Are we better off without Sunday school?
A couple of weeks ago I was given a book to read. The book, Already Gone, was written by Ken Ham (Answers in Genesis founder) and Britt Beemer. It explores why so many children who are raised in the church end up leaving by the time they are adults. According to statistical studies, 60% of regular church attenders will leave.
The study examined by the book draws on information gathered from interviews with 1000 twenty-somethings who regularly attended theologically conservative churches as children, but who no longer (or rarely) attend today. Of the 1000 people interviewed, 61% said they regularly attended Sunday school.
One may suspect that those who attended Sunday school would be more likely to remain in church over time. One may also suspect that those attending Sunday school would have greater confidence in the Bible and a better opinion of church in general. Here are some surprising results uncovered in the survey:
The research showed that students who regularly attended Sunday school are:
- more likely NOT to believe that all the accounts/stories in the Bible are true/accurate.
- more likely to doubt the Bible because it was written by men.
- more likely to doubt the Bible because it was not translated correctly.
- more likely to defend that abortion should continue to be legal.
- more likely to defend premarital sex.
- more likely to accept that gay marriage and abortion should be legal.
- more likely to view the church as hypocritical.
- much more likely to have become anti-church through the years.
- more likely to believe that good people don’t need to go to church.
Did you read that correctly? That is right. Those who regularly attended Sunday school are more likely to express the views above than those who did not attend. What are we to make of this? Below are some more specific numbers to consider:
When asked these questions, here are the responses from each group.
1. Do you believe that premarital sex is wrong?
- YES. 40.8% of Sunday school attenders
- YES. 47.7% of those who did not go to Sunday school
2. Do you feel good people don’t need to go to church?
- YES. 39.3% of Sunday school attenders
- YES. 28.9% of those who did not go to Sunday school
3. Do you feel that church is relevant to your needs today?
- NO. 46.4% of Sunday school attenders
- NO. 39.6% of those who did not go to Sunday school
4. Do you believe that you have become anti-church through the years?
- YES. 39.1% of Sunday school attenders
- YES. 26.9% of those who did not go to Sunday school
This is a very intriguing study. What are we to make of it? Are we better off sleeping in on Sunday and forgetting Sunday school altogether? What are your thoughts? What should we do to correct the problem?
What is True Martyrdom?
I found an insightful story from Forbes.com on the true meaning of martyrdom. The article looks at the very different religious commitments of a Muslim and a Christian. Here is an excerpt:
This past Christmas Day brought us the stories of two young men, both willing to martyr themselves for their beliefs, but in ways and for visions so utterly different that their tales might serve as a parable for the defining struggles of our time.
One, as you surely know, was the underwear bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a wealthy young Muslim from a prominent Nigerian family. Following his embrace of radical Islam, he tried to sacrifice himself–allegedly–in a botched attempt to sow terror and death by blowing up an American airliner packed with 289 other people, en route to Detroit. Having entered American air space decked out as a suicide bomber, he is now availing himself of U.S. constitutional rights, granted to him by the Obama Administration, to plead not guilty to criminal charges.
The other martyr, in stark contrast, was a 28-year-old Christian missionary, Robert Park. An American of Korean descent, Park offered himself up peacefully, on Christmas Day, for the cause of life and liberty for others. He went to northeast China, and from there walked across the frozen Tumen River into North Korea. Witnesses told reporters that as he went, he called out, in Korean, messages of God’s love, as well as “I am an American citizen.” He took with him a letter to North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-il, asking Kim to open his country and shut down his prison camps.
…Before he crossed that frozen river, he [Park] gave an interview to Reuters, asking that it be held until he was in North Korea. In that interview, which Reuters released shortly after he had crossed over, Park spelled out “I do not want to be released. I don’t want President Obama to come and pay to get me out.” What he wanted, he said, is for “the North Korean people to be free. Until the concentration camps are liberated, I do not want to come out. If I have to die with them, I will.”
