A recent study by Arizona Christian University and George Barna was recently released, highlighting statistics among Christian pastors and their biblical worldview (click here to see the study). The results were stunning. Of 1,000 Christian pastors, slightly more than one-third (37%) of U.S. pastors surveyed hold a biblical worldview. Just 37%! Ouch!
- Here are some other statistics from the study:
- The majority of pastors surveyed (62%) possess a hybrid worldview known as Syncretism.
- The study showed that 41% of senior pastors — as compared to 28% of associate pastors — have a biblical worldview.
- Further, only 13% of teaching pastors and 12% of children’s and youth pastors have a biblical worldview.
- The lowest level of biblical worldview was among executive pastors, with only 4% of them holding consistently biblical beliefs and behaviors.
These statistics highlight a significant problem, not just among pastors but among the church. At the root of this is a discipleship problem. We need to develop a disciple-making culture within the church that helps equip men, women, and children with a biblical worldview and how to make disciples who make disciples.
Over the new few weeks on this blog, we’ll look at what constitutes a biblical worldview and why a biblical worldview matters for every one of us. I encourage you to stay tuned!
In the meantime, we’re digging into the importance of deep discipleship on our FBC podcast, Forward by Faith. If you haven’t tuned it, I highly encourage you to do so. Our podcast is one way we strive at FBC to equip our people with a biblical worldview and become whole, devoted, and holy disciple-makers. You can access the Forward by Faithpodcast via our FBC app, FBC website, or subscribe through Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
I’m praying for you, church! Pray for one another and ask the Lord to make this Family of disciples committed to knowing God, knowing his word, and living in the power of the Spirit. May Jesus’ peace be upon you.
–Wade