“The Bible says” is a phrase made famous by the well-known evangelist, Dr. Billy Graham. When he began his ministry six decades ago it was a good note of authority for his preaching. It is very different now. People no longer know what the Bible says or if its implications for them are realistic. Even though a recent radio report said that 80% of Americans still consider themselves Christians, yet 49% did not know that Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount.
Since 1968, George Gallup’s organization has asked a random sampling of adult Americans if they have any religious training in their background. In 1968, 9% said “no”. In 1978, 17% said “no”. In 1989, 25% said “no”. In that same poll, 49% of parents reported that their children are receiving no religious training. Based on that observable trend 30 years ago, we now live in a time when 1 out of 3 Americans have no religious training to fall back on for help. There is a great ignorance of the Bible today, maybe the greatest since the first Century.
With this ever-increasing ignorance of the Bible, the work of the Church becomes more difficult. That’s why many churches have shifted to a entertainment-type worship service because the people don’t have a Biblical background to apply the sermon to life.
A man named George Hunter coined a word some years ago to describe this spiritual vacuum: “ignostic”. Ignostic describes people who say blankly “I don’t know what you are talking about”. This group of people is harder to reach than atheist who don’t believe in God or agnostics who don’t know if they believe in God or not.
There is a famine today of hearing the words of the Lord. (Amos 8:11) Indeed, it’s time to take seriously the Great Commission to preach the gospel to every creature. (Matthew 28:18-20)
But, old language will not be understood by this generation of “ignostics”. Patience is absolutely necessary. By your life you will have to show that the Bible’s message is still relevant today. Living a consistent Bible-based lifestyle will win you the authority to say “the Bible says” and have people listen.
“Forgive us, O Lord, for allowing people to grow up in this country of
many church buildings and still be so ignorant of the Bible. Amen”
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