Two men wholly committed to their faith. Thanks to the Wintery Knight for bringing this story to my attention.
If you are not familiar with D. A. Carson, you should be
D. A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has written over 50 books and is perhaps the finest New Testament scholar around. If you are not familiar with his work, you should be, especially if you are serious about studying the New Testament. You can find more information about Carson and his writings in his profile on Trinity’s website.
I received an academic catalog today that lists a new book from Carson that I am eager to read. It is entitled The Intolerance of Tolerance. The description of the book reads as follows:
“It’s a hot-button topic, but what does “tolerance” really mean? Carson believes the definition has become more about refusing to say others are wrong – which is impossible to deploy consistently. With anecdotes, quotes, and practical advice, he describes how to exemplify and promote the virtue of civil discourse while embracing the true meaning of tolerance.”
So, what is the true definition of “tolerance”? Are we intolerant if we believe others are wrong? What is the proper way to discourse over areas of disagreement? I have not read the book to discover Carson’s views, but I wonder what you think. Send me a comment.
One Year as a Dad
I became a dad for the first time on January 10, 2009. It did not take long to find out that being a dad is hard work. The hardest part is realizing that there are no vacation days for at least 18 years! I wish I had a dollar for every mile I have walked in trying to put my daughter to sleep. Then there are the diapers. Fun times. I keep thinking that things will get easier as my daughter grows and is able to do more on her own. I am learning that I am absolutely wrong! The more she is able to do on her own, the more I have to keep an eye on her to make sure she does not do them (or other things). There is no time to take a break unless she is taking a break, which thankfully she does twice a day for about an hour at a time. That is when I eat. There is no question who rules our household. We named her Sarah, which is Hebrew for “princess”. The name says all you need to know.
Why would I put myself through such agony day after day? Because I love that little girl. She is truly like a ray of sunshine to me. I hate when I am not with her. I want to be there to witness every little thing she does. Besides, who could resist that smile? Not me.
My little girl turns one this Sunday, January 10. As her birthday approaches, I am thankful to God that he would bless me with such a wonderful gift. I am also in awe that the Bible tells us that God calls us his children. God loves me like a father loves his own child? How could that be? As I learn more and more about the love of a father, I am more and more amazed and struck by God’s love for me. I got Sarah gifts for her birthday, but nothing could ever compare to the gift that she has been to me. Happy birthday, Sarah. I love you.
Listen through the Bible in 2010
Did you have a Bible reading plan last year? Did you stick to it? I am just now finishing up my second time through the Bible in 2009. I have to admit that I read a little less this year than usual. My normal routine is to read through every book three times. I think becoming a new father took away a little of my free time, but that is okay. 
If you are looking for a Bible reading plan for 2010, check out Bible Gateway’s plans. They have several different options to choose from. The “Chronological Plan” looks especially interesting at first glance.
Personally, I am going to try something a little different this year. Instead of reading through in the traditional way, I am going to listen through the Bible. My wife received the ESV Listener’s Bible for her birthday earlier this year, so I am going to check it out. My plan is to follow along in my ESV Bible as Max McLean narrates the text. I hope this will bring out some things I may not have noticed before as I listen to different inflections and emphases that McLean gives.
Have any of you tried listening through the Bible before? How did it go? Are there any free audio Bibles available for those who may be interested?
Were you born in a barn? Neither was Jesus.
In a previous post, I pointed out some of the inaccuracies in our Christmas nativity scenes. One that I did not mention, but that is probably the most inaccurate feature of all, is where Jesus was born. Our nativities, songs, and other depictions of Jesus’ birth have him in some type of stable or barn. It probably just did not happen that way.
Yes, there was a manger (an animal feeding trough) in which the newborn Jesus was placed. However, while we relate feeding troughs to barns in our modern thinking, this was not the reality of 1st Century Israel. The diagram below from Logos Bible Software gives us a better understanding of a typical Jewish home at the time of Christ’s birth.
