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Monday, February 22, 2010
The Significance of One's Worldview
Ignorance of the Scriptures is epidemic in the Church today, even among those who call themselves Evangelicals. As a result, the average Christian does not have the slightest idea how to defend the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Even worse, many could not even define the fundamentals of the faith!The Significance of One's Worldview
Why is this important? As Barna puts it, "A worldview serves as a person's decision-making filter." It is what determines how the person will interpret and deal with the complexities of life. Barna's research has discovered that there are large differences in behavior related to matters such as media use, profanity, gambling, alcohol use, honesty, civility, and sexual choices — all depending upon one's worldview. And Barna's research has revealed that the worldview of the average person is firmly in place by the age of 13.
To get specific, Barna's research has discovered that those without a biblical worldview are:
100 times more likely to endorse abortion.
80 times more likely to say that exposure to pornography is morally acceptable.
31 times more likely to believe that living together before marriage is morally acceptable.
15 times more likely to believe homosexuality is morally acceptable.
18 times more likely to endorse drunkenness.
12 times more likely to accept profanity.
11 times more likely to say adultery is okay.
9 times more likely to gamble by purchasing lottery tickets.
Where Do You Stand?Let's take a look at how the Barna organization determines whether or not a person has a biblical worldview. Here are Barna's eight determining questions:
Do you believe that absolute moral truths exist?
Do you believe the Bible defines those truths?
Do you believe Jesus Christ lived a sinless life?
Do you believe God created the universe?
Do you believe Satan is a real living entity?
Do you believe that salvation is a gift of God that cannot be earned?
Do you believe that Christians have an obligation to share the Gospel with the unsaved?
Do you believe the Bible is accurate in all its teachings?
Look over the above list carefully and ponder it in your heart. The fact that only 9% of those who claim to be born-again agree with all eight statements is mind-boggling. George Barna has concluded that "the primary reason Christians do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus."
Poll after poll has shown that the most widely known Bible verse among both adult and teen believers is "God helps those who help themselves." The problem is that this is not a Bible verse, and even worse, it expresses an idea that is completely unbiblical!
This incredible biblical ignorance among Evangelical teens makes you wonder what is going on in youth ministries. Are they doing anything other than playing games and conducting wiener roasts?
We need to get back to the Word. Back to the fundamentals of the Faith. And we need to learn how to defend what we believe.
Why is this important? As Barna puts it, "A worldview serves as a person's decision-making filter." It is what determines how the person will interpret and deal with the complexities of life. Barna's research has discovered that there are large differences in behavior related to matters such as media use, profanity, gambling, alcohol use, honesty, civility, and sexual choices — all depending upon one's worldview. And Barna's research has revealed that the worldview of the average person is firmly in place by the age of 13.
To get specific, Barna's research has discovered that those without a biblical worldview are:
100 times more likely to endorse abortion.
80 times more likely to say that exposure to pornography is morally acceptable.
31 times more likely to believe that living together before marriage is morally acceptable.
15 times more likely to believe homosexuality is morally acceptable.
18 times more likely to endorse drunkenness.
12 times more likely to accept profanity.
11 times more likely to say adultery is okay.
9 times more likely to gamble by purchasing lottery tickets.
Where Do You Stand?Let's take a look at how the Barna organization determines whether or not a person has a biblical worldview. Here are Barna's eight determining questions:
Do you believe that absolute moral truths exist?
Do you believe the Bible defines those truths?
Do you believe Jesus Christ lived a sinless life?
Do you believe God created the universe?
Do you believe Satan is a real living entity?
Do you believe that salvation is a gift of God that cannot be earned?
Do you believe that Christians have an obligation to share the Gospel with the unsaved?
Do you believe the Bible is accurate in all its teachings?
Look over the above list carefully and ponder it in your heart. The fact that only 9% of those who claim to be born-again agree with all eight statements is mind-boggling. George Barna has concluded that "the primary reason Christians do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus."
Poll after poll has shown that the most widely known Bible verse among both adult and teen believers is "God helps those who help themselves." The problem is that this is not a Bible verse, and even worse, it expresses an idea that is completely unbiblical!
This incredible biblical ignorance among Evangelical teens makes you wonder what is going on in youth ministries. Are they doing anything other than playing games and conducting wiener roasts?
We need to get back to the Word. Back to the fundamentals of the Faith. And we need to learn how to defend what we believe.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
State of the Nation 2 by Ken Ham of Answers In Genesis
Following President Obama’s annual “State of the Union” address, biblical apologist Ken Ham will soon offer his “State of the Nation” speech, highlighting how far the U.S. has wandered from its moral foundations, and calling Christians back to their biblical roots.
Ham, president of Answers in Genesis (AiG), the biblical apologetics ministry responsible for the world-renowned Creation Museum near Cincinnati, will present his speech from inside the Creation Museum and via webcast live.
“Many Christians have been duped into accepting a false idea: that there is a ‘neutral’ position they can take in regard to social issues,” Ham said. “Some Christians even accept the myth that the U.S. Constitution declares that there should be a separation of church and state. They are hesitant to inject Christian beliefs into politics.
“God’s Word, however, makes it clear that there is no neutral position,” Ham continued. “God’s people need to unashamedly and uncompromisingly stand on the Bible and its absolute standards. We need to proclaim a Christian worldview and the Gospel, all the while giving answers for the hope we have.”
Ham’s webcast (his speech is not open to the public) will touch on social issues such as abortion, “gay” marriage, origins, and the role of religion in society. He will encourage Christians to know what the Bible says on these matters, and help them understand how to defend the biblical viewpoint in an increasingly hostile environment.
“We need to learn what we can do to call America back to the only sure foundation—biblical authority,” Ham explained. “We need to stand unashamedly upon God’s Word in the face of a skeptical society and find out how we can do more than just watch our country slip into a moral quagmire.”
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