RELEVANT This Week

SEPTEMBER 12, 2017 [RELEVANT THIS WEEK]( THE BEST OF RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM STORY OF THE WEEK [What All Christians Need to Know About the Enneagram]( A conversation with author Chris Heuertz. By now, you’ve probably either heard about the enneagram or heard people identify their personality type based on its numeric scale. In his new book, The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth, author Chris Heuertz argues that the enneagram is far more than a personality test. It’s a way in which Christians can grow closer to God. We recently spoke with Heuertz about the book, what we can learn from the principles of the enneagram and why all Christians should understand it more. [READ NOW]( WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW [• Pope Francis Said That Ending DACA Is Not “Pro-Life”]( Pope Francis [is speaking out]( about the White House’s recent decision to end DACA—a program that protected “Dreamers” (young undocumented people brought to the U.S. by their parents as children)—from being deported. He said: “I heard the president of the United States introduce himself as a pro-life man. A good pro-lifer understands that family is the cradle of life, and that its unity must be defended.” Pres. Trump has said he will “revisit” DACA if Congress cannot agree on a plan to protect DREAMers by the end of the six-month window. [• We Look at 4 Times TV Got Church Right (And 2 Times It Got It Wrong)]( In the golden age of TV that we’re currently in, no topic is too taboo to tackle and to dramatize. That includes religion. This week, [we broke down]( four different times television shows offered thoughtful commentary about the Church and the state of Christianity—and two times they completely missed the mark. [• Here’s What We Get Wrong About Contentment]( It’s easy to feel unfulfilled and to become impatient while waiting on God to show up in the areas of lives where we need Him. But that doesn’t make us ungrateful or discontent. This week, we [examine four practices]( to put into place when you’re struggling with contentment, and how to truly understand what it means to find joy in God, even when things haven’t worked out the way that you thought they would. [• A Massive New Study Shows White Christians In Sharp Decline in the U.S.]( In what’s being heralded as the “largest survey of American religious and denominational identity” ever conducted, PRRI found that [historic shifts have taken]( place in the nation’s religious identity over the past few years, and suggests that the coming years are going to look very different for its religious landscape. White Christians, who comprised 80 percent of the country just four decades ago, now make up just 43 percent of the U.S. In 2006, white Protestants accounted for nearly a full quarter of the American population. Today, they make up just 17 percent. Black protestants, in the meantime, make up abut 8 percent of the country, and have generally been holding at a much steadier rate than white Christians have. In the meantime, the white Christian population is aging while other religious groups in America are retaining their youth, and 11 percent of white Catholics and white evangelical Protestants are under 30. These are big changes, and no institution in the U.S. has adequately reckoned with just what it could mean for the future. The big takeaway for the moment is that white Christians can no longer take it as a given that the rest of the country is just going to go along with their vision of the world. For the first time in the U.S.’ relatively young history, they do not make up the majority of the population. [• Saying 'Marriage Is Hard' All the Time Isn't Helping]( As writer Anna Kasik explains: “Shortly before our wedding, someone gave me and my husband this advice: “Marriage is good. It’s hard—and sometimes you’ll want out, but it’s worth it.” I remember thinking that was an odd thing to say to a couple about to get married. It seemed like such a bleak view of marriage.” [In this new piece](, Kasik explains why by telling young couples how “hard” marriage is, we may be sending the wrong—and might be inadequately preparing them for what really lies ahead in their relationship. [• Another Movie About the Apostle Paul Is in the Works]( Hollywood is [adapting another Bible story]( for the big screen. Paul, Apostle of Christ will star James Faulkner (known for TV roles including Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey) in the title role, as well as Jim Caviezel (who famously played Jesus in The Passion) as Luke. A studio executive told Deadline, “This gripping film dives deep into the final months before Paul’s execution under Nero as he reconciles his faith with his past persecution of the church.” It’s not Hollywood’s only adaptation of the story of Paul. In 2015, it was announced that Hugh Jackman would play Paul in another film based on the New Testament writer’s life. [• Most of the Nation's Disaster Relief Work Comes From Faith Groups]( [A new report]( from USA Today shows just how much faith-based groups help during natural disasters like the recent hurricanes. Greg Forrester, CEO of the national VOAD told the paper, “About 80 percent of all recovery happens because of non-profits, and the majority of them are faith-based.” Those funds are “all raised by the individuals who go and serve, raised through corporate connections, raised through church connections.” MOST SHARED LIFE [5 Things to Stop Doing in Your 20s]( GOD [The 5 Most Misused and Abused Bible Verses]( CULTURE [Eden, Evil and the Surprising Message of 'Wonder Woman']( © 2017 RELEVANT Media Group. All Rights Reserved [SUBSCRIBE]( If you wish to unsubscribe from our newsletter, click [here](