Ideas have consequences. And the climate alarmism screamed every day through the media to terrify people into drastic action certainly has consequences. For example, a recent survey of 5,000 parents from Mexico, India, Singapore, the UK, and the US highlights just one of these consequences—fewer children are being born.

Of the 5,000 parents surveyed, 91% said they are “concerned about the climate crisis.” How concerned are they? Well, over half—53%—shared that their apprehensions about the future of earth’s climate “ha[ve] impacted their perspective on having more children.” Yes, people are choosing not to have children because they are concerned about the physical climate of the world their children will grow up in.

Now, for those of us who understand that climate alarmism is driven not by raw, scientific data, but by a specific interpretation of the evidence and computer models based on assumptions, parents deciding not to have more children because of their climate fears may seem very shocking. But I also shake my head because non-Christians believe that when you die, that is the end of you. So why even care about what happens in the future anyway? Secularists believe the whole universe will die eventually, so ultimately everything is meaningless.

But I wonder how many Christians are doing the same thing regarding having children based on their fears about the future and what we could call “spiritual climate change”?

As we look at the world around us, the culture is getting so dark, and social and moral chaos abounds. It’s easy to feel discouraged and for Christians to think, “How can I bring children into a world that’s so dark and depraved?” But this way of thinking fails to understand that:

1. The culture has always been dark. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, we’ve lived in a world that is groaning because of sin (Romans 8:22), filled with people who have hearts that are blinded to the truth and who therefore love darkness rather than light (John 3:19). The world has always been dark!
2. God is in control. God is sovereign over everything—including the darkness that is permeating our culture. None of this comes as a surprise to him, and he’s in control over what is happening. All things are working to accomplish his good will.
3. God never told us to stop having children just because evil runs rampant! He told us to be fruitful and multiply at the beginning (Genesis 1:28) and then repeated that command after the flood (Genesis 9:1). Scripture teaches that children are a blessing from the Lord—not just when times are good, but all the time! They are always a blessing!
4. God designed the family to pass along a godly legacy and to be light in the darkness. The family is the educational unit God designed to declare his truth to the next generation—to continue that spiritual legacy (Deuteronomy 6:7; Psalm 145:4; Malachi 2:15). Even when the culture is dark, God uses faithful dads and moms, who love him and love his Word, as the primary means through which he grows the church. Family is God’s design and his good plan!

Don’t let fear keep you from enjoying the blessing that children are. This world will continue to groan (sometimes seemingly louder than at other times!), but God will continue to build his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.