How Different Generations View the Bible

Posted on October 28, 2009 by Tim Farley

bible-data-2009-10-19d

Barna has a new study out that reveals how different age groups view the Bible.  The chart above shows the results of the survey.  The Mosaic generation refers to adults who are currently ages 18 to 25; Busters are those ages 26 to 44; Boomers are 45 to 63; and Elders are 64-plus.

As you can see from the data, the attitude of the younger generation of adults has shifted to one of less trust in the Bible and more openness to sacred texts of other religions.  Here is how the Barna Group summarizes the attitudes of the Mosaic generation:

  • Less Sacred – While most Americans of all ages identify the Bible as sacred, the drop-off among the youngest adults is striking: 9 out of 10 Boomers and Elders described the Bible as sacred, which compares to 8 out of 10 Busters (81%) and just 2 out of 3 Mosaics (67%).
  • Less Accurate – Young adults are significantly less likely than older adults to strongly agree that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches. Just 30% of Mosaics and 39% of Busters firmly embraced this view, compared with 46% of Boomers and 58% of Elders.
  • More Universalism – Among Mosaics, a majority (56%) believes the Bible teaches the same spiritual truths as other sacred texts, which compares with 4 out of 10 Busters and Boomers, and one-third of Elders.
  • Skepticism of Origins – Another generational difference is that young adults are more likely to express skepticism about the original manuscripts of the Bible than is true of older adults.
  • Less Engagement – While many young adults are active users of the Bible, the pattern shows a clear generational drop-off – the younger the person, the less likely then are to read the Bible. In particular, Busters and Mosaics are less likely than average to have spent time alone in the last week praying and reading the Bible for at least 15 minutes. Interestingly, none of the four generations were particularly likely to say they aspired to read the Bible more as a means of improving their spiritual lives.
  • Bible Appetite – Despite the generational decline in many Bible metrics, one departure from the typical pattern is the fact that younger adults, especially Mosaics (19%), express a slightly above-average interest in gaining additional Bible knowledge. This compares with 12% of Boomers and 9% of Elders.

 

Are you surprised by these findings?  What do you think the Church or Christian parents should do to correct the problem?

Posted in Bible | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Understanding “the least of these my brothers” in Matthew 25:40

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Tim Farley

It has been a while since my last post.  I apologize for that.  Hopefully, now that I have finished moving I will be able to post a bit more regularly again.

One of the most-often misunderstood Bible passages comes from Matthew 25:40.  Here Jesus states “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Jesus’ words above come on the heels of telling his hearers that those who will inherit the kingdom are those who gave him food when he was hungry, gave him something to drink when he was thirsty, welcomed him when he was a stranger, clothed him when he was naked, visited him when he was sick, and went to him when he was in prison (Matthew 25:34-36).

Many interpret verse 40 to mean that if we feed the hungry, help the poor, visit the imprisoned, etc., we are fulfilling Christ’s commands and that is what leads to eternal life (i.e. the kingdom).  If that is your understanding, you are not alone, but you are likely wrong.

To properly understand the passage requires a look at how two phrases or ideas are used throughout Matthew.  First, we need to understand how “least of these” is used throughout the book.  In at least five other places Jesus refers to his disciples as “little ones”.  Check out Matthew 10:42, 18:4, 18:6, 18:10 and 18:14.  In each of these verses the ones referred to as “little ones” are the disciples.  It is likely that “the least of these” is another way of saying “little ones”.

Not convinced?  There is even stronger evidence that Jesus is referring to the disciples when we take into consideration the phrase “my brothers” from verse 40.  Jesus refers to his brothers in two other places – Matthew 12:50 and 28:10.  In each of these it is very clear that those Jesus refers to as brothers are his disciples.  Jesus never refers to anyone but his disciples as brothers, which seems appropriate given his words in Matthew 12:46-50.

So, what is this passage about?  Taking into consideration the entire book of Matthew, Jesus is saying that those who treat Jesus’ little brothers (his followers) well by showing them kindness do the same to him by extension.  Dave Turner summarizes this well in his commentary on Matthew by writing:

Jesus taught his disciples to love all people, even their enemies (5:43–47), but there must be a special love and concern for one’s fellow disciples. Itinerant preachers would especially need the type of ministry mentioned in 25:35–36 (10:40; 3 John 5–8), but it is doubtful that they alone are in view here. Jesus is identified with his disciples and they with him. They are persecuted due to their connection with him (5:11; 10:18, 22, 25; 23:34). Thus, it is quite likely that the privation of Jesus’ little brothers in 25:35–36 is due to their testimony for Jesus. When one shows mercy to a follower of Jesus, in a profound sense one is showing mercy to Jesus himself. (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 11, 330.)

