We sometimes describe people as cradles or converts; but instead of describing people, that can divide us. And they're a bit misleading: we aren't born into the Church, and there isn't a specific moment in the past when we enter the Church. We're actually pilgrims, making our way to Christ, growing closer to Him everyday.

A new study from the Pew Research Group has some interesting numbers. Do they show that Christianity is shrinking? While it's true that people are leaving the Church, we can't panic. Instead, we should use these numbers as a challenge. Our challenge is to be the bee and live Orthodoxy: to help people find God and to live the Faith everyday.

Parishes across the country will host their annual festivals and offer great food, music, and dancing to their neighbors. We also have something even more amazing to offer: Christ and the Good News of salvation.

Living Orthodoxy is about love. Here are six ways you can deepen your love for Christ. Are you ready to start?

When people pass away, we pray that their memory will be eternal. We're not simply asking God to think about them: we're asking Him to save them (and us) and bring us all into His Kingdom. It's the Church's answer to the loneliness and emptiness of death.

This week we're responding to another viewer question. Does a love of theology and academic study somehow contradict the mysticism of the Faith? We approach God as complete human persons, and that includes our minds. Reading and studying theology can be a great thing, but it should also be a part of our larger life in Christ. God is more than an idea we think about: He's a person we encounter.

As we learn more about the Faith, we learn about right and wrong. And sin. If we're not careful, that knowledge can lead us to judge others rather than repent of our own faults. How do we stay focused on our sins? And what's the best way to approach people about their faults? Watch to find out!

The Church isn't run by a single person. Instead, we come together in councils to keep the Faith and guide the Church through challenges. From the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem (in the Book of Acts) through the upcoming Great and Holy Council, this spirit of togetherness opens us to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

What can trees teach us about cutting our bad habits, and cultivating good ones? We're discussing an important lesson from Abba Dorotheos in this week's "Be the Bee!"

Why are relics so important in the Church? Saints are sanctified in both body and soul, and in Scripture we see how their bodies continue to be temples of the Holy Spirit even after death. The relics of the martyrs are especially important, from early liturgies in the catacombs to their place in altars today.

Do you want to pray more, but aren't sure where to start? Draw some inspiration from the life of Symeon, a pious man profiled in the book "Ascetics in the World." His life shows how even a simple prayer rule can open our lives to God's grace.

Do Church services sometimes feel like performances, like you're just passively watching? We can't forget that the Liturgy is the work of the people. And one little word invites us to actively participate in that work: amen.

Even though God made us in His image, sin and death can make that hard to see. The challenge of the spiritual life is to break free of the passions that pull us into sin, and instead choose God and good things. The challenge is to heal our hearts, and reveal the image of God in us, so we can become the saints God made us to be.

Have you ever wanted to do something good, and stopped because of doubt? God doesn't knock us over the head: He speaks to us in whispers, the good thoughts that remind us to love God and neighbor. Instead of letting those whispers get drowned out, remember: when you have a good thought, do it immediately.

You've probably heard the Parable of the Sower, and that we're called to make our hearts good soil, ready to receive God's Word. But what about our call to be sowers, to be people who plant the seeds of the Gospel? Y2AM has a special challenge for you this Advent: are you ready to #BeTheSower?

It's not easy to love your enemies, especially when they do something terrible. But it's the Christian way, and it's possible because Christ has defeated hatred and fear with forgiveness and love. It's possible because He defeated death with His own death.

Giving thanks isn't just for Thanksgiving. As Christians, it's an important part of our daily lives. It's the way to see God even in the midst of difficult times, to receive the blessed happiness that only comes when we open ourselves to God's grace.

Love isn't simply something to talk about, it's something to live. Help us support IOCC in this year's Project for Awesome, and live the Gospel. Together, we can make the world a more awesome place.

St. Dionysios of Zakynthos is a powerful example of forgiveness. He shows us how forgiveness can free us to be who God made us to be, rather than trapping us and defining us by our sins and shortcomings.

Technology helps bring us together, sort of. The world is full of divisions that our sins reinforce. True unity only comes in Christ, who overcomes everything that divides us and brings all creation to God.

Christ asked His disciples something personal: "Who do you say that I am?" It's an invitation to do more than answer a question: He's asking us to share our relationship with Him. So who do you say that Christ is? And how is He active in your life? Share your answer and this video!

"On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18) You'll never look at this Bible quote, or the Church, in the same way again. Hell isn't invading the Church; instead, the Church is invading Hell. Christ has broken down the gates of Hell, and our job as Christians is to join Him in bringing light to even the darkest corners of existence.

