Survey: Only Half of Pastors Have 'Biblical' Worldview

Agape Press ^ | 1/13/04 | Fred Jackson and Jody Brown

[ksen]

Survey: Only Half of Pastors Have 'Biblical' Worldview Christian Researcher Says That Explains Why So Few Believers Reflect Such an Outlook

By Fred Jackson and Jody Brown
January 13, 2004

(AgapePress) - A new survey indicates that when it comes to developing a biblical worldview, a good place to start may be with the people in the pulpit.

What constitutes a "biblical" worldview? Christian researcher George Barna says it includes a belief in absolute moral truth as defined by scripture, as well as acceptance of six core biblical beliefs: the accuracy of biblical teaching, the sinless nature of Jesus, the literal existence of Satan, the omnipotence and omniscience of God, salvation by grace alone, and the personal responsibility to evangelize.

In a recent survey of Protestant pastors conducted by the Barna Research Group, only half (51%) passed the test on whether they possess a biblical worldview. Of the pastors surveyed, Southern Baptists scored the highest with 71% while United Methodists finished at the bottom with just 27%. In between were 57% of pastors of Baptist churches (other than Southern Baptist), 51% of pastors of non-denominational Protestant churches, 44% of pastors of charismatic or Pentecostal churches, 35% of pastors of black churches, and 28% of pastors of leading mainline denominations.

Another point of interest in the survey dealt with education. The pastors least likely to have a biblical worldview were seminary graduates. There was also a significant gender gap in the results. While 53% of male pastors possessed a biblical worldview, only 15% of female pastors fit that category. In addition, white senior pastors were nearly twice as likely as black senior pastors to have a biblical worldview (55% vs. 30%).

And interestingly, the highest proportion of pastors showing evidence of a biblical worldview were found in the area of the country inhabited by people who are considered among the most liberal. According to Barna, almost two-thirds (64%) of pastors in California, Oregon, and Washington "have such a moral and spiritual compass in place."

Read the Barna Report in its Entirety

This report comes on the heels of another recent Barna survey that indicates only 9% of all born-again adults -- and just 7% of Protestants -- possess a biblical worldview. This more recent survey, the researcher says, highlights a simple but important principle: "you can't give people what you don't have."

"The low percentage of Christians who have a biblical worldview is a direct reflection of the fact that half of our primary religious teachers and leaders do not have one," Barna says. "In some denominations, the vast majority of clergy do not have a biblical worldview, and it shows up clearly in the data related to the theological views and moral choices of people who attend those churches."

Why is a biblical worldview important? According to Barna, everyone has a worldview, but few have a biblical worldview -- which the researcher says has a radical effect on a person's life. He says individuals' attitudes, beliefs, values, and opinions determine their behavior.

"Although most people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities of life," he says. "We're often more concerned with survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance."

Barna's research indicates that adults with a biblical worldview possess radically different views on morality, hold divergent religious beliefs, and demonstrate vastly different lifestyle choices.

© 2004 AgapePress all rights reserved

[ksen]

I think whatever group we are in: GRPL, Neener, peanut gallery, we can agree that having a Pastor that doesn't have a Biblical worldview is not a good thing.

[ksen]

Ping!

[ksen]

Here's something we can probably all agree on.

[xzins]

I agree with you.

Dan has the best explanation. "Biblical Christianity" is where it's at. Period.

[Air Conditioned Gypsy]

Very enlightening (and sad) article.

But I don't see how the criteria (salvation by grace, accuracy of Bible, etc.) constitutes a "worldview."

I think the headline would be more accurate if it read, "Only Half of Pastors Have a Biblical View of the Bible."

[Wallace T.]

It would be interesting to see where Presbyterian and Reformed pastors not associated with the big liberal denominations of the PCUSA and the RCA fall on these issues. Barna does not distinguish Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, et. al., by whether they belong to the big liberal body or the smaller micro- or mid-sized denominations that are usually conservative theologically.

[WoodstockCat]

Our pastor at First Baptist Woodstock is putting together a program for the fall targeting our Sunday School lessons to include building a Biblical World View for our family and how to pass that down to our children.

[Gamecock]

It would be interesting to see where Presbyterian and Reformed pastors not associated with the big liberal denominations of the PCUSA and the RCA fall on these issues.

Speaking from my little corner of Presbyterianism, teaching elders are examined before being called on this very issue. When asked about the criteria listed in the article, they are expected to answer yes, or that is the end of the interview.

Of course that is no guarantee of their private view.