Posted in Bible Study | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Understanding “the least of these my brothers” in Matthew 25:40

End-Times Discussion Moderated by John Piper

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Tim Farley

Here is a great video clip of a debate between three Christian scholars representing pre-millennialism, amillennialism, and post-millennialism.  John Piper is the moderator of the debate.  If you have ever been curious about the different views or want to understand more about any one of them, check this out.  It is over 2 hours, but well worth the time.  Let me know what you thought after watching.

Sorry I could not get the video to work here, but I have supplied a link below.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/MediaPlayer/4262/Video/

Posted in Bible Study | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on End-Times Discussion Moderated by John Piper

Shroud of Turin a Fake?

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Tim Farley

SCIENCE-US-ITALY-SHROUDAnother person has weighed in on the legitimacy of the Shroud of Turin.  An Italian scientist has figured out a way to reproduce the Shroud and the image it contains using material and techniques available in the middle ages.  Scientists have previously used carbon dating to determine that the Shroud was from somewhere between 1260 and 1390.  The ability to reproduce the Shroud seems to support this date-range.

I am sure some Christians will be up in arms over this and ready to defend the Shroud at all costs.  Personally, I do not really care.  In fact, I am probably one of the last people who will ever be convinced that the Shroud (or the Ossuary of James) is not a fake.  I think that many, if not most, Christians would concur with me.  That is why this story will not even be discussed at most churches in the coming days and weeks.  It simply is a non-issue.  (I write from a Protestant perspective.  Catholic Christians may have a much different view than mine.)

What do you think?  Am I wrong?  Should Christians be prepared to defend the Shroud at all costs?  Will your church discuss this issue any time soon?

Posted in Church History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Before you throw it away, give it away.

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Tim Farley

My wife and I are in the midst of packing up to move from California to Ohio.  Yes, Ohio.  Luckily, we will be there just in time for winter!

As we have been boxing things up, we have realized that we have a LOT of stuff!  Too much really.  So, we decided to get rid of everything we could live without.  We took many things to a local thrift store, but since we do not have a truck, we could not donate our larger items like furniture.

At least, that is what we thought.  We were resigned to throwing some things away when we could not find anyone we knew who wanted our things.  Until we remembered Freecycle.org.  We listed several of our items on the Freecycle website and they were claimed within hours.  The nicest thing was that the people who wanted the items came by with their own trucks, moved the things themselves, and we just watched.  Easy.  Much better than just throwing it all in the dumpster.

It was actually kind of fun.  We have a few more things to list on Freecycle, but we are waiting until we are closer to actually leaving.  We need a few places to sit for a few more days. 🙂

Have you ever used Freecycle or another site like it?  If not, let me encourage you to try giving your stuff away the next time you are ready to toss it.  It will benefit someone else and it may save you from having to go through the hassle of moving it yourself.  Plus, it is just a nice thing to do.

Posted in Consumerism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

If you were a pastor, what would you want in a church?

Posted on September 22, 2009 by Tim Farley

First, let me start off by saying that I have not been posting much lately because I am extremely busy making arrangements for a move from California to Ohio, packing boxes at home and in my office, and wrapping up my time at my current church.  All of this on top of watching my 8-month old daughter on my days away from the office (which is when my wife works).  I promise to write much more as soon as the move is complete.

I have not yet found a new church, but I have been making contacts with congregations currently without a pastor to discuss whether or not we would be a good fit for one another.  However, since I have not yet found a new church ministry, I have been constantly thinking about what I would want in a church.  What are the “must-haves” (or “must-not-haves”) and what are the “it would be nice to haves”?

One of the things that I have considered is the age of a church.  I am not talking about the average age of the people (although this is something to consider as well), but how long has the church been around.  Also, how much has the church changed over time?  Are they still running the same programs they ran 10 years ago?  How about 20 years ago?  30?  If so, how easy is it going to be to make changes?  Is it even going to be possible?  Is it worth the fight?

As a young guy with limited experience, my options are somewhat limited.  Larger, thriving churches want guys with experience and a proven track record of leadership.  The churches willing to bring in a guy like me tend to be small and on the decline.  Many of them are on the decline because they are not willing to change.  Sometimes I wonder if planting a new church would be more productive than trying to revive an older ministry that is resistant to moving forward.

