Transformation Jacksonville

03/20/2026

03/18/2026

Can your business answer God’s call to build shalom? Relationships are at the heart of shalom. The marketplace is a place of relationships. We will not achieve a true vision of shalom if we don’t achieve shalom in business. We need to be leading this. https://x.com/wotsnet/status/2034178999774019967?s=43&t=upfCucIDVhqm39YaxRYFeQ

03/13/2026

What happens when you pray for your city? Hindrances that stop us from reaching neighbors are 'our offense' and 'hopelessness'. Ask the Lord for His heart - longing that none should perish. He loves our city. You're there for a reason.

03/10/2026

Why Gen Z “Nones” Are Reconsidering Religion

Gen Z is the least religious cohort in American history. 43% of this generation born roughly between 1996 and 2012 identify as religious “nones.” While there have been many reports since Charlie Kirk’s assassination indicating increased interest in religion and increased church attendance, according to statistician Ryan Burge, there is not yet statistical evidence of religious revival among young people.

There is, however, ample evidence that these Zoomers are looking for meaning and willing to reconsider religion. Specifically, though these trends may not be large enough to be captured in statistics, there seems to be a growing interest in more rigorous forms of faith.
In a recent article in Tablet magazine, Ani Wilcenski, a Zoomer herself, examined this phenomenon. While acknowledging that Gen Z is less religious than previous generations, Wilcenski, researched those bucking that trend, including converts to Islam, Jews who are becoming more observant, Latin Mass Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and others who are joining stricter, more traditional religious groups.

According to Wilcenski, Gen Z has been raised with the “illusion of infinite horizons,” and grew up “without sturdy institutions or fulfilling rites of passage.” As a result, for this generation, “[e]verything—career, identity, relationships—unfolds as a series of self-directed experiments,” something that has been labeled “liquid modernity.” Sociologist Zygmunt Bauman coined that phrase to describe the experience of life as unstable and non-permanent, without fixed distinctions, and no foundation for cultivating identity.

The experience of “liquid modernity” is why, according to Wilcenski, the ideological capture of Gen Z has been so comprehensive. For example, nearly one-quarter of the generation identify as LGBTQ, up nearly 20 points from previous generations. Ideology gives the illusion of a solid cause and offers a purpose for life where otherwise there is none.

Of course, that is the role religion traditionally played in Western culture. As Wilcenski noted, the draw of religion is that it provides a firm source of virtue and belonging, focus, and a sense of permanence. That’s what the Zoomers who are exploring more demanding forms of faith are most likely seeking.

As Wilcenski put it,

“These faiths don’t adapt to the age—they expect the age to conform to them. Their rituals inconvenience, their authorities override preference, their truths don’t negotiate. And in a society allergic to absolutes, that refusal to dilute themselves holds a powerful magnetism.
As an example, Wilcenski quoted a 23-year-old woman who explained her decision to join a Carmelite monastery in Plough magazine: “I figured if I was going to do something crazy for our Lord I might as well go all in.” Like Wilcenski, the Plough article noted that young women who join strict religious orders are committing to something stable and permanent.”

According to Wilcenski, when the Gen Zers turning to religion offer reasons why, they
"sound more like escapes from modern chaos than declarations of faith…. [T]heir newfound religiosity is less about belief than about orienting life around something ultimate—something greater than the self."

That, of course, also leaves them vulnerable to religious falsehoods. Remember, Wilcenski not only researched conversions to Christianity but also to conservative forms of Judaism and Islam. The desire to escape “liquid modernity” says nothing about the genuineness of any faith that follows. The same motivation can explain the growing number of young men who are embracing political extremism, from Antifa to white nationalism.

It has long been the case that laxer forms of religion have declined while more demanding forms have grown or at least declined more slowly. The divide within this segment of Gen Z seems to be even more pronounced. This group will not be interested in churches that accommodate themselves to American culture. The seeker-sensitive model will not work. It probably never has.

The Church must be countercultural, unapologetic about even the weird things we believe, and unafraid to ask for serious commitment from people. It needs to explore the depths of the Gospel; it must explain life and its meaning, including hard truths about the human condition, rather than offer only shallow therapeutic or pragmatic applications. A church that does this will not only be able to counter destructive ideologies vying for all generations but will also be able to offer meaning and stability to a generation that is looking for both.

03/10/2026

Churchgoers’ average total score for the eight characteristics of discipleship is 68.1 out of 100. http://lfwy.co/zfYS50YruYY

03/03/2026

Over the past 35 years, the percentage of Americans who claim to be "non-religious" has increased by over 260%.

For those who leave the pews to believe in "nothing" at all, does life get better?

Here's some interesting data about "nones". I'll let you decide.

-They report being significantly less satisfied with their social lives.
(Pew, 2024)

-They are more likely to say they have "zero close friends" to rely on.
(AEI, 2024)

-They have fewer children (far below "replacement rate") and only 32% say they even want to have children at all.
(Pew & American Family Survey, 2025)

-They are more likely die at a younger age than those who attend church regularly.
(JAMA, 2020)

-They are 1.5-3x more likely to have a substance abuse problem. (NIH, 2024)

-Also, less likely to donate to charity (even secular charities). Less likely to volunteer. Less likely to say they are "very happy" with life.

The good news is that after decades of running this strange anti-religious social experiment, we're finally beginning to see how awful it has made things.

We're at the commencement of a significant spiritual change in America.

02/24/2026

Free pastor resource

02/23/2026

01/19/2026

After a year of division and unimaginable challenges, it’s important that we remember the legacy and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King showed us the way – and we must keep pushing forward together until the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice for all, and we can do it together.

At 2nd Mile, we believe these words of Dr. King give us marching orders. As people all uniquely made in the image of God, we are interwoven. If my neighbor is hurting, then I am called to come to their aid. If Brentwood is not ok, then Mandarin is not ok. If Moncrief is not ok, then the beaches are not ok. We are called to be one body.

On this day, we'd challenge ourselves and you to go beyond the quotable King and reckon with the broader implications his words and legacy demand upon our choices, our churches, and every aspect of our lives. One way to start is by spending some time with this prophetic letter. Many copies or audio versions can easily be found with a search engine.