Podcast - The Greg Lancaster Show, Live from the Glory Zone.

More Americans Engaged in the Bible- 60% of Americans Credit Bible for Life Transformation: State of the Bible 2019 Barna Group and American Bible Society Report

George Barna, founder of the Barna Group, as described on their website they are a visionary research and resource. Started in 1984, the firm is widely considered to be a leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture. A new study just released shows the State of the Bible in 2019, and this was done in partnership with the American Bible Society. This study brings exciting news as there is more Bible engagement than previous years! We are excited to bring this news to you and hope you are encouraged.

The first area covered is how fewer Americans are disengaged with the Bible. This study is done based on the population in America which is at 327 million people. Using 14 questions covering adults’ interactions with and perspectives about the Bible, Barna and American Bible Society defines five different segments of Bible engagement which measure:

Frequency (how often people interact with the Bible)

Centrality (how the Bible shapes their choices)

Impact (how the Bible transforms their relationships)

Year-over-year, overall Bible engagement appears to have increased slightly, with some Disengaged shifting to Neutral or Friendly. The chart below shows some significant shifts among each major segment. Notably, there are 8-point increases since 2018 among the Bible Friendly and Neutral groups. There is also a 9-point decrease among the Disengaged.

In the chart below you can see how the points have changed concerning Bible engagement by the years.

As shared by the Barna Group, two other significant but less encouraging shifts in the spectrum of Bible engagement are worth noting. The first is that Bible Centered adults have decreased from 9 percent to 5 percent in the past year. The other trend is that more than one-third of adults (35%) reports never using the Bible in 2019, a 10-percentage point increase since 2011 (25%).

We have seen in America when things get hard in our country, people tend to draw near to God but when things go well, and we prosper people seem to leave God. America is doing great and has been for the past two years, with many of the lowest unemployment numbers ever and more jobs than people to fill them and so much more! But as we see in this study and the chart above more people are not engaging with the Bible. We can change this in our nation, and as the Church, we must stay steady with God no matter how our nation is and remember that we can’t serve both God and money so even when we prosper financially we still need to put God first because we want God to trust us with the coming wealth transfer. Greg wrote about this wealth transfer in the book, I Will Fight, and how we can be successful in our lives no matter where we are while at the same time keeping God first in our lives. You can get your free copy HERE we only ask that you pay for shipping and handling.

The next topic covered is how those adults engaged with the Bible give more financially. Overall, seven in 10 Americans (70%) report giving to a non-profit organization of some type in the previous year. The typical amount given is $100. However, Bible users are more likely to donate than are non-Bible users. The typical non-Bible user donated $10, compared to Bible users, who gave an average of $500. Similarly, scripture engagement also corresponds with higher levels of giving. For example, Bible Centered adults gave an average of $1,000 in 2018 compared to $20 among Disengaged, and $5 among Skeptics.

Next, six in ten American adults believe that the Bible has transformed their lives! Also shared is how Bible engagement has positively correlated to relational and spiritual growth. Half of monthly Bible users (49%) agree their engagement with the Bible has made them feel more willing to engage with their faith. Among adults who use the Bible at least three to four times a year, three in five (61%) express they always experience a greater awareness of how much they need God. Half agree they consistently feel a sense of connection with God (51%), and a similar proportion (50%) desires to know God better. Another 46 percent of Bible users say they show more loving behavior toward others, and one in three (34%) is more generous with their time, energy or financial resources. Results also show a positive influence on how they treat people of a different race than themselves (62%), their support for refugees (55%), their decisions at work or school (53%) and their decisions about sex and sexuality (49%).

There are three reasons why people don’t read the Bible, they don’t know where to start, they don’t have a version they can understand, and they don’t have a plan. For believers to grow closer to the Lord and to know what sin is, we must read God’s Word! We have a free plan for you that you can sign up for today and start your journey on reading God’s Word, and abiding in His Word as He has called us to do, sign up HERE at iAbide and we will send you your free plan right away. What are some ways that we can increase the number of those engaged with the Bible? We want to hear your ideas. Write to us at [email protected]. Greg and John shared in this segment.

