Do you ever wonder why the Evangelical church is losing its impact while Secular Humanism, aggressive Islam, resurgent Roman Catholicism, and the New Atheism are making great gains? There is an answer...
The Church Unplugged
The Evangelical church has become the church unplugged - increasingly disconnected from its source of power and authority, the Word of God. Only 15% of Evangelical church members read the Bible regularly. 35% never read it at all. Systematic, expository preaching has been largely displaced by topical talks designed to draw more people. Far too often, people are leaving Evangelical church services feeling better about themselves, but just as eternally lost as when they came.
The Church Uncertain
The church unplugged has become the church uncertain - less and less able to articulate and defend even the basics of the Christian faith. 45% of Evangelical church members don't believe the Bible is totally accurate. 46% don't believe Jesus Christ was sinless. 57% believe that good works help gain eternal life. And 57% of Evangelicals do not believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. Most Evangelicals are unable to defend Christian moral positions on issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and sex outside of marriage from Scripture.
The Church Ineffectual
The church uncertain has become the church ineffectual. Fewer than 10% of Evangelical church members cite the Bible as the primary basis of their worldview and behavior. Among the growing numbers of people living with a partner outside of marriage, 19% are Evangelical church members. Nearly 70% of Evangelical young people leave the church when they reach adulthood. Their main stated reason is that they no longer believe the Bible is true, and they say that the church has done little or nothing to answer their doubts.
Needed: The Scripture-Driven Church
Clearly, the church of Jesus Christ must once again become the Scripture-Driven Church. The Bible must once again be its sole authority and infallible critic in every area of life and ministry.
That is the mission of TeachingTheWord: Equipping the Scripture-Driven Church. To learn more, visit our website, www.teachingtheword.org.
