‘A beacon of light on the east side’: Board member Jose Juarez talks about what’s so special at Shepherd
Jose Juarez, the family and community engagement director with...
‘Created to do life together’: Shepherd staff member shares special bond with one family of neighbors
The Greek word “paraclete” is used in the Bible as a name for both the...
‘Created to do life together’: Shepherd staff member shares special bond with one family of neighbors
The Greek word “paraclete” is used in the Bible as a name for both the Holy Spirit and Jesus. One meaning of the word is “helper,” and in that sense, Shepherd Community Center Director of Development Kolton Williford serves as a paraclete to a family on the near Eastside of Indianapolis. Kolton shares his experiences with the family here:...
Podcasts
How isolation and loneliness led to a ‘friendship recession’ in America
Executive Director Jay Height explains how each of us can help overcome the epidemic of...
Shepherd partners with Purdue and USC for virtual reality treatment of trauma
Executive Director Jay Height discusses how Shepherd’s partnership with Purdue...
Why Shepherd is partnering with Indianapolis Public Schools to improve education
Executive Director Jay Height explains how Shepherd is working with Indianapolis Public...
Columns by Jay
‘Friendship recession’ is ravaging our mental and physical health. Here’s how we fight against it together.
It’s been called the friendship recession. And it’s having devastating consequences on our emotional, mental and physical health. Recent surveys indicate that Americans have significantly fewer close friends on average and are much more likely to say they have no close friends than in previous decades. The friendship recession is so severe that U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has declared that the surge in Americans’ loneliness and isolation is a public health crisis. In May, Murthy...
Why loving your neighbors is the secret to a happy and healthy life
In 1938, researchers at Harvard University asked a vital question that remains highly relevant 85 years later: What are the factors that determine if a person leads a healthy and happy life? To find answers, the researchers began a long-term study involving 268 Harvard sophomores, whose ranks included a future president, John F. Kennedy. Eventually, the participants’ spouses and children were added to the study, which continues to this day. What did the scientists determine, after eight...
How do we respond as the church in America declines? Get back to the basics of being salt and light.
An important thing to remember about surveys is that one in isolation is of limited value. Are the numbers accurate? Is it showing us an anomaly, or does it signal something wider and deeper? But a cluster of surveys, pointing in the same general direction, can help us accurately identify emerging trends. And there’s little doubt that the Christian church in America is trending downward. Consider these data points: A Gallup survey in August 2019 found that only 36% of Americans said they have...
‘Created to do life together’: Shepherd staff member shares special bond with one family of neighbors
The Greek word “paraclete” is used in the Bible as a name for both the Holy Spirit and Jesus. One meaning of the word is “helper,” and in that sense, Shepherd Community Center Director of Development Kolton Williford serves as a...
‘A beacon of light on the east side’: Board member Jose Juarez talks about what’s so special at Shepherd
Jose Juarez, the family and community engagement director with...
‘Created to do life together’: Shepherd staff member shares special bond with one family of neighbors
The Greek word “paraclete” is used in the Bible as a name for both the...
Podcasts
How isolation and loneliness led to a ‘friendship recession’ in America
Executive Director Jay Height explains how each of us can help overcome the epidemic of...
Shepherd partners with Purdue and USC for virtual reality treatment of trauma
Executive Director Jay Height discusses how Shepherd’s partnership with Purdue...
Why Shepherd is partnering with Indianapolis Public Schools to improve education
Executive Director Jay Height explains how Shepherd is working with Indianapolis Public...
Columns by Jay
‘Friendship recession’ is ravaging our mental and physical health. Here’s how we fight against it together.
It’s been called the friendship recession. And it’s having devastating consequences on our emotional, mental and physical health. Recent surveys indicate that Americans have significantly fewer close friends on average and are much more likely to say they have no close friends than in previous decades. The friendship recession is so severe that U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has declared that the surge in Americans’ loneliness and isolation is a public health crisis. In May, Murthy...
Why loving your neighbors is the secret to a happy and healthy life
In 1938, researchers at Harvard University asked a vital question that remains highly relevant 85 years later: What are the factors that determine if a person leads a healthy and happy life? To find answers, the researchers began a long-term study involving 268 Harvard sophomores, whose ranks included a future president, John F. Kennedy. Eventually, the participants’ spouses and children were added to the study, which continues to this day. What did the scientists determine, after eight...
How do we respond as the church in America declines? Get back to the basics of being salt and light.
An important thing to remember about surveys is that one in isolation is of limited value. Are the numbers accurate? Is it showing us an anomaly, or does it signal something wider and deeper? But a cluster of surveys, pointing in the same general direction, can help us accurately identify emerging trends. And there’s little doubt that the Christian church in America is trending downward. Consider these data points: A Gallup survey in August 2019 found that only 36% of Americans said they have...