How sports betting has increased predatory gambling across the U.S.

A record 31.4 million American adults plan to bet on Super Bowl LVI, a 35% increase from 2021, according to new research by the American Gaming Association. While half that number is casual bets among friends, 18.2 million will place traditional sports wagers online, at a retail sportsbook, or with a bookie. This is an increase of 78% from the 2021 Super Bowl.

A Message From Our Friends at Prison Fellowship

Do you believe in second chances?

Every person has dignity and potential. But one in three American adults has a criminal record, which limits their access to education, jobs, housing, and other things they need to reach that potential.

Join our friends at Prison Fellowship as we celebrate "Second Chance Month" in April, unlocking brighter futures for 70 million Americans who have repaid their debt to society. Click the button below to get access to a free Second Chance Month Toolkit!

This Week in Washington, D.C.

An important part of the ERLC’s advocacy work in Washington, D.C., focuses on pursuing more just policies and pushing back against the oppressive forces of racism and poverty that prevent the flourishing of all of our neighbors. Two areas where the ERLC is actively working for justice on behalf of the marginalized are predatory lending and criminal justice reform. 

• Unjust lending practices exploit the vulnerable, are predicated on consumer loss, and trap families in cycles of debt. Any lending practice that intentionally uses and exposes vulnerable individuals is unacceptable and should be strictly regulated by government protections. The ERLC is working to advocate in Congress and with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for more stringent regulations on these lenders and these practices.
   
• The United States is home to less than 5% of the world’s population, and yet we have roughly 20% of the world’s prison population. A faulty assumption is at work in our criminal justice system: higher incarceration rates and longer sentences will automatically lead to safer communities and lower recidivism rates. The ERLC is committed to advocating for thoughtful changes that strengthen families and reconcile offenders to their communities. We support legislative policies that seek to reduce high incarceration rates without jeopardizing public safety. 

You can read more about how we are advocating for marginalized communities here.

Learn practical steps to pursue greater unity in your church and community

The evil of racism has long plagued humanity. Yet Jesus, through the power of the gospel, shows us a better way — a way to find true reconciliation and unity. But that isn’t without its challenges.

So we ask ourselves questions like: What does racial reconciliation look like on a daily basis — in our homes, our churches, and our communities? What are some practical ways we can pursue unity — not just in our theology, but also in our actions?

Join SBC President Ed Litton, former SBC President Fred Luter, Missie Branch, and Jon Kelly on Wednesday, February 23 at 11 a.m. ET for a free online event about racial reconciliation in the SBC.

From The Public Square

Featured Podcasts

What You Need to Read

Jason Thacker with How do we seek justice without compromising truth? An interview with Thaddeus Williams about social media, social justice, and a Christian’s responsibility

What are some of the marks of biblical justice? Think of that famous wedding passage where Paul’s describing love (1 Corinthians 13). Paul says that real love is not easily offended. I would say, for example, that’s one mark of biblical justice; it’s marked by a slowness to take offense. This social justice movement that we’re seeing on the rise today is the exact opposite. It actually encourages and inspires people to take offense. By [it’s adherents’] standards, the more offended you are, the more virtuous you are. 

Elizabeth Bristow with What do Christians need to know about child sex trafficking? A conversation with Gretchen Smeltzer, founder of Into the Light

It’s tragic that we live in a world that includes human trafficking of any kind, but especially child sex trafficking. Children are some of the most vulnerable among us and should be cherished, protected, and nurtured. But the reality is that many are being abused and exploited by predators and are in need of help. Thankfully, God is raising up people and organizations dedicated to ending sex trafficking and supporting victims. Gretchen Smeltzer started Into the Light with these goals and shares below how Christians can join this mission.

Michael and Melissa Kruger with How to pray through conflict as a couple: An excerpt from “5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse”

There is a great deal we can do for our spouses. But there is so much that only God can do, so much that only he can develop, and so much that only he can provide. So we pray. And as we pray instead of worry, pray instead of complain, pray instead of strategize, we find that God is not only doing a work in our spouse, he’s doing a work in us too.