The upper area was the place where Jewish families lived and slept. The lower area was a place where more of the day-to-day work of the house was done and where animals that needed a little extra protection were kept. It is in this lower area that Jesus was likely born. When we read that there was “no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7), we often think of a hotel or similar. However, the greek word behind the word translated as “inn” is katalyma, which simply means “lodging place, resting place, or guest room”. This likely refers to the upper living area. Therefore, Mary and Joseph were forced to stay in the lower living area, where animals were often kept, which is why there is a manger present.
I hope this is helpful and gives us all a better understanding of what happened on that wonderful night when our Savior was born.
Religious Freedom around the World
We often take for granted the religious freedoms we enjoy in the United States. We assume that others around the world have the same freedoms that we do. However, a new Pew Forum study may help us gain a better understanding of the reality of the world situation.
You can link to the full study here. A summary of the findings can be found in the charts below:
Christianity Today makes these observations:
The Global Restrictions On Religion report finds that only about one-third of the world’s countries impose high restrictions on religion, but these 64 nations contain 70 percent of the world’s 6.8 billion people (thanks to India and China). While almost half of the world’s countries impose low restrictions on religion, this good sign is mitigated by the fact that they only account for 15 percent of world population.
And then later…
Other findings of interest:
- 75 countries (38%) have governments that limit efforts at evangelism or proselytizing.
- 178 countries (90%) require registration of religious groups, and in 117 countries (59%) registration requirements result in problems or discrimination against certain faiths.
- Most countries (87%) have experienced public tensions between religious groups in recent years. Such tensions involved physical violence in 126 countries (64%).
- Faith-based terrorism killed people in nearly 1 in 10 countries worldwide.
I was surprised to see that the U.S. is not the most religiously “free”, according to this study. Read the full study and then let me know what you think.
Enjoy your nativity, even if it is wrong…
‘Tis the season for Christmas decorations and what Christian home would be complete without a nativity scene featuring our new-born Savior?
Of course, we can just overlook the historical inaccuracies. For instance, while it is true that Jesus was wrapped up and lying in a manger when the shepherds went to see him (Luke 2:16), it is not true that he was still in the manger when the wise men showed up. By this time, Jesus had been moved into the house (Matthew 2:11). Some scholars speculate that Jesus may have been as much as two years old when the wise men visited. This is based upon Herod’s command to kill all male children under two years of age (Matthew 2:16).
Speaking of wise men, your nativity features three. The Bible does not tell us how many there were. It simply tells us that they presented three kinds of gifts to Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There could have been two men. There could have been far more than two or three. We just do not know.
Also, concerning those wise men, the Bible never calls them “kings” as they are often depicted. You may have heard the song “We Three Kings”, but in Scripture, they are simply “magi”. The word means they were astrologers, not kings.
Your nativity probably abounds with different animals standing, sitting, and lying around. The Bible does not mention any animals being present. I guess since the birth takes place in a stable with a manger, it is assumed that there were animals present, but this is not necessarily the case.
A last, very important thing to note about our nativities is the baby Jesus. Yours is probably very white. Jesus was an Israelite. He was Jewish. He was not an American caucasian. His skin color was likely dark.
I hope you enjoy your Christmas holiday and your nativity. Does anyone have one that is more accurate than the one I described?
Oh, if your nativity features a little drummer boy all I can say is, “Really?”
Feel free to mix your religions. It’s the American way.
An interesting article appeared in Reuters today. It shows some eye-opening statistics concerning American religious belief. Have a read and then let me know what you think.
DALLAS (Reuters Life!) – Although most Americans are Christian and many are devout it hasn’t stopped some members of the flock from believing in astrology, reincarnation or the ability of trees to trap spiritual energy.
A poll by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life shows a surprising number of U.S. adults claim to have had supernatural experiences such as ghost sightings or hold beliefs associated with the New Age movement or Eastern religions.
And some of them claim allegiance to more traditional faiths such as Catholicism or evangelical Protestantism.
“American religious folks hold a variety of views and there is overlap among their beliefs and practices. Many do not fit into simple boxes,” said Pew researcher Alan Cooperman.
The poll released on Wednesday showed that three-in-ten Americans say they have felt in touch with a dead person and 18 percent say they have seen or been in the presence of a ghost.
Other Pew surveys have shown that relatively few Americans would identify an Eastern religion or New Age spirituality as their core faith. But about a quarter of those surveyed say they believe in aspects of Eastern religions.
Nearly 25 percent said they believed in reincarnation and 23 percent said yoga was a spiritual practice. Twenty six percent said they believed “spiritual energy” could be found in objects such as trees.
A quarter said they believed in astrology, while 16 percent of U.S. adults think that an “evil eye” exists or that some people can cast curses or spells on others. Among black Protestants the evil eye figure is 32 percent.
The number of Americans who profess a belief in astrology is about the same as the number who claim to be Roman Catholic. Nearly 30 percent of Catholics surveyed said they believed in astrology. Among Catholics who attended church each week the figure was 16 percent.
Much of this would be jarring to — among others — many evangelical Protestants, who account for one in four adult Americans and take their Bible very seriously.
Still, 13 percent of white evangelicals profess a belief in astrology and about 10 percent accepted the possibility of reincarnation. Although the percentages are lower than in other groups, they are high enough to curl the hair of a Southern Baptist preacher.
Researchers said they were careful to stress that reincarnation meant being reborn again and again in this world and did not refer to, say, the resurrection of Christ.
Evangelicals, who place a heavy emphasis on spiritual conversions, are much more likely than most Americans to have had “a religious or mystical experience — that is, a moment of religious or spiritual awakening,” according to the poll.
About half of Americans claim to have had such an experience but among white evangelicals the number is 70 percent and for black Protestants it is 71 percent.
The nationwide survey of around 4,000 adults was conducted in August. Interviews were done in English and Spanish.
The original link to this article can be found here.
Is there consistency in holding to Christianity while also holding to many of the other beliefs mentioned in this article (e.g. reincarnation, astrology, the “evil eye”, ghosts, etc.)? What are your thoughts?
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 – Can Christians ever partner with unbelievers?
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 reads:
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
This passage is often referenced in relation to how Christians should approach marriage to an unbeliever. However, it also referenced by some in relation to how Christians should approach their dealings with unbelievers regardless of the context. In the minds of some, Christians should never form a partnership of any kind (be “yoked”) with an unbeliever. If we attempt to apply this understanding of the passage, is it even possible?
When we vote, are we not “partnering” at some level with those we vote for (either the candidate or the party)? What about when we make a political contribution? What if we sign a petition protesting a political point (e.g. abortion, gay marriage, etc.)? Do we need to be sure that the political candidates, parties, and other signatories are all from the same theological belief system as we are?
What about when we take a job? Does our boss need to be a Christian? What about all of our co-workers? If we are athletes, do all of our teammates and coaches have to be Christians to not violate 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1?
I think you get my point. It is impossible to apply this passage to every relationship / partnership that a Christian has. It is not intended to be applied this way.
So then, what is the correct application? The key to understanding this passage correctly lies in verse 7:1. It is about maintaining holiness. Christians are to avoid those relationships that have a potential to hinder their walk with God and influence their moral decisions. Believers can have parnterships with unbelievers in any area where this type of influence does not exist.
About Me
Tim and Rachel Farley
Our understanding of theology impacts every area of our lives. Theology is not just a mental exercise, but forms the core of who we are and how we live. Theology shapes practice.
My name is Tim and I have a passion for challenging people to live what they say they believe – especially fellow Christians. I received my M.Div. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and serve as a pastor at a church on the central coast of California. My wife and I love to explore the many great outdoor activities California has to offer. We have only lived here for a little over two years, so everything is a new adventure to us. We just welcomed our first child, Sarah, into our family in January 2009…another new adventure!
