Is belief in God and the biblical worldview nearing extinction in America? According to a new and not exactly shocking study from the Cultural Research Center (CRC) at Arizona Christian University, the answer is yes.
Though there is still a remnant of true, mature, Bible-believing Christians is strong and doctrinally sound, the numbers don’t look good.
This is the first study of Americans’ worldview in the “post-lockdown era” of the last few years. According to the CRC, the biblical worldview has declined to a disturbing, historic low of just 4%. Ouch.
It’s no wonder when we look at culture, our decency, virtue, and morality as a nation are practically in the gutter. So why is this such a big deal? It shows a falling-away from God never seen before in America.
Every adult has a worldview, a lens through which we see the world and a filter by which we make our decisions. And I agree with researcher, Dr. George Barna who says people don’t accidentally or randomly go through life and suddenly acquire a biblical worldview. It takes a committed, intentional, purposeful effort to develop.
For Christian parents today, this requires a non-negotiable decision and determination to teach, influence, and persuade your children to embrace biblical principles as the foundation for life, truth, and decision-making.
America’s secular-progressive culture, however, is taking generations of kids in the exact opposite direction. On purpose.
In 2020 for example, 69% of people fell into what the CRC calls the “World Citizen” category. What this means is these folks might embrace a few biblical principles and may even believe in God and go to church, but their lifestyle doesn’t reflect biblical teachings. They live contrary to Scripture and most are not convicted to do otherwise.
Just two years later, the study showed that even a larger majority (82%) of the population falls into this group.
Also last year, research showed that 94% of young parents in America believed in a blending of multiple worldviews in which no single life philosophy is dominant. This can be confusing and self-contradictory.
The new study shows fewer people believe in one true God and George Barna adds:
“When you put the data in perspective, the biblical worldview is shuffling toward the edge of the cliff; …As things stand today, biblical theism is much closer to extinction in America than it is to influencing the soul of the nation.”
Four percent is lowest it’s been since Barna began measuring biblical worldview in the early 1990s. The obvious concern today is young people have almost non-existent godly influences in their lives. As a result, Americans are raising the most defiant anti-Christian kids who are “the most aggressive at rejecting biblical principles in our culture.”
One reason for this is sadly, not nearly enough Christian churches and schools are equipping and preparing young people to develop and maintain a biblical worldview.
Parents, establishing a biblical worldview in your kids falls on your shoulders. Moreover, you should see it not just as a responsibility but an honor to raise strong Christian children at home.
Modern culture leads today’s shift away from God and the Bible to a worldview that puts emotion, experience, and feelings over facts, and one-way tolerance over truth. Anything goes, really.
It’s not hard to understand when we are reminded how prophetic this is. Romans 1, Isaiah 5:20, 2 Timothy 3, 2 Peter 3, delusion, lawlessness, pride, and rebellion rule the day.
Theologian, John Ankerberg stated:
“If the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and if it authoritatively answers the fundamental questions of life, then who can logically be passive and ignore its teachings? If the Bible accurately tells us who God is, who we are, why we are here, and what happens when we die, is there a living soul anywhere who should fail to be impressed?
As opposed to every other belief system that leaves you with questions and uncertainty, Christianity provides compelling answers to the questions of origin, meaning, morality, and destiny.
It seems clear, however, many people today just don’t want to know or accept the truth. This new study is yet another that confirms it.
Stay the course and keep the faith in these last days when the majority are heading for the cliff.
