life reborn
in new england
Would you have joined the early
settlers in coming to America?
would NEW ENGLAND
be your new beginning
living close to god
Our New England states have been blessed by God because of the prayers and lives of those who began life here. We have been comparatively free of harsh storms and severe damage. The lands and places that we love were sacred ground. But now without the light of the gospel in our lives we have lost their early foundations and the weather is less favorable. The darkness of seeing faith as a crutch and not taking the time to read the bible, to learn to pray, or to tell our children about Jesus has resulted in violence to our souls. The violence around us is increasing and we blame God for misfortune and the emptiness in our lives. We have believed that blessings come from our own hand. So we give our days to work and play and have little time for God.
moving away from god
The New England states have such outward beauty and attract many vacationing strangers. It is sad that our states are populated by folks who love the scenery but miss or don't acknowledge the God who created it. New England people have become the least likely to read the bible, attend a church, or think about God daily, as compared to the other five regions of the United States according to the U. S. Census 2000.
generational decline
in U.S. christianity
Silent Generation (Born 1928 to 1945) Identify as 84% Christian, 4% Non-Christian Faiths, 10% Unaffiliated.
Baby Boomers (Born 1946 to 1964) Identify as 76% Christian, 6% Non-Christian Faiths, 17% Unaffiliated.
Generation X (Born 1965 to 1980) Identify as 67% Christian, 6% Non-Christian Faiths, 25% Unaffiliated.
Millennials (Born 1981 to 1996) Identify as 49% Christian, 9% Non-Christian Faiths, 40% Unaffiliated.
According to Pew Research Study done in 2018-2019 by phone survey in the U.S.
Generation Z (Born 1997 to 2012) Identify as 26% Christian, 15% Non-Christian Faiths, between 50-60% Unaffiliated.
Generation Alpha (Born 2013 to 2025) - similar to Gen Z based on Springtide, 2021.
Numbers calculated (guesstimate) from Springtide Research Inst. 2021, but not directly stated by Springtide as they relate to Pew Research Studies.
Many who identify as Christians in these studies do so in terms of how their family has been known, or how they want to be known, and not based on their "true religion" or who directs their hearts. The percentages are probably lower if the truth were known. No offence intended to the Pew Research or Springtide Research Studies. Sharing these stats is intended to document the decline of Christianity in our nation and how it reflects changes in our families and how our children have been educated and nurtured. Marriages rates have declined from 80% in 1970 to 40% in 2015, and never married young Americans now notably outnumber their married counterparts - source, The Future of Christian Marriage, page 8, Mark Regnerus c.2020.
decline of births
& LIFE EXPECTANCY
The crude birth rate in the United States beginning in 1800 was 48.3 births per thousand people, meaning that 4.8 percent of the population had been born in that year. Between 1815 and 1825 the crude birth rate jumped from 46.5 to 54.7 (possibly due to Florida becoming part of the U.S., but this is unclear) , but from this point until the Second World War the crude birth rate dropped gradually, reaching 19.2 in 1935. Through the 1940's, 50's, and 60's the U.S. experienced it's baby boom, and the birth rate reached 24.1 in 1955, before dropping again until 1980. From the 1980's until 1990, this figure stood at 16.7 births per 1,000 of the population. In 2021, there were 11 births per 1,000 of the population.
In addition to the declining birth rate in the U.S., the total life expectancy at birth has also reached its lowest value in recent years. Studies have shown that the life expectancy of both men and women in the United States has declined as of 2021. Declines in life expectancy, like declines in birth rates, may indicate that social and economic factors are negatively influencing the overall population's health and well-being.
Statistics courtesy of Statista & Global Historical Research by Aaron O'Neill 9 August 2024 and Vera Korhonen, U.S. Dept. of State, 5 July 2024, 6 August 2024.
A broken down log cabin may be too stark a picture, but it is hard to experience Christianity, which is best discovered in communities, if these shelters are few and far between or in disrepair. Survival comes from the right mix of the word, prayer, and daily life. People need to breathe in Christ, like the salt or mountain air, and breathe him out, which is like having their lights on, and keeping the fires burning so we share our warmth and His love with each other. A good example of this is what people have found who vacationed in Switzerland at L'Abri with Francis and Edith Schaeffer. Their hospitality and spiritual lives have helped many find answers to the questions, Is there a God?, and what is it like to live in his family?
