Christian Beliefs Are Being Flushed down the Toilet

Not only is American society in a mess, but the church is, as well. In some ways, on the surface, there seems to be some reason for optimism. It is certainly true that Christians are increasingly more willing to speak up for their faith in public. It has been fascinating for me to watch news anchors and their guests speak openly about faith matters, including their own faith – at least on conservative networks. This might not seem totally surprising, but it is a relatively new development. You didn’t used to see this kind of thing at all.

I think Charlie Kirk’s example has emboldened many Christians, and his assassination galvanized some even more. I also think the increased boldness of people who identify as “progressive Christians” has generated more outspokenness among those who hold to a more biblical understanding of Christianity. Liberal Christianity masquerades as the real thing, but its entire understanding of God, man, and salvation completely oppose what the Bible teaches, and many Christians are feeling a compulsion to push back against those false teachings.

There is also a third thing that is happening. Whenever a society starts taking a strong turn toward darkness, a spiritual vacuum is created that causes people to look for hope and meaning in other places. There is a noticeable move these days of people looking to Christ, especially among the younger generation.

While these are all good signs, there is also something else that needs to be noticed. I remember back in the 1960s and 70s when a similar thing occurred. That was also a time of societal upheaval with the Viet Nam war, along with riots on college campuses and in the streets. And in the midst of that the Jesus movement emerged.

But along with the wonderful effect the Jesus movement had in turning many people to Christ, there were also many who got lured into cults with their false teachings – much the same as we see happening right now. Many of these cults have a Christian facade that makes them appear to be legit to those who don’t know how to distinguish between what is true and what is not.

Christian pollster George Barna’s polling is aimed at taking the pulse of the Christian faith in American society. In some of his latest polling, he gets down to cases about specifically how Christians integrate their faith with daily life. What he has found is not pretty.

1. The overwhelming majority of Americans lack a basic alignment between their beliefs and biblical principles.
2. Secular beliefs swamp biblical beliefs regarding marriage, abortion, and the sanctity of life.
3. Even the most committed category of believers are weak in their beliefs about family, the value of life, God, and creation.
4. There is a massive gulf between the beliefs of Christians and non-Christians – and non-Christians are the vast majority.
5. Biblical worldview formation has effectively disappeared among Millennials and Gen Z.

So, why is the church so weak?

The primary reason is that the traditional focus of the church has not kept up with what has been happening in society. So just what is the traditional focus?

• Centering on the worship service without any expectation of members reaching out into the community.
• Outreach systems focused on a “ya’ll come” paradigm.
• Inwardly focused programming.
• Outward focus aimed solely at community service.
• Member training focused almost exclusively on church doctrines.

So what is missing that has caused the church to not keep up?

• The understanding that the church’s primary ministers are the congregation, with the pastor being the chief equipper (Eph. 4:11-13).
• Equipping of members to effectively “go out” into the community to share the gospel in a way that people who don’t have a Christian background can understand.
• Member training focused on understanding the worldview environment they must minister in.

American society is simply not the same as it used to be, and the church has not adapted to keep up. This has nothing to do with the message that must be shared. The gospel message never changes. What it has to do with is how the church thinks of itself and its mission, and how people are equipped to reach into an increasingly pluralistic and anti-Christian society.

Research indicates that approximately 4000 Protestant churches in America are closing permanently each year. While around 3,500 new ones are started, only about 35% of those make it to their 5^th anniversary. The estimated net loss is 2000 - 3000 per year.

There is only one way to turn this around – a new emphasis on equipping the saints with the kind of foundation they need to express their faith in society the way it now exists. Sitting on tradition will not accomplish the task.

Freddy Davis is the president of MarketFaith Ministries. He is the author of numerous books entitled The Truth Mirage, Rules for Christians Radicals, Liberalism vs. Conservatism, and his latest book Shattering the Truth Mirage and has a background as an international missionary, pastor, radio host, worldview trainer, and entrepreneur. Freddy is a graduate of Florida State University with a BS in Communication, and holds MDiv and DMin degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a popular speaker, particularly on the topic of worldview and its practical implications for the Christian life. He lives in Tallahassee, FL, with his wife Deborah.

You may also contact Freddy at Leadership Speakers Bureau to schedule him for speaking or leadership engagements.

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