Great Lent is the time we prepare for Pascha, and the first weeks of the Triodion Period prepare us for Lent. These weeks help us understand how we should prepare for Pascha: that our main goal is not to individually "become better," but to to re-establish our relationships with God and neighbor.

If we attend Church services, do we need to pray on our own? If we pray on our own, do we need to attend the services? Prayer matters, and goes hand in hand with the services. Without the Liturgy, prayer is just talking to ourselves. And without prayer, Liturgy is just empty ritual.

It's one thing to talk about why Church services and prayer are important, and another to do them. How do we start? The key is something simple, and something very easy to overlook: silence.

Many of us seek wealth, or stuff, or other temporary pleasures. Yet God wants us to seek something more. Christ chose the Cross. What do you choose?

Christ is Risen! Yet, if Christ really has conquered death, why do we still die? With a little help from St. Paul the Apostle and Fr. John Behr, we'll take a closer look at our relationship with God and explore how we perfect our union with Christ.

Life is full of ups and downs. Even though things are going well, it can suddenly feel like your spiritual life is crashing to the ground. Whatever the reason, here are three tips to help you hold onto hope. God bless you!

After 100 episodes, it's time to ask: what comes next? As great as it is to talk about God, and learn about Him, the next step is to put it all into practice. Repentance is a change in our lives, a movement back to God. Join the movement and live Orthodoxy!

Dn John Chryssavgis, theological advisor to His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, joins Steve to explain the Council. They discuss the mission of the Church in the world, and our mission as Christians.

As we look ahead to the new Church year, we're not preparing simply to learn more about God: we're preparing to grow closer to God. And here are 6 things we can start doing right now to make the most of the year ahead as we take our first steps towards Christ and His Kingdom!

You probably know what you need to do to grow closer to Christ, but you're having trouble getting started. Here are five ways to jumpstart your spiritual life and start connecting with the Lord today!

Saint Paul tells us to "pray without ceasing." But is constant prayer even possible? And how should we even start? We'll look at simple ways to build our prayer so that our whole life can become an uninterrupted prayer, a joyful offering of praise to God.

Our lives are chapters in a greater story. What part are you playing: the all-star athlete, the Greek American, the top of your class? What about the disciple of Christ? This week, let's refocus our lives in God's story, the greater story of salvation.

Philanthropy isn't just about cutting checks, and charity isn't just for non-profits. We can all find ways to do more doing in our lives: to connect with people in personal ways and help give them a taste of God's Kingdom.

We all know forgiveness is a holy and important thing, yet it's easier said than done. When you're having trouble, here are four things to help soften your heart and open the door to forgiveness.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Fr. John Chryssavgis join Steve to explore why caring for the environment is part of our role as Christians and priests of creation.

God is more than an abstract idea. And if He's real, that has important consequences for our lives.

"Thoughts" are the imaginings and fantasies that can distract us from God. And they can turn into action after they enter our hearts. So how do we deal with the thoughts that bother us? Instead of fighting them, we can turn away from them.

Faith is often treated as a secret, private thing. But if we really believe that we know the way to eternal life in Christ, would we really keep that hidden from others?

We use the word "mystery" a lot in the Church. Because the Church herself is a mystery: not an idea to be grasped but a reality to be lived.

Walking into an Orthodox Church can be pretty overwhelming. Join Steve as he offers a quick tour of what you'll typically see, and what that can teach us about our path to salvation.

Human trafficking is a big problem all over the world. In this year's Project for Awesome, we're supporting the HOPE Project, a new program that connects survivors of human trafficking housing, occupations, potential, and empowerment.

The ways we spend our time and money say a lot about what we actually love. And our actions may reveal we don't love God as much as we'd like to think. Let's take an honest look at our lives so we can make some much-needed changes in the year ahead.

Hierarchy isn't about status or being important. In the Church, hierarchy is our sacred order, the way we fit together as One Body.

Vestments are more than decorations: they reveal something important about our relationship with God and the role of our clergy.

Are there seven sacraments? Are sacraments just symbols, or ways to receive grace? Get ready to unlearn everything you think you know about sacraments in this episode!

Lots of prayers say we should "fear God." Does that mean we should be terrified of Him? How can we fear God and love Him?

Lent is hard work, especially when so much of the modern world is designed to make things easy for us! Yet life isn't easy. Can we become the sort of people who learn how to do what's best, even when it's not easy?

We can learn things about almost any subject. Yet God doesn't want us to simply know things *about* Him, in an abstract way. He wants us to truly know Him and commune with Him.