Evidence
Recent polls suggest young children are leaving religion behind, including Christianity, at alarming rates. Yet, over the past several years, churches have decided to leave the Bible behind too. Could these two statistics be tied together?
Some preachers are more interested in being storytellers than preaching Bible. Many churches have removed the Bibles from their pews and replaced them with big screens and loud speakers on their “stage.” So-called “ministers” are more “recreational organizers” than Bible students. To put it bluntly, churches are too interested in drawing big numbers with social and recreational programs and not interested enough in the simple mission of preaching “the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). The result of this focus on “the social gospel” in the past generation has been devastating.
Why? The answer is simple—by studying the Bible less church-goers are less aware of the evidence that exists for God and His plan to save mankind through His Son, Jesus Christ.
The reason we have Scripture is to elicit belief. John wrote his eyewitness account about Jesus Christ, “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31). True faith is the “conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). True convictions must be based on evidence! The evidence about Jesus Christ is based on the “eyewitness” testimony of those ho lived among Him during His life, death and even after His resurrection (Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8;2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:1-3). Paul verified many of the witnesses of Jesus Christ to provide proof (1 Cor. 15:5-7).
If our families are ever to be convinced in the truth of Jesus Christ, as written in the Bible, we must provide them with evidence. Most children are not willing to accept it on the basis of “inherited religion.” How much do we underestimate the next generation by thinking we can manipulate them into being Christians by ignoring the evidence which can convict their minds and trying to sucker them into the church by offering them fun, frolic and festivities? Jesus condemned such insincere seekers (John 6:26-27).
Instead of being interested in churches for their entertainment value let’s turn to the church for its evidential value. Does your family know of the hundreds of prophecies Jesus fulfilled? Do they know of the miracles Jesus performed or the proof of His resurrection? Or, do they merely see the church as a social outlet and an entertainment venue?
“...by
studying
the Bible less
church-goers
are less aware
of the evidence
that exists for
God and His
plan
to save mankind
through His Son,
Jesus Christ.”
April 2009