Why Belief Matters
Josh McDowell
www.beyondbelief.com
Many fear that our young people’s greatest threat is illegal drugs, alcohol, bad influences, promiscuous sex, or godless media. While these things are a danger and we need to fear what our kids could be tempted to do, we need to be more concerned with what our kids are led to believe. Consider this:
63% of our churched youth don’t believe Jesus is the Son of the one true God
58% believe all faiths teach equally valid truths
68% don’t believe the Holy Spirit is a real entity
70% don’t believe an absolute moral truth exists.
Those with such distorted views are:
200% more likely to physically hurt someone
216% more likely to be resentful
300% more likely to use illegal drugs
600% more likely to attempt suicide
A cultural mindset has infiltrated our homes and is robbing our young people of what true Christianity is—a transformed relationship with God through Christ.
“It’s not that families and churches haven’t taught their young people right from wrong,” says McDowell. “It’s that our young people have interpreted those truths through a distorted belief system. And it is these distorted believes that are at issue.” The research clearly shows, Mc Dowell says, “the greatest determining factor that puts young people at risk is not divorced homes, family abuse, peer pressure or adult alienation—it’s a lack of a solid biblical belief system.”
2ProphetU is an online magazine/website, started by Warren Wiersbe and Michael Catt, to build up the church, seek revival, and encourage pastors.
