In Jesus Most Precious Name, Amen
All of a sudden your eyes got opened. We thank God for opening their blind eyes. Were fooled by the enemy. We need to pray for our government.
The secular world thinks we are in the land of the living moving towards the land of the dead.
Religious people think we are in the land of the dying moving towards the land of the living.
St Theresa, Little Flower, said life is a short span between two eternities.
Mother Theresa said life is a short stay in a cheap motel.
We will be judged on how much we loved, not on how well we survived.
Lord please help us, we need You. Please call more people into Yourself and may people hear Your call. Other things don’t work but Your word gives us truth, direction and guiding light. Lord please help the young people to come to You too. Amen.
God works in mysterious ways! Please save us oh, Lii oh Lord!
Of course, genuine worship of ALMIGHTY GOD , an intimate walk with the LORD JESUS CHRIST and sweet fellowship with HOLY SPIRIT. promote good health and mental stability.
Psalm 85 KJV
1 Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7 Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.
8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.
Lord, hallowed be thy name.
Forgive us of our iniquities. Let us as a nation, turn from our wicked ways returning to You and Your ways. Open our ears to hear from You. Revive us again. Speak the peace that only comes from You and Your Son Jesus Christ to us. Direct our paths in the way we should go. Let us as a nation not return to folly. Let us not turn away from You. May we seek You and Your ways only. Surely Your salvation is nigh, let us fear You that Your glory may dwell in our land. May mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace come down from heaven and the love of truth spring forth from our land. We trust You to give us that which is good that our land will yield her increase. Thank You Jesus for covering our sin. That we will give You the glory and honor and we’ll rejoice in You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen