In an age where we can connect to anyone, anywhere, at any time… more of us feel alone than ever before.
The numbers are sobering: a Harvard report in 2024 found that 21% of U.S. adults feel lonely. But among young adults—ages 18 to 24—that number skyrockets to 57%. That’s over half of an entire generation, feeling unseen, disconnected, and without a true place to belong.
We live in a paradox—hyperconnected through screens, yet starved for real connection. We can work from home, shop from our couch, and “hang out” through social media, but fewer of us are experiencing the deep, face-to-face relationships that make us human.
Loneliness isn’t just about being alone—it’s about being unknown. And when people lose places of belonging—like church, community groups, and even extended family—they lose the safety nets that once held society together.
But there is hope. We believe that God designed one place to be the most enduring antidote to loneliness: the family. Not just as a shared last name, but as a living network of trust, purpose, and presence—a place where you are seen, known, and needed.
Psalm 68:6 tells us that “God puts the lonely in families.” (NIV), or the ESV says “God settles the solitary in a home.” His design for healing isolation and loneliness is not through programs or platforms, but through the warmth and security of our most primary, real, and committed relationships- those in a family. When God places the solitary in a household, He’s giving them more than shelter; He’s giving them a primary place to belong, to be known, and to be loved.
Today, we’re going to talk about why family can be the strongest defense against the loneliness epidemic… how purpose and service can pull us out of isolation… and how we can build a culture—inside our homes and beyond—where no one is left unseen.
One of our goals in this conversation is to persuade you of the absolute importance of helping your family discern and establish a clear Family Mandate. A Family Mandate is your statement of purpose—a mission statement for your household. Businesses take great pains to craft a mission statement that drives every decision and future success. Shouldn’t a family, with infinitely more at stake than any company, take even greater care? A clear Family Mandate unites generations, guides decisions, and gives your children—and their children—the highest probability of flourishing for decades to come.
This discussion with 2 of my daughters, Megan and Elli, was recorded in June, and we also shared a brief tribute to Phil Robertson after his passing.