[Wallace T.]

An orthodox presbytery or classis will require that a candidate for the office of teaching elder subscribe to the Westminster Standards or the Three Forms of Unity, which would ensure that they would adhere to Barna's criteria for a Christian worldview. However, about eight years ago, Gary North wrote a book called Crossed Fingers, which discussed how liberals took over the old Northern Presbyterian church (UPCUSA). The point of the book was that the liberals who by 1930 had entirely taken over the UPCUSA pretended to subscribe to the Westminster Standards while holding views radically different from those they supposedly affirmed.

In our day, conservative Reformed denominations are not vulnerable to theological liberalism per se, but from certain currents such as Auburn Avenue theology, which undermines the doctrine of sola gratia, and open theism, which denies the omnipotence of God and the eternal nature of His decrees. Both these particular positions and others are espoused by those who call themselves evangelical and in some cases Reformed. However, the net effect of these positions is to undermine the Biblically based Reformation doctrines defined in the Westminster Standards and the Three Forms of Unity.

[ksen]

The article brings out two good(?) points:

1) A seminary education is not necessarily a good thing, and

2) The churches are failing in the part of the Great Commission that says to "make disciples of all nations." There's no, or very little, discipling going on. I wonder if this is related to churches being so focused on the seeker that the Believer is allowed to "wither on the vine."

[Blessed]

>2) The churches are failing in the part of the Great Commission that says to "make disciples of all nations." There's no, or very little, discipling going on.<

You can see this everyday on these boards.People who can quote endless scripture on Election,Papal authority or Sola Sriptora, but when it comes to applying the Bible to everyday life they they suddenly put space between themselves and the Holy Spirit assuming they even have him.

[Uri’el-2012]

Membership in a man-made corporation does not save.
Each person has to have a personal relationship with the L-rd.

B'Shem Y'shua
chuck

[suzyjaruki]

Unfortunately some men are subscribing to a church's standards by professing with the lips but the way they live exposes their real worldview. It is Materialism and Relativism that has a grip on some of these professing pastors.

BTW, did you know that there is yet another Presbyterian denomination? The Evangelical Reformed Presbyterian Church was formed recently to be more conservative than the OPC and PCA in answer to the NPP, AA, and CS controversies .

[Knitting A Conundrum]

If the seminaries are cesspools, you can't expect to get good pastors out of them....

[suzyjaruki]

A Pastor/friend of mine says that his philosophy in life is first Christian, and it is secondly Realism. He says Realism is the belief that there are thoughts, beliefs, objects, actions, events, facts, persons, and beings, which objectively exist and are real.

God is real, Satan & demons are real, after death judgment is real, hell is real, eternal life is real, heaven is real, a believer's hope is real, the power of God is real, etc.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

...only 15% of female pastors fit that category (Biblical world view.)

That's truly pathetic.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Here's a great response to where all that "realism" comes from.

"Of Taste Buds: Calvin's Apologetics" by Rev. Randy Booth"

[suzyjaruki]

What constitutes a "biblical" worldview? ...six core biblical beliefs: the accuracy of biblical teaching,...

The 85% probably have a problem with the accuracy of the writings of Paul.

[xzins]

The liberal bible scholarship (so-called) also has a problem with the accuracy of the writings of Paul.

Sounds like they need to cut to the chase and simply identify these misfits as bible liberals.

I do believe that 85% of female pastors would have to be bible liberals. I do not believe that 50% of pastors, in general, are liberals. Catholics might be 25% of the population, but that says nothing about their number of priests....they're far below what they need.

Baptistic type denominations account for over 33% of religious americans. I'm guessing that all the mainlines combined account for 12% or less.....and I think that's where most of the liberals are.

[Blessed]

Here is a little more info from the study.

The research indicated that everyone has a worldview, but relatively few people have a biblical worldview - even among devoutly religious people. The survey discovered that only 9% of born again Christians have such a perspective on life. The numbers were even lower among other religious classifications: Protestants (7%), adults who attend mainline Protestant churches (2%) and Catholics (less than one-half of 1%). The denominations that produced the highest proportions of adults with a biblical worldview were non-denominational Protestant churches (13%), Pentecostal churches (10%) and Baptist churches (8%).


For the purposes of the research, a biblical worldview was defined as believing that absolute moral truths exist; that such truth is defined by the Bible; and firm belief in six specific religious views. Those views were that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life; God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and He stills rules it today; salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned; Satan is real; a Christian has a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people; and the Bible is accurate in all of its teachings.