Please allow me to begin by saying I am a Christian! I believe Jesus in the Only Way to Heaven! I believe that Christian values are the foundation of these United States, and we are losing them daily to opposing forces. If you disagree with my premise, then you will probably not be blessed by this article. But, if we want to return to our foundation, I believe this information will be helpful.
How many Americans believe the Bible is true, authoritative, and applicable to every area of life? The latest Barna research indicates that only 6 percent of Americans believe in the Holy Scriptures. Many believe that reincarnation is possible! For others, Jesus is not the only way to salvation! In fact, 41% of Americans believe the Bible, the Koran, and the Book of Mormon express the same divine truths!
Our youth appear to be more lost than any other grouping. Millennials, 24 to 40-year-old, identify as “Christian” in great numbers: 61%, yet only 2% of them actually believe the Bible is God’s Word. American teens are increasingly tolerant of sexual immorality. 56% of the group believe premarital sex is acceptable. Nearly half of 13 to 15-year-olds admit to viewing pornography within the last three months. A fourth of our teens report feeling sexually attracted to someone of the same gender within the last three months.
The world is not helping young people cope. The pandemic has taken a terrible toll on our youth. 35% of U.S. teens have had suicidal thoughts within the past three months. Emergency room visits for mental health crises among 12 to 17-yer-olds hass increased an alarming 31%. Overdoses rose by 36% and suicide attempts increased by 26%! Symptoms of anxiety and depression are greatly accelerated!
The Church of America must respond to the crisis of our times. But, we also need to understand the times in which we live. More than ever before, we are a nation of nationalities, a diverse mix of ethnicities. Our nation is home to 46 million foreign-born people. Nearly 40^ of our population belongs to a racial or ethnic minority. At least 350 languages are spoken in these United States. It is easy to walk down the street in some neighborhoods and see or hear not a word of English.
If we are to “Go into all the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ” we must begin in our country. The entire world is in our backyard. The church can not be an angry, militaristic lashing out against sin movement, but the kind of ministry that Jesus would set in motion: a movement of love, of heartbreak for the broken hearted, and with answers from the Word of God.
We, the Christians of America, have unprecedented opportunities, but we must first take a stand, and not a knee, for Biblical Truths!