What are your thoughts?  What are the “must-haves” (or must nots)?  Do you think planting a new church makes more sense than trying to revive an older, declining one?  When / how do you decide when it is time to plant new rather than work with the already established?

Posted in Church Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Do we know how to abound?

Posted on September 16, 2009 by Tim Farley

I have been carrying around the following quote in my Bible for years.  It comes from Spurgeon and it is on abundance in light of Philippians 4:12:

Let not the gifts thy love bestows estrange our hearts from thee.

Have the gifts of God caused us to feel no need for him?  Does God withhold things from us because he knows they will keep us from him?

Posted in Consumerism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Healthcare: A Right or a Privilege?

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Tim Farley

I have a friend on Facebook who posted a question on his personal page.  He asks, “Health care…right or privilege?”  It is a very good question.  It is a question that should be answered as part of the current debate over healthcare reform.

One of the responses to my friend’s questions reads:

a community cares for the sick because the sick are human beings, and because those who care for them are human beings. to deny care is inhumane, and the denial dehumanizes both parties. health care is a function of human nature, not of human diligence. it’s a right.
This seems reasonable to me.  We care for others because it is the humane thing to do and it would be inhumane to do otherwise.  However, another responder states:
define health care
Hmmmm….  If you really think about it, this is where it gets extremely difficult.  How much care qualifies as sufficient healthcare?  Where is the line?  Who decides where the line is?  What is my responsibility towards others in caring for them (since it is my tax dollars that ultimately will be used for their healthcare)?
 
What are your thoughts?  Is this as complex an issue as I see it?
Posted in Human Rights | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Is it ever okay to follow your own desires?

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Tim Farley

I recently submitted my resignation to the church where I currently serve as an associate pastor.  The reason?  My wife and I feel like we need to be closer to our families as we raise our daughter, who was just born in January.  Our current church is in California.  Our families are in Ohio.

I have to admit, this was not an easy decision for me.  After all, ministry requires sacrifice, right?  Is it not just self-serving to want to serve God, but only on our own terms?  I recently even heard a pastor voice his frustration over the fact that many young seminary graduates are choosing to stay near their families as they look for their first ministries.  This pastor felt that these young graduates were being disobedient to God’s call on their lives because they were not willing to go wherever the Lord may lead them – and wherever the need may be.  Of course, this seems to ignore the fact that there is likely a need for pastors close to where these men currently live. 

As I wrestled through this issue, my decision came down to one primary realization: my ministry in the church means nothing if I cannot provide for the needs of my own family.  I can make all of the sacrifices in the world for the sake of church ministry, but what does it accomplish if my wife and daughter are destroyed in the process?  What does it accomplish if I am miserable in the process?

This is not to say that we are currently miserable.  I am thinking long-term here.  It is true that God has called me into the ministry to serve his Church.  However, he has also called me to be a husband and father.  One does not cancel out the other.  How do I serve my wife and daughter best while also serving the church?  Sometimes finding the appropriate balance between the two is difficult.

What are your thoughts?  Is it okay for a person in full-time ministry to desire to be close to family while they serve?  How should a pastor or other Christian servant balance the demands of family and ministry?

Posted in Church Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

TNIV Bible is Being Phased Out

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Tim Farley

TNIV BibleThe TNIV (Today’s New International Version) is being phased out.  The translation, a revision of the best-selling NIV, has faced constant criticism from conservative evangelicals since its inception due to its “gender inclusive” language.

Rather than continue with the TNIV, the plan now is to go back and revise the NIV for a 2011 release.

Christianity Today has more on this issue.  You can find their article here.

I find it interesting because when I was in seminary only four years ago, the publisher was making a strong push to get pastors to use the TNIV.  I received multiple copies of the version for free in an effort to get me to use it.

My thoughts about the translation are that it is actually a pretty good one.  I disagreed in a few places where the TNIV changed the traditional translation of a passage (see 1 Timothy 3:11 where “wives” is translated “women who are deacons” – this has actually beed changed in more recent printings of the TNIV), but overall, I enjoyed it.  In many ways, I prefer it over the NIV.  Of course, I am not an NIV user either.  I primarily use the English Standard Version (ESV).

My hunch is that this really all comes down to marketing and sales.  The NIV has long-been the best-selling English version of the Bible.  The TNIV, its successor, has not caught on and sales are not very good.  New versions, like the ESV, are becoming more and more popular and eating into NIV sales.  The publishers are working to keep the sales that they are losing.

Posted in Bible | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments