More On The Threat

And yet even more troublesome, we find that more than two out of three Evangelical, emerging adults do not believe that you must trust in Jesus to be reconciled to God. In fact, it doesn’t really seem that important to even have the absolute truth about God or anything else. There is a tendency to pick and choose some stuff in the Bible and ignore anything that makes us uncomfortable.

But in God’s Word He shows us everything from how He made His world to how we should live in His world to our place in eternity. The Periscope Journey takes real research findings of holes in theology, attitudes and lifestyle of young adults who claim faith in Christ and applies Scriptural truth directly to plug these holes.

Whether looking at basic biblical truths, bare-bones religious practice or views on cultural issues that are clearly addressed in scripture, time and again, we have seen that born again Christians are more likely to side with their culture than with Christ.

Young Christians need more Christ, not more culture!

So let’s examine ourselves. Do I sit on the sidelines allowing myself or other believers to conform to the world without attempting to intervene? We’re in the middle of a spiritual war—a battle for souls, a rescue mission, through a life sold-out to Christ. Its our purpose to testify to the truth—reflecting Christ in our words and in actions, whose very character is Truth.

Church Issues

Most American church attendees have lost a sense of living as Ambassadors for Christ and eternal citizens of Heaven. Even as born-agains, many believe Jesus is a way to Heaven, just not the only way. The majority of Evangelical church members are adapting to accept the new cultural positions rather than standing firm in the truth taught by Christ and His apostles.

We’ve found that putting people in a religious setting just isn’t sufficient alone. When they come to the point where they realize the value of an intimate interaction with God through scripture and prayer, they’re more likely to continue in the truth. Its about encouraging young adults especially towards a personal, consistent, applied intake of Gods truth that helps to confirm the power and validity of the Scripture as their guide for living.

It seems we should judge the success of our churches less on the number of those attending events, programs, trips and classes and more on the number of those who are committed to personal spiritual disciplines because they recognize the value they bring. Once truth displaces cultural assumptions, spiritual and hence church growth will be guaranteed!

Imagine a Different Future!

Imagine young moms and dads breaking down cultural messages from movies and schoolwork with kids in minivans and at dinner tables throughout your church! Envision millions of Millennials saving themselves for marriage and persuading peers to join them because they believe and behave biblically! Expect young adults in your small group or church to start exploring and applying their faith for all they’re worth because the blinders of a me-me-me and live-for-today culture have been stripped off!

Through our Probe survey, we see that we can reach almost two thirds of young born-agains through church. Shockingly, this also includes half of those without a biblical worldview. Reaching the other half of young adults without a biblical worldview will require communicating with them outside the context of the local church.

The church must work together in this if we are going to fulfill God’s purpose in the world. We have the privilege of making an eternal impact on individuals, on families and on communities. We’re responsible for communicating the basic truths of the gospel and leaving the results to God. You and your church or small group can make a difference!

A Good Solution

So we have to ask the question, “Can the church continue on this course of scattered beliefs and bad behavior for long?” Of course the answer is No! Either the evangelical church will follow a path into a shrinking, irrelevant sideline position in our society or we will come back to the foundational truth found in Jesus Christ.

To live the ultimate life, to experience life to the fullest, an entire generation needs to believe biblically and act accordingly.

Be encouraged–what we face today is nothing new! The apostle Paul expressed concerns about a similar loss of truth impacting the genuine believers of Colossae. He warned them, “I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument” (Col. 2:4) with the intent of taking you captive “through philosophy and empty deception… rather than according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8) Just as it was true for the Colossian church, it is true for us: we don’t have to fall for the traps of cultural captivity which delude our minds from God’s foundational truths rooted in Christ since the beginning of time. It would be good to adapt and share Paul’s timeless advice which can be summarized in 5 key areas:

Check out some tools to help counter this real threat: A Clear View (click here)