Kerby Anderson
Karol Markowicz calls it “America’s Great Rip-off.” What she is talking about is the rising tide of shoplifting in this country. Although it may be easy to dismiss shoplifting as insignificant, she reminds us that it hurts everyone. We pay for it economically with increased prices, and we pay for it culturally with a further decline and degradation in society’s standards.
How bad is the problem? Anyone with a little bit of discernment should question the latest statistics. A liberal group estimating the impact of shoplifting is minimal if you exclude New York City. But that same group found a whopping 64% increase in shoplifting in the city.
The same group reports San Francisco had a decline in shoplifting even though businesses are leaving that city. Target is closing three stores in the area, citing “theft and organized retail crime . . . threatening the safety of our team and guests, and contributing to unsustainable business performance.”
She also makes the same case that a state senator on my radio program recently made. Smaller crimes lead to bigger crimes. “A black market emerges for the stolen goods, violence becomes more likely when theft continues unchecked, and an atmosphere of danger permeates the areas where people are stealing and suffering no consequences.”
We are left, she concludes, with a “feeling of helplessness — that no one is in charge and rules don’t matter — leads directly to societal decay. When security isn’t an expectation, antisocial behavior increases.”
There are solutions, but those must first begin with law enforcement and a district attorney that will prosecute criminal behavior. This next election is an opportunity to replace those who won’t do their job.

Kerby Anderson
For more than a decade, my radio program has had a millennial roundtable discussion to help the next generation learn to navigate the culture. One resource I recommend is the book, A Practical Guide to Culture, written by John Stonestreet and Brett Kunkle. The rowboat on the cover illustrates that the younger generations will have to navigate through choppy waters.
John has been on my radio program many times to talk about culture and share his experiences from Summit Ministries and the Chuck Colson Center. Both authors have ministered to thousands of students and their parents. They are facing a range of challenges from digital media to pornography to drugs to transgender issues.
They not only focus on the hot-button issues we hear about and read about every day, but they also focus on the undercurrents in the culture such as consumerism, materialism, addiction, the sexual revolution, and racial tension.
The younger generations face significant challenges, especially in an age with greater hostility toward Christianity. They also must do so in a digital world that moves much faster than in previous generations.
Another helpful aspect of the book is the attempt to answer or refute many of the cultural lies in our society. Technology helps spread these lies quickly. Christians will need biblical discernment to deal with so many lies that are assaulting biblical truth.
They say that young people can either celebrate, create, confront, co-opt, or correct cultural trends and habits. We must stand for biblical truth and correct cultural trends, but we also must do it with love and compassion. This book provides a model for all of us to follow.