Find out more on the VFN TORCH at VFNKB.com

Abortion is Ending In America: Ohio Governor Signs Heartbeat Abortion Ban and Nearly 100 Abortion Workers Quit after Viewing Movie Unplanned

Many people have been praying for years for the end of abortion in America, and we have seen many changes to the law concerning that! Abortion is ending in America! Now the seventh state has passed a law, heartbeat abortion ban! This time the state is Ohio and Governor Mike DeWine signed this bill into law which prohibits abortions for unborn babies that have a detectable heartbeat, which usually is found as early as six weeks!

In the words of Governor DeWine, “The essential function of government is to protect the most vulnerable among us — those who do not have a voice. Government’s role should be to protect life from the beginning to the end, to protect those who cannot protect themselves, such as the elderly, the unborn, those who are sick, those who have a disability, those who have a mental illness, or an addiction.”

To end a life is to end the plan of God! God formed us in the womb!

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” Jeremiah 1:5

For an example of how important a life in the womb is we can look at Esau and Jacob and their lives. If they would have been aborted, then that would have aborted all the Middle East! The enemy is always trying to kill the future which we read about Moses when Pharaoh tried to kill all Hebrew babies, yet he lived, Herod tried to kill Jesus by murdering all babies, yet He lived! The enemy will not succeed! It is so important that this shedding of innocent bloodshed ends in America! We believe that when this takes place, that is when the Third Great Awakening will happen.

Another effort towards the ending of abortion is a new movie release. It is amazing how God is moving in the Entertainment Mountain and with a new movie, Unplanned that highlights what happens in the abortion field. Despite all the controversy surrounding this movie it has been a box office hit bringing in over $6 million the first weekend it was released! Unplanned is about an abortionist, who worked with Planned Parenthood, where one-woman Abby Johnson was responsible for 22,000 abortions.

As reported by the Daily Wire, Unplanned is centered around Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood executive who assisted with over 22,000 abortions before witnessing an ultra-sound-guided abortion that made her leave the industry.

“I thought I was helping women,” Johnson said in January. “But I was doing more harm than good. It wasn’t until I saw a child fight for its life that my world came crashing down and I understood the enormity of my actions. I had to leave.”

This is a movie that depicts the truth and reality of abortion, so you need to brace yourself as you see it, but we must support the truth being shared with the world! We encourage you to see it and support this truthful movie. Because of this movie revealing what really happens in an abortion close to 100 abortion clinic workers have sought to leave their jobs!

Chuck Konzelman, director of the movie Unplanned, shared that news of the abortion clinic workers leaving their jobs in testimony before the U.S. Senate. “We have had approaches through Abby Johnson’s organization, And Then There Were None, which transitions workers out of the abortion industry. I believe we have something approaching 1% of the abortion workers in the United States seeking help to leave the industry…the number of actual workers who have reached out is 94…after getting one look at them being portrayed on film and it serves some evidence that they are not being portrayed as monsters, have decided to change their lives and their profession and what they do for a living.”

This is great news! We must remember that anyone can choose a job for the wrong reasons. Many people have chosen money over what God has told them to do. We all have a choice, and it is either God or money, we can’t serve both! God will take care of us; we just need to put Him first not money.

Ashley Bratcher, the actress who played Abby Johnson in Unplanned, spoke on Fox News and said this role had been the most fulfilling of her entire career! “The response has been incredibly positive. Through it all, this has been the most rewarding and fulfilling role I have ever had in my entire career. To be able to hear someone come to you and say, I was so affected by your work that I decided, instead of having an abortion, that I’m now going to have my child. I don’t know how to really explain the way that feels. To know that I could have potentially just saved a life. There is not a lot of actors that get to say that, and I’m so honored to be able to have a part of this.”

