By G. Lee Southard, PhD
Every Sunday morning as I worship in church with hundreds of fellow Christians within the feeling of fellowship, I assume that all of us have the same Biblical worldview, that we are alike spiritually. How naïve I am. National statistics collected on Christians tell a radically different story.
First, what is a Biblical world view? It has been defined as an individual’s view of the world based on the belief that absolute moral truth exists and has a Biblical basis. It expresses the following beliefs:
- the accuracy of biblical teaching
- the sinless nature of Jesus
- the literal existence of Satan
- the omnipotence and omniscience of God
- salvation by grace alone and the personal responsibility to evangelize”
Jesus said that to enter the kingdom of heaven “You must be born again”. (John 3:5) That is the hope of every Christian. One cannot get any better than that. So the expectation would be that above all people professing Christianity those declaring they are “born again” would have a Biblical worldview. Think again!
The designation “born again” applies to individuals who have made a personal commitment to Christ that remains important in their life. They believe they will go to heaven upon death because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.
According to a Barna Group survey1 among Christians who self-proclaim they are “born again”
- 19% Have a Biblical worldview
- 62% Believe Jesus was sinless
- 46% Believe in absolute moral truth
- 40% Believe that Satan is a real force
- 79% believe the Bible is accurate
- 47% Believe faith is not earned
- 47% Reject salvation by works
Not unexpectedly, only 9% of self-identified Christians have a Biblical worldview compared to 19% of the “born again “Christians.2 The church is in trouble when the Christian group we expect to have the clearest and most positive Biblical worldview falls woefully short and is not greatly different than the population as a whole.
Having a Biblical worldview among all Americans is inversely related to age, e.g., the lowest Biblical worldviews are among Boomers (57-75) at 10%, Gen-X (41-56)at 7%, Millennials (24-40) at 6%, and Gen-Z (9-24)at 4%.
One would think that at least a majority of pastors would agree with the criteria of a Biblical worldview. Not so! When Protestant pastors were presented with the criteria of a Biblical worldview 49% did not meet the criteria.
A perfect storm is brewing to take down the Christian Church when a substantial percentage of Christians, “born agains” and pastors no longer have a Biblical worldview. As noted in The Battle We Must Not Lose the signs of cracks in the mantle of the Christian church in America are appearing and Christianity will give up its majority status around 2039.
A return to quality education and training by the church is required.
Additional reading you might enjoy at www.toknowwithcertainty.com to order:
To Know with Certainty; Answers to Christian Students Question Before Graduating High School. WestBow Press
The Battle We Must Not Lose: A Call to Save Our Youth and Restore America as One Nation Under God. Faithful Life Publishers
References:
- Barna Group (2009) Changes in Worldview Among Christians Over the Past 13 Years. March 9, 2009. file:///Users/Owner/Documents/Worldview%20Among%20Christians%20Past%2013%20Years%20-%20Barna%20Group.webarchive
- Barna G, (2021) What Does it Mean When People Say They are Christian? Release #6 Cultural Research Center, Arizona Christian University, August 31, 2021.
- Morrow J, Impact 360 Institute Only 4% of Gen-Z Have a Biblical Worldview, https://www.impact360institute.org/articles/4-percent-gen-z-biblical-worldview/
- Barna Group (2004a) Only Half of Protestant Pastors Have a Biblical Worldview. January 12, 2004. https://www.barna.com/research/only-half-of-protestant-pastors-have-a-biblical-worldview/
- Southard G The Battle We Must Not Lose: A Call to Save Our Youth and Restore America as “One Nation Under God”. Faithful Life Publishers. (2022).
