Stop the world, it's spinning too fast!

I was visiting with my dad this morning, who will turn 82 in about six weeks, and our conversation veered down memory lane (that’s not uncommon when we talk). He reminisced about the first TV that came to their neighborhood. He couldn’t remember the year, but said he wasn’t in school yet, so maybe he was four or five. The golden age of television began in the 50s when TV ownership in the US went from only 9% of households in 1951 to around half in 1955. If Dad was five when his neighbor first plugged in his TV, then the year would have been 1948. That early adopter invited the neighborhood over to experience this new technology. Twenty people, including my dad, gathered in a small living room and were instantly transfixed by this box with a 10-inch screen (according to dad) emitting sound and moving images received from a broadcast signal. Revolutionary! It would be three more years before my dad’s parents would purchase their own TV, but societal change had begun.

My conversation with Dad exited memory lane and returned to "present" highway. We talked about the rate of change in society today, and Dad noted that he doesn’t even try to keep up. He’s content watching reruns of The Lone Ranger and, as we talked, updated me about how the Lone Ranger shot the noose secured to Tonto's neck to save him from a hanging. They found Tonto’s horse as well, in case you were curious.

I don’t blame Dad for not trying to stay up with all the changes happening in society today. How can you? I asked ChatGPT, “How fast are technological changes taking place today versus the past?” It replied, “Technological change today is occurring much faster than in the past” and noted that it took 300 years for the printing press to spread globally, the telegraph 70 years, the personal computer 20 years, and ChatGPT only 1 to 2 years with 100 million adopters in the first 2 months.

When you consider Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Optimus gen 3, Autonomous vehicles, Drone Taxis, and 3D printers, the technological world spins like a hadron collider. Add to those changes political changes with a new administration; economic changes through tariffs, cryptocurrencies, and digital payment options; and medical changes, including the return of measles and bioprinting (they have bioprinted functional human heart tissue), and I’m not surprised Dad doesn’t want to try and keep up. I’m getting dizzy myself writing all of that. Stop the world, it’s spinning too fast!

However, there also appears to be a spiritual change occurring in our country. After decades of hearing about the decline of Christianity and the rise of the “none’s,” a shift is happening. In its ‘23/’24 Religious Landscape Study, Pew Research Center noted that the decline of Christianity in the U.S. seems to have stabilized. Bible sales jumped 22% from ’23 to ’24 according to a Dec. 1, 2024 Wall Street Journal article. John Farquhar from the American Bible Society, noted in their 2025 survey, “For the first time since 2021, we’re seeing an increase in both Bible Use and Scripture engagement, particularly among younger adults and in men.” The Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary projects Christianity to exceed 3 billion adherents by 2050. And the rise of religious ‘none’s’ seems to have leveled off according to sociologist Ryan Burge. Even Gen Z has an increased interest in Jesus according to a 2023 Barna report. 77% of all teens (age 13-17) in the U.S. have at least some motivation to continue learning about Jesus. 52% are “very motivated.” Among non-Christian teens, 53% are at least somewhat motivated to keep learning about Jesus.

What’s motivating this hunger for the Bible and Jesus? There’s a lot of speculation online, so I might as well throw mine into the mix. First, let me note that ultimately God is the One driving it. Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” God ultimately draws people to Himself. Yet, we know that God works in time and space. He uses historical realities for His own end. I wonder if the desire for stability amid a rapidly changing world plays a part in this attitudinal shift toward Christianity.

In addition to the previous list of changes, let's add the change in cultural norms. The push to throw biological gender out the window and replace it with a psychological gender shook societal foundations at their core. Standards of right and wrong seemed to change weekly. I think people hardly knew what to say or do to fit societal standards because it would change with little warning. Without an external, eternal standard, people were trying to build their lives on a foundation of jello (not even the sand of Matthew 7). That created a longing for something stable and true.

After Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples experienced a time of uncertainty. They had seen the risen Christ, but also had experienced so much change. Jesus ushered in the new era of his kingdom, but what would that look like after Jesus left this earth? As they wrestled with their uncertainties in an ever-changing world, Jesus said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching 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

Jesus gave his disciples something firm to stand on. He is the ultimate authority in the universe. He laid out his commands and mission. He promised to stay with them to the end of the age. They didn't need to fear or doubt because Jesus truly is the solid rock on which to stand. In a world that seems like it's spinning out of control, Jesus looks quite attractive. He's in control. He provides clear standards and direction. He offers forgiveness, and he promises to stay with me to the end. I can see why there is a trending interest in Jesus Christ.

When you place your trust in Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, you don’t have to hope the world stops spinning. He brings the stability, assurance, and peace you long for. You no longer need to fear change because Christ never changes. Instead, you can be the voice of hope and a guide to a dizzy world looking for a place to rest.

Trust in the unchanging Christ and embrace his unchanging mission to "Go and make disciples!"