Abby Johnson herself shares with us her ministry and testimony. According to her website, And Then There Were None (ATTWN) is a registered nonprofit organization that exists to help abortion clinic workers leave the abortion industry. ATTWN is pro-life without exceptions. While we believe in and wholeheartedly support all peaceful pro-life efforts, ATTWN seeks to end abortion from the inside out.

“We always say that nobody grows up wanting to work in the abortion industry. Nobody. Our vision statement for And Then There Were None, is no abortion clinic workers, no abortion clinics, no abortions. It starts with the workers. We see ourselves being part of a pro-love movement that we want to love these workers out of the clinics. We want to love them onto a path of healing, and we want to love them back into a relationship with Jesus Christ. And so, I hear people, pro-lifers, say ‘it’s just a job, why can’t they just leave.’ Because it is not just a job, the abortion industry is not like working for a fast food restaurant. There is a very strong spiritual hold. It gets a hold of someone; it gets a hold of their mind; it gets a hold of their heart. Leaving the abortion industry is really difficult.”

Johnson continues to share about her happiest moments are when she is on the phone with an abortion clinic worker as they walk out of their job for the last time! Each person that comes to this ministry for help is assigned an individual person to work with them through their transition to a different job. They also help with financial needs in the transition time. They provide legal and emotional support as well. This being a non-profit organization they rely on the support and donations which changes lives! You can visit AbortionWorkers.com to find out more.

Maybe you are an abortion clinic worker who is ready to leave the clinic, visit AbortionWorkers.com and get the help that you need! Maybe you are thinking about having an abortion? Don’t end your child’s life! There are other options. Maybe you have had an abortion and are dealing with the pain from that? Hear the testimony of a woman who went through the pain of an abortion and found redemption and healing through Jesus HERE. Know that no matter what you have done Jesus loves you and there is redemption through Him. We want to hear from you! Please write to us at [email protected]. Greg and John shared in this segment.

Find out more on the VFN TORCH at VFNKB.com

More Americans Engaged in the Bible- 60% of Americans Credit Bible for Life Transformation: State of the Bible 2019 Barna Group and American Bible Society Report

George Barna, founder of the Barna Group, as described on their website they are a visionary research and resource. Started in 1984, the firm is widely considered to be a leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture. A new study just released shows the State of the Bible in 2019, and this was done in partnership with the American Bible Society. This study brings exciting news as there is more Bible engagement than previous years! We are excited to bring this news to you and hope you are encouraged.

The first area covered is how fewer Americans are disengaged with the Bible. This study is done based on the population in America which is at 327 million people. Using 14 questions covering adults’ interactions with and perspectives about the Bible, Barna and American Bible Society defines five different segments of Bible engagement which measure:

Frequency (how often people interact with the Bible)

Centrality (how the Bible shapes their choices)

Impact (how the Bible transforms their relationships)

Year-over-year, overall Bible engagement appears to have increased slightly, with some Disengaged shifting to Neutral or Friendly. The chart below shows some significant shifts among each major segment. Notably, there are 8-point increases since 2018 among the Bible Friendly and Neutral groups. There is also a 9-point decrease among the Disengaged.

In the chart below you can see how the points have changed concerning Bible engagement by the years.

As shared by the Barna Group, two other significant but less encouraging shifts in the spectrum of Bible engagement are worth noting. The first is that Bible Centered adults have decreased from 9 percent to 5 percent in the past year. The other trend is that more than one-third of adults (35%) reports never using the Bible in 2019, a 10-percentage point increase since 2011 (25%).

We have seen in America when things get hard in our country, people tend to draw near to God but when things go well, and we prosper people seem to leave God. America is doing great and has been for the past two years, with many of the lowest unemployment numbers ever and more jobs than people to fill them and so much more! But as we see in this study and the chart above more people are not engaging with the Bible. We can change this in our nation, and as the Church, we must stay steady with God no matter how our nation is and remember that we can’t serve both God and money so even when we prosper financially we still need to put God first because we want God to trust us with the coming wealth transfer. Greg wrote about this wealth transfer in the book, I Will Fight, and how we can be successful in our lives no matter where we are while at the same time keeping God first in our lives. You can get your free copy HERE we only ask that you pay for shipping and handling.

