In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:3-6)
The sign in front of the apartment building caught my eye.
Residents needed: No experience required.
All you have to do is sign up and you are in.
Well, it seems that there is a need for residency overall in many countries of the world. Many industrialized countries of the world are struggling with low birthrates and an aging population. A number of European countries have seen a drop in the fertility rate below a level to maintain the present population. Several countries have actually established a “baby bonus” as an economic incentive for people to have children. So, it was newsworthy recently when the National Center for Health Statistics announced that for the first time since shortly after the baby boom ended that the fertility rate in America had reached the rate necessary for a generation to replace itself. Residents created: No experience required! It’s not that human reproduction is all that difficult. After all the human being is the only psycho-cybernetic electro feedback mechanism capable of mass production by unskilled labor. Sadly, too many couples feel that having children would be an economic and social burden that would interfere with their personal pursuits in life. Sad but true.
While we should all be concerned that there are enough people to fill enough jobs and enough taxes to keep our country going and a sound economy to support our aging population, as Christians, there’s another “fertility rate” that we should be concerned with that is the rate of those being born again into the Kingdom of God.
According to research done by the Barna Group, the rate of born again Christians in America has remained relatively stable, but not growing significantly. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to pick up the morning paper and see a headline stating: “Christian Fertility Rate Worldwide on the Upswing; Reaches Highest Level in 35 years?
Now, that really would be front page news.
by John Grant
used by permission
FURTHER READING
Is Your Faith Worth Sharing? – by Bill Bright
Not Even a Little Bit – by Claire Colvin
The Age of Opportunity – by Jason Weimer
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