The Story of
Francis and Edith Schaeffer
and Swiss L'AbrIi
christ leads the way
Many of the early settlers believed they were born to follow God through Jesus, with the Holy Spirit's help. This came through believing the Bible and planting seeds of faith by respectfully teaching their children and others what Jesus stated in his farewell commission, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 ESV.
Being born, being baptized in God's names, being taught to be disciples who follow Jesus, observing his commands and teachings, and knowing his love from birth to death or till he comes again is all embodied in these words. Following Jesus is the way for every child who is born here, in our United States, or in the world.
honoring life & faith
What New England people had early on was a vibrant faith and the life of God within their children and families. Somehow prayer, the gospel, loving God, and loving one another have been displaced by forms of godliness and altruistic socialism that deny the power of true religion. Young people want something that is real, and have been turned off and hurt by what many of our churches have become or ways they have shut them out. Many, both young and old, see the church of man rather than the church of Christ, the city of man instead of the city of God. Only God can cleanse, unite, and revive his Church. Our nation remains divided and broken. It needs a revived Church, Christ's Church, and a reborn people. Only as we honor God will the Church reflect the true gospel and have an impact on our culture.
Redistribution of wealth and more government controls will not cure our ills or fulfill our dreams. Both can interfere with our motivation to use the free enterprise system which sets us free from class identities, prejudices, and limitations. Whether rich by hard work and sweet deals or poor by calamities, health issues, or poor choices, we were meant to live by honest labor; whether we do it out of our ethical base or by trying to cut corners. We all struggle with poor choices, regrets, and failure to do what is right. Much of the violence and evils in our nation come from our not living within God's boundaries as set forth in the ten commandments. It is amazing how respect for a small number of laws can so change and reorder our lives, bringing peace, mutual respect, and safety. But laws alone without heart are cruel and restrict growth and life.
We can earn money to please ourselves, to care for this world's ills, and to please others. All of that falls short if we fail to help our children, our grandchildren, and those God would like to put in our paths. Severe climate changes should alert us to the fact that we are living in the last days as is described in the Bible.
Wars and catastrophic weather damage will continue and are meant to cause us
to shift our attentions to what's eternal. Seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness means building our lives differently. Even in the midst of much destruction of earthly treasures, God can bring lasting and more enduring things
to life.
Our true hope is for Christ's church to become a united community and grow in love more and more as it did in the book of Acts. People then saw the difference that upper room prayer brought as God's Spirit moved among his people and more people followed Jesus daily. There will still be much confusion and opposition to God's new Way through Jesus but God's Spirit will bring life and victory through the good news of the gospel and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
settlers of new england
& early coloniAL HISTORY
The first New England colonies were founded by separatists. Some were Anglicans who advocated separation from the Anglican Church. Others were Puritans who sought to purify Anglicanism of Catholic influences and practices. Christianity was an essential part of the education and teachings of children in their families and schools, so it was fully integrated into the lives of the colonists and informed their world view.
The middle and southern colonies had no public schools. The New England colonies were the first to mandate public education. One room school houses were communally funded, so parents contributed whatever they could including books, money, desks, firewood, and the teachers stayed in parent's homes on a rotating basis. Christianity was standard for any course of education. Boys were taught history, geography, writing, mathematics, and were instructed in their father's trade. Girls were taught writing, mathematics, and to play a musical instrument, sing, or dance. They were also expected to get married, raise children, and care for the home.
Christian denominations and bible based groups included Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics, Congregationalists, German Pietists, Lutherans, Methodists, Shakers, and some Quakers and some others. The Presbyterian Church in New England emerged in the 17th century when New England Puritans preferred the presbyterian system of church government over New England Congregationalism. Presbyterian influence in the colonies grew markedly in the middle decades of the 1700s, shaped by the Great Awakening and an influx of Scottish and Scots Irish immigrants, most of whom were Presbyterian. (Presbyterian Historical Society) .Interpretations of the Bible and practices differed between one settlement or colony and another, even if both claimed to follow the precepts of a given denomination. Communities based on religious freedom extended only to their own beliefs with the exception of the Rhode Island settlements, which emphasized religious tolerance.
"Protestant Christianity understood as 'revealed religion' (based on scriptures) was the dominant religious force, which shaped colonial culture and, along with the Protestant rationalism of the 18th century, was integral to the foundation and diversification of the United States of America." Source, World History Encyclopedia, Author, Joshua J. Mark, 12 April, 2021.