The next topic covered is how those adults engaged with the Bible give more financially. Overall, seven in 10 Americans (70%) report giving to a non-profit organization of some type in the previous year. The typical amount given is $100. However, Bible users are more likely to donate than are non-Bible users. The typical non-Bible user donated $10, compared to Bible users, who gave an average of $500. Similarly, scripture engagement also corresponds with higher levels of giving. For example, Bible Centered adults gave an average of $1,000 in 2018 compared to $20 among Disengaged, and $5 among Skeptics.

Next, six in ten American adults believe that the Bible has transformed their lives! Also shared is how Bible engagement has positively correlated to relational and spiritual growth. Half of monthly Bible users (49%) agree their engagement with the Bible has made them feel more willing to engage with their faith. Among adults who use the Bible at least three to four times a year, three in five (61%) express they always experience a greater awareness of how much they need God. Half agree they consistently feel a sense of connection with God (51%), and a similar proportion (50%) desires to know God better. Another 46 percent of Bible users say they show more loving behavior toward others, and one in three (34%) is more generous with their time, energy or financial resources. Results also show a positive influence on how they treat people of a different race than themselves (62%), their support for refugees (55%), their decisions at work or school (53%) and their decisions about sex and sexuality (49%).

There are three reasons why people don’t read the Bible, they don’t know where to start, they don’t have a version they can understand, and they don’t have a plan. For believers to grow closer to the Lord and to know what sin is, we must read God’s Word! We have a free plan for you that you can sign up for today and start your journey on reading God’s Word, and abiding in His Word as He has called us to do, sign up HERE at iAbide and we will send you your free plan right away. What are some ways that we can increase the number of those engaged with the Bible? We want to hear your ideas. Write to us at [email protected]. Greg and John shared in this segment.

Find out more on the VFN TORCH at VFNKB.com

Abortion is Ending In America: Ohio Governor Signs Heartbeat Abortion Ban and Nearly 100 Abortion Workers Quit after Viewing Movie Unplanned

Many people have been praying for years for the end of abortion in America, and we have seen many changes to the law concerning that! Abortion is ending in America! Now the seventh state has passed a law, heartbeat abortion ban! This time the state is Ohio and Governor Mike DeWine signed this bill into law which prohibits abortions for unborn babies that have a detectable heartbeat, which usually is found as early as six weeks!

In the words of Governor DeWine, “The essential function of government is to protect the most vulnerable among us — those who do not have a voice. Government’s role should be to protect life from the beginning to the end, to protect those who cannot protect themselves, such as the elderly, the unborn, those who are sick, those who have a disability, those who have a mental illness, or an addiction.”

To end a life is to end the plan of God! God formed us in the womb!

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” Jeremiah 1:5

For an example of how important a life in the womb is we can look at Esau and Jacob and their lives. If they would have been aborted, then that would have aborted all the Middle East! The enemy is always trying to kill the future which we read about Moses when Pharaoh tried to kill all Hebrew babies, yet he lived, Herod tried to kill Jesus by murdering all babies, yet He lived! The enemy will not succeed! It is so important that this shedding of innocent bloodshed ends in America! We believe that when this takes place, that is when the Third Great Awakening will happen.

Another effort towards the ending of abortion is a new movie release. It is amazing how God is moving in the Entertainment Mountain and with a new movie, Unplanned that highlights what happens in the abortion field. Despite all the controversy surrounding this movie it has been a box office hit bringing in over $6 million the first weekend it was released! Unplanned is about an abortionist, who worked with Planned Parenthood, where one-woman Abby Johnson was responsible for 22,000 abortions.

