Posted on 05/01/2020 7:25:06 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
A new Barna poll points to a dramatic drop in biblical beliefs among American Pentecostals and Charismatics. If the findings are accurate, what are the likely causes?
According to the poll, “although we proclaim ‘In God We Trust’ on our currency, a slim 51% majority of Americans believe in a biblical view of God – down from 73% thirty years ago. Increasingly, the research finds mounting evidence that Americans are both redefining – and rejecting – God.
“Stunningly, Americans are more confident about the existence of Satan than they are of God. Overall, 56% contend that Satan is an influential spiritual being, yet almost half (49%) are not fully confident that God truly exists.”
More specifically, “The largest declines in possession of an orthodox, biblical perspective on the nature of God since 1991 were among individuals who attend Pentecostal or charismatic Protestant churches (down by 27 percentage points); people in the 18 to 29 year old category (down 26 points); adults in the Elders generation, (i.e., people born before 1946, down 25 points); and women (down 25 points).”
To be sure, some of this data is perplexing. Why has an almost identical decline occurred among the old and the young? One would have expected this from 18-29 year-olds but not from those born before 1946. And why virtually the same decline among women? What explains that?
As for the dramatic drop among Pentecostals and Charismatics, that is perplexing as well, since in other, international polls, Pentecostals and Charismatics led the way in daily Bible study and prayer. They also tended to have higher standards of holiness and be more engaged in outreach. (For details and discussion, see the chapter “Testing the Spirits” in my book Authentic Fire, and see this major, 2006 survey.)
In keeping with this, a survey released earlier this year indicated that Pentecostal and Charismatic pastors were much more likely to uphold the biblical definition of marriage than so-called mainline pastors. Indeed, they were less likely to affirm same-sex “marriage” than even Baptist pastors (respectively, 1 percent to 3 percent).
That’s because Pentecostals and Charismatics tend to have solidly conservative views of the Bible and also put a strong emphasis on personal piety and devotion. Their Bible colleges and seminaries tend to me more conservative as well.
On the flip side – and I write as an insider – we have cultivated many aberrant practices and doctrines in our midst and we have done a very poor job of self-policing. (I address this at length in Playing with Holy Fire.)
Still, over the years, we have affirmed orthodox, biblical fundamentals. Why, then, serious and steep drop? What are the causes behind it?
I do not have access to the full results of the Barna poll, so I can not analyze all the data. But if Barna’s polling is accurate, my educated guess would be this: We are reaping the fruit of preaching a me-centered, self-improvement gospel that is not the gospel at all. We are seeing the results of our failure to teach doctrinal foundations, choosing to major instead on esoteric spiritual experiences and secondary (or tertiary) issues. We have reaped what we have sown.
Again, I cannot prove that these are the causes. But what cannot be denied is our failure, especially in some of our largest, most visible ministries, to major on the majors. To preach a clear gospel message that convicts of sin and points to the cross. To call for repentance. To teach more on the nature of God and the centrality of the Lord Jesus (along with teaching on the ministry of the Spirit, which we often do quite well).
In times past, we preached that sinners were wretched and that grace was amazing. Today we tell sinners they are amazing, making grace a needless afterthought.
In times past, we preached a gospel of salvation. Today we preach a gospel of self-improvement.
In times past, we preached death to the flesh, death to self, and death to sin, pointing to a brand new life in and under Jesus. Today, we preach that Jesus came so you could fulfill your dreams, that He came to make you into a bigger and better you.
We used to preach the gospel of self-denial. Today we preach the gospel of self-realization.
And sadly, it is Pentecostals and Charismatics who have often led the way in preaching this so-called gospel message.
Could it be, then, that with so much of the culture abandoning gospel foundations, that our lack of rootedness has caused many more to go astray? That our bad habits are catching up to us?
A worship leader in a major Charismatic church that is often criticized for being doctrinally lax posted this on April 10: “I find myself increasingly troubled when I look at western Christian culture and see such a startling lack of representation or instruction on VITAL teachings in scripture; particularly the passages that warn and admonish. It troubles me that teachings on these passages are virtually nonexistent in modern preaching, but if I sit down and just read a couple chapters of scripture they’re so prevalent I can’t ESCAPE them. And no, I’m not talking about the Old Testament/Covenant. I’m talking about the teachings of JESUS. His apostles. Peter. James. John. Paul. Those guys. So much heresy is running rampant in the church because we’re not clearly preaching the reality of eternal judgment, the reality of heaven and hell, or the frequent commands concerning holiness, godliness, purity and true Jesus apprenticeship. I don’t know quite how we got here, but somehow we’ve created ‘Christian’ cultures that edit scriptures, remove the gravity of His holy commandments, and numb peoples ears to real truth. . . .”
He hit the nail on the head, multiple times at that.
I have the privilege of preaching in hundreds of churches across America (and around the world), and many of the finest are Pentecostal and Charismatic. They are passionate. They are Word-based. They are vibrant. And they are bearing much fruit. That’s why this movement, as a whole, continues to lead the world in church growth and missions outreach.
But we cannot minimize the glaring problems in our midst. Much has been given to us. Much will be required.
It’s time we get back to the basics. The Spirit will certainly add His powerful confirmation as we do.
You mean it is not correct to lump together “Charismatics” and “Pentecostals”?
