Is Pot Legal in Your State Yet?

Support for legalization of marijuana is growing. According to a survey from Public Religion Research Institute, 58% of white mainline Protestants support legalization and 54% of black Protestants support legalization. But 69% of white evangelical Protestants oppose legalization. According to Pew Research Center, 52% of Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana and 65% of Millennials are in favor as well, up from 36% in 2008.

52% of Americans are in favor of legalizing

As public opinion changes, church leaders are trying to figure out the best way to respond. Religion News Service correspondent Sarah Pulliam Bailey writes that leaders are " … torn over how to uphold traditional understandings of sin and morality amid a rapidly changing tide of public opinion."

— From Religion News Service, Feb. 3, 2014.

For Millennials Work Is Personal

Those tech-savvy Millennials practically live online, so working in cyberspace must be their preference, right? Not so, according to a recent study that found they prefer a workplace setting over telecommuting.

"Millennials actually like to work in teams more than their elders … "

While Millennials use technology more than any other generation, they are using that technology to enhance in-person relationships, including work relationships. USA Today explains, "Millennials actually like to work in teams more than their elders, so employers should guard against overemphasizing tech connectedness at the expense of the esprit de corps that face time produces."

There's a lesson here for churches wanting to reach Millennials. Forgoing face-to-face time for online connections may be a mistake. Only in the context of real time, in-person relationships will Millennials thrive and build up the church with their gifts.

—From USA Today, Jan. 21, 2014.

Shalt Nots for Tweeters

The Church of England is encouraging its members to spread the gospel through social media but warns that Twitter and other social media are "full of unholy temptations such as the rush to gain retweets and followers."

The Diocese of Bath & Wells is encouraging their followers to think, "Is this my story to share? Would I want my mum to read this? Would I want God to read this?" They have also published the following "Nine Commandments of Twitter."

Don't rush in
Remember updates are transient, yet permanent
You are an ambassador for the church
Do not hide behind anonymity
Think about the blurring of public/private life boundaries
Safeguarding: communicating directly online is like meeting someone in private
Stay within the legal framework
Respect confidentiality
Be mindful of your own security

As of this time, there is no plan to write these commandments in stone.

— From The Guardian, Jan. 22, 2014.

Church, Violence, and Public Schools

The Barna Group reported on three major faith and culture trends to watch this year.

69% of practicing Christians believe violent video games directly contribute to violence in America.

The first is that the role of "church" is generating more skeptics and stronger defenders.

This trend was exemplified by the recent cyber skirmish sparked when popular author Donald Miller blogged about the fact that he no longer attends church because he doesn't connect with God through songs and sermons.

The second trend: Americans living with a culture of violence. Recent Barna research showed the top three categories of violence people fear are bullying at school (36%), gang violence (34%), and domestic violence (33%). Perhaps most surprising was the connection most adults and practicing Christians placed on violence in connection with music, video games, and movies: 57% of all adults and 69% of practicing Christians believe violent video games directly contribute to violence in America and of the three is the leading candidate to contribute to violence. Movies received 51% and 67% respectively and music received 47% and 61%.

26% of parents with children say that public school is their first choice for their child's education.

The final trend is an erosion of trust in public schools. Nearly half of adults believe public school has gotten worse in the last five years, and only 26% of parents with children say that public school is their first choice for their child's education. But there were some positive trends on the Christian side: 95% of pastors believe Christians should get more involved in public schools, and 85% of practicing Christians agreed with the pastors.

— From Barna.org, Jan. 21, 2014.