Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week.

Today, a fresh report on the state of US families. The stress is getting to almost everybody, it seems. Plus, why the best antidote to AI is being more human, how to heal your hurting mind, and the benefits and limits of sleep trackers.

Only 14% of US Families are Resilient

We’re a little more fragile than we think.

If some days it feels to you like everybody’s hanging on by a thread, you’re not wrong.

New Barna data shows that only 14% of US families are resilient. Resilient meaning families have all four of the following:

• Shared values and beliefs that guide family life
• Open and healthy communication between spouses
• A deep emotional connection within the marriage
• Active engagement in community or faith-based practices beyond the household

So that means about one in seven families you’re serving is really doing well. Barna has more insights here.​

That also makes me incredibly grateful for your leadership as you serve and strengthen families with the Gospel. As Jesus said, he came to bring life, and life to the full.
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Why Gen Z and Millennial Leaders Won't Serve At Your Church

Live Coaching Tuesday at 1:00 pm (Eastern)

While Gen Z and Millennial leaders are bringing extraordinary skills to the marketplace and the world, many feel the Church doesn’t know what to do with them beyond holding doors, running ProPresenter, or filling basic volunteer slots.

On Tuesday's Live Coaching Call, you'll unpack the deeper reasons behind this disconnect—how younger leaders think about calling, contribution, and impact—and why the old volunteer structures simply don’t match their capacity or expectations.

Most importantly, you'll get practical shifts your church can make to unlock its potential, build meaningful roles, and create a culture where emerging leaders actually want to step in.

Get the Zoom Link

In an AI World, What Should You Be?

Just be human.

Freya India is one of my favorite voices lately, and in this bittersweet post, she explains why being more human, vulnerable, messy, and imperfect is more important than ever, and a skill the next generation may not have (being raised in an AI world).
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At a minimum, write like a human. I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of reading “ChatGPT” voice captions across my social media feeds and in my inbox.

Yup, I can tell. You can too.

This is me, by the way. Maybe you can even find a typo this week (I have a great team, but we’re not perfect). Sometimes that’s refreshing, and just what the world needs.

Is Your Church Growth Sustainable?

Download the Sunday Growth System

People find your church online long before they ever decide to visit.

Social media, AI search, and even Google Maps are the new front door.

Through social media advertising, AI search, and local SEO, they help you connect with people who are already looking, making sure you show up in the right places.

But helping people find you is only the beginning. Getting them to visit, come back a second time, and take real next steps requires strong follow-up systems.

Hello Church helps you build those systems, too.

Download their free Sunday Growth System to learn how to get new people…and keep them.

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Use a Sleep Tracking Device?

I use three….here are the limits.

So my burnout happened 20 years ago this spring (more on that soon as I look back). Since then, I’ve been obsessive about getting proper sleep.

And for a decade, I’ve been tracking my sleep.

To preempt all the emails asking me what I use, my current sleep tech stack consists of

• Oura Ring (Gen 4),
• Apple Watch Ultra III, and, more recently,
• An Eight Sleep Pod5 on the bed at home (The Eight Sleep Pod was my wife's and my Christmas gift to each other — which tells you everything you need to know about how long we've been married. Total game-changer as it customizes sleeping temp. I sleep cold. She likes it warmer.)

So I get three reports on my sleep every morning. I know, insane.

While I haven’t burned out in two decades (big fan of that), this article points out the limits of sleep trackers and the reality that you can get so nervous about your sleep metrics that you don’t….sleep.

Cheering for you,

Weekend Watching

Jennie Allen

Jennie Allen on Suffering, Spiritual Warfare, Lies Leaders Believe and Not Giving Up

She reflects on a year like no other she's had: an ephocal global event followed by a terribly difficult sabbatical, health scares and discouragement.