As reported by the Daily Wire, Unplanned is centered around Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood executive who assisted with over 22,000 abortions before witnessing an ultra-sound-guided abortion that made her leave the industry.

“I thought I was helping women,” Johnson said in January. “But I was doing more harm than good. It wasn’t until I saw a child fight for its life that my world came crashing down and I understood the enormity of my actions. I had to leave.”

This is a movie that depicts the truth and reality of abortion, so you need to brace yourself as you see it, but we must support the truth being shared with the world! We encourage you to see it and support this truthful movie. Because of this movie revealing what really happens in an abortion close to 100 abortion clinic workers have sought to leave their jobs!

Chuck Konzelman, director of the movie Unplanned, shared that news of the abortion clinic workers leaving their jobs in testimony before the U.S. Senate. “We have had approaches through Abby Johnson’s organization, And Then There Were None, which transitions workers out of the abortion industry. I believe we have something approaching 1% of the abortion workers in the United States seeking help to leave the industry…the number of actual workers who have reached out is 94…after getting one look at them being portrayed on film and it serves some evidence that they are not being portrayed as monsters, have decided to change their lives and their profession and what they do for a living.”

This is great news! We must remember that anyone can choose a job for the wrong reasons. Many people have chosen money over what God has told them to do. We all have a choice, and it is either God or money, we can’t serve both! God will take care of us; we just need to put Him first not money.

Ashley Bratcher, the actress who played Abby Johnson in Unplanned, spoke on Fox News and said this role had been the most fulfilling of her entire career! “The response has been incredibly positive. Through it all, this has been the most rewarding and fulfilling role I have ever had in my entire career. To be able to hear someone come to you and say, I was so affected by your work that I decided, instead of having an abortion, that I’m now going to have my child. I don’t know how to really explain the way that feels. To know that I could have potentially just saved a life. There is not a lot of actors that get to say that, and I’m so honored to be able to have a part of this.”

Abby Johnson herself shares with us her ministry and testimony. According to her website, And Then There Were None (ATTWN) is a registered nonprofit organization that exists to help abortion clinic workers leave the abortion industry. ATTWN is pro-life without exceptions. While we believe in and wholeheartedly support all peaceful pro-life efforts, ATTWN seeks to end abortion from the inside out.

“We always say that nobody grows up wanting to work in the abortion industry. Nobody. Our vision statement for And Then There Were None, is no abortion clinic workers, no abortion clinics, no abortions. It starts with the workers. We see ourselves being part of a pro-love movement that we want to love these workers out of the clinics. We want to love them onto a path of healing, and we want to love them back into a relationship with Jesus Christ. And so, I hear people, pro-lifers, say ‘it’s just a job, why can’t they just leave.’ Because it is not just a job, the abortion industry is not like working for a fast food restaurant. There is a very strong spiritual hold. It gets a hold of someone; it gets a hold of their mind; it gets a hold of their heart. Leaving the abortion industry is really difficult.”

Johnson continues to share about her happiest moments are when she is on the phone with an abortion clinic worker as they walk out of their job for the last time! Each person that comes to this ministry for help is assigned an individual person to work with them through their transition to a different job. They also help with financial needs in the transition time. They provide legal and emotional support as well. This being a non-profit organization they rely on the support and donations which changes lives! You can visit AbortionWorkers.com to find out more.

Maybe you are an abortion clinic worker who is ready to leave the clinic, visit AbortionWorkers.com and get the help that you need! Maybe you are thinking about having an abortion? Don’t end your child’s life! There are other options. Maybe you have had an abortion and are dealing with the pain from that? Hear the testimony of a woman who went through the pain of an abortion and found redemption and healing through Jesus HERE. Know that no matter what you have done Jesus loves you and there is redemption through Him. We want to hear from you! Please write to us at [email protected]. Greg and John shared in this segment.

Find out more on the VFN TORCH at VFNKB.com