Below are this week's Articles of Interest as compiled by Mr. Van Baker. This collection of articles is cultivated by Mr. Baker with the goal of highlighting some of the trends, upheavals, and things to watch for in our society. These articles are not necessarily the express views of the United Church of God, Mr. Baker, or me as the pastor, but they are informative of what is occurring in our nation and culture. In accordance with Christ's warning to correctly discern the times (Matthew 16:1-4), it is wise to be aware of what is going on around us.

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Is there a revival in the US? The real data says 'No' – No, the United States is not in a revival. Not as of the summer of 2026, not by the standard the Christian tradition has historically used and not by any standard the data can support.
https://www.christianpost.com/voices/is-there-a-revival-in-the-united-states-the-real-data-says-no.html

'We are broken': One family's fight against gambling addiction – AMIT'S MOM BARELY recognized her son when she picked him up from college. He had lost roughly 20 pounds since his parents dropped him off nearly two years earlier. He looked disheveled, with unkempt hair and a patchy beard. He came to the University of Cincinnati in the fall of 2023 as an honors student who devoted himself to tennis, schoolwork and a dream of becoming an engineer. Then the unusual activity on their bank accounts started piling up. So did the excuses. He flunked a few classes, dropped out of the rest and blew the rent money his parents gave him. Now it was just three weeks before finals in spring 2025, but he couldn't stay. AS GAMBLING BECOMES ever more ingrained in American society, experts say they are seeing more cases like Amit's -- vulnerable young adults who develop addictions and parents who struggle to help them.
https://www.espn.com/sports-betting/story/_/id/49547066/sports-betting-gambling-poker-addiction-college-campus-youth

Amish threaten mass exodus from New York over vaccine fight – New York’s Amish community is issuing an ultimatum to state bureaucrats: leave us alone or we’re packing up our buggies for greener pastures. The threat has been sparked by a vaccine mandate fight that the 25,000 strong religious community is taking all the way to the Supreme Court. It takes place as state Health Department officials continue to slap thousands in fines on tiny, one-room parochial Amish schools which have refused to comply with a Cuomo-era vaccine decree.
https://nypost.com/2026/08/26/us-news/amish-threaten-mass-exodus-from-new-york-over-vaccine-fight-which-is-heading-to-the-supreme-court/

Judge rules Texas can’t ban exposing children to drag shows – A federal judge claims Texas’ law protecting children from obscenity is ‘unconstitutional.'
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/judge-rules-texas-cant-ban-exposing-children-to-drag-shows/?utm_source=most_recent

Ancient Burial Cave Discovered Beneath Jerusalem Opens Window Into Time of Jesus – The cave was found in Silwan, a modern neighborhood built above and around the City of David. The area sits near the Pool of Siloam and across the Kidron Valley from ancient Jerusalem. The discovery underscores how much biblical history remains concealed beneath modern Jerusalem. Homes in Silwan stand above ancient caves and archaeological layers, while excavations continue beneath parts of the neighborhood.
https://mycharisma.com/news/ancient-burial-cave-discovered-beneath-jerusalem-opens-window-into-time-of-jesus/

The Tomb of the Apostle Philip – [found at Hierapolis in 2011] The remains of the apostle Philip are no longer in the tomb. According to D’Andria, the saint’s relics were very likely moved from Hierapolis to Constantinople at the end of the sixth century and then possibly taken to Rome and placed in the newly dedicated Church of St. Philip and St. John (now the Church of the Holy Apostles), although 12th-century reports describe seeing Philip’s remains still in Constantinople, the seat of Christian Turkey.
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/tomb-of-apostle-philip-found/

Lebanese Cedar— The Prized Tree of Ancient Woodworking – In the biblical world, Lebanese cedar (Cedrus libani) trees were highly sought after as an excellent source of timber for ancient woodworking. The wood’s high quality, pleasant scent and resistance to both rot and insects made it a popular building material for temples, palaces and seagoing vessels, from Solomon’s famed Temple to the so-called “Jesus Boat” of the first century C.E.
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/artifacts-and-the-bible/lebanese-cedar-the-prized-tree-of-ancient-woodworking/

63% of Religious Books on Amazon Are Likely AI-Written, Study Finds – Nearly two-thirds of religious books sampled on Amazon were likely written by artificial intelligence, according to a new study of more than 2,000 recently published titles.
https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/articles/63-religious-books-amazon-likely-163104026.html

[New Orleans] Becomes First in Country to Hand 911 Calls Over to AI Bot – New Orleans has become the first city in the U.S. to send 911 callers to an AI bot. Receiving more than 1,000 emergency calls every day, the Orleans Parish Communications District announced late last month it is now routing many calls through at artificial intelligence system that determines who needs to be connected immediately to a human dispatcher and who can be assisted by a bot.
https://www.faithwire.com/2026/08/10/major-us-city-becomes-first-in-country-to-hand-911-calls-over-to-ai-bot/