Either way the problem is the validation provided by the tongues experience. When a person of extremely bad moral character, or one who holds to heretical doctrines, “speaks in tongues” how can you escape the conclusion that the “Holy Spirit” cares nothing about either of those things.
I remember the commitment to “holiness” held by members of the Pentecostal Holiness denomination when I was a boy. But as the Charismatic “wave” went through at the end of the “Jesus People” revival, circa 1972, I did not know anyone who would dare to make any such distinction as you suggest.
Doctrinal apostasy is no barrier to tongues.
Sexual unholiness is no barrier to tongues.
Furthermore the “miracle healings” performed by apostate evangelists would provide the same validation, and by the same thing, there is no doctrinal or moral barrier to the miracle of interpretation of tongues. If apostasy and unholiness is so unimportant to the Spirit, why bring it up? Why make a distinction between Pentecostals and charismatics?
I understand that under a certain theology system, someone could be saved and lost and saved and lost multiple times in any time period and this idea would obviate my question, since one would only need to conclude that while Jimmy Swaggart is with the prostitute, he is lost, but he gets re-saved in time to speak in tongues and perform miracles of healing.
Amen!
P&Cs trust their feelings more than the Word.
Some do, but many of us know and practice that what we feel or hear or say, MUST line up with the Word of God, or it is totally false. We recently left a small independent Pentecostal church, in which the pastor, a gifted preacher, kept telling us, “The LORD told me such and such”, then the next week, “The LORD told me, instead, this or that”, revising the message the LORD gave, on the same subject, over and over. Obviously, God doesn’t change His mind on the same subject, repeatedly. And “amazingly”, these messages from the LORD always lined up with the pastor’s desires. We, and others, finally had enough, and we, and the Associate pastor left, and are in the midst of purchasing a little church building, and are having “house church”, right now. Our new pastor won’t believe ANYTHING if it can’t be backed up by the Word, and that’s just exactly how it should be. We pray for our former pastor, but it was becoming abundantly clear that that person could NOT have been hearing from the LORD. Now THAT church has not enough members to keep the doors open. We pray that the LORD will be merciful, and reveal to that pastor the errors that were committed, and get rid of the stiff necked attitude.
And BTW, we are NOT the type of Pentecostals that require women to dress as if we were living in Colonial times, and not be allowed to cut our hair, etc., only that anyone, man or woman, dress modestly, without body parts hanging out, as we have seen some Christians do. If someone new comes, and has purple hair or a pierced nose, or revealing clothing, we will welcome them and treat them with love, and let the LORD reveal His will to them. We ladies wear slacks if we like, makeup, jewelry, or dye our hair if we like, as long as we’re modest. God looks on the heart, and always has, but such things have often been frowned upon in Pentecostal circles, and still are in some places. That’s between them and God. Our job is to show the love of the LORD, and preach His Word, so that the sinner can be saved, and do great and mighty works for the LORD.
I don’t blame you for your cynicism. Just remember to keep your eyes on Jesus and his Word. Do not pin your beliefs on man; people are flawed, including Christians. The main difference is that we have forgiveness, if we repent when we sin. It is possible for God to use a person who has sinned greatly, and repented and received forgiveness. Many times their testimony to that fact of where the LORD has brought them from, is a powerful tool for the LORD. As far as interpretation of tongues is concerned, it must line up with the Word of God. In the mouth of two or three witnesses is the truth found. The Word is the most important witness.
I do know for a fact that many of the friends I grew up with in my 20’s have had all their kids reject Christian thinking.
It wasn’t the thinking which did it.
It was the constant going to church and church events that did it.
Many of these friends went to church or events 3 times a week.
They had zero friends outside of Christianity.
I had pastors who told me I should go to college to become a pastor.
I told them they were nuts and went back to school for electronics.
I was successful.
Most of the others were not successful.
Yeah, liberal christians are crafting another Yeshua.
Praise God!
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Pentecostals are the original, Charismatics came along much later.
Pentecostals date back to Topeka, Kansas at the turn of the 20th century, to the first ones who received the baptism of the Spirit. And from there to the Azusa Street Apostolic Mission in Los Angeles, when a non-stop Pentecostal revival ensued. From there it went global.
Some of the organizations that came out of those days were The Assembly of God, The United Pentecostal Church, The Church of God, The Pentecostal Holiness Church. All of them held to strong holiness convictions.
The Charismatic movement are very different, arising some 50 years later thought the old line Pentecostals too straight-laced and strict, they opted for a watered down compromise with the Baptists, Methodists, etc.
Sad to say, those of the old line Pentecostals who still stress “holiness” and separation from the world, are few and far between. The United Pentecostals are one of the few groups left that still stress holiness of life.
ANY decent Statistics 1 course will tell you, without doubt, that polls and surveys are the LEAST reliable means of discovering opinions.
There are a variety of reasons but I can't remember them--been too long since that Stat 1 class.
Pentecostals who seek for the signs of the Spirit must be careful. There are other spirits out there besides the Holy one.
This is a big deal. Jeremy Riddle is one of the marquee names in the worship crowd at Bethel. Very influential guy, in that respect. May his concern and awareness spread throughout his sphere of influence. The modern "praise and worship" movement is largely devoid of any content that might harsh one's Holy Spirit buzz; it's encouraging to see one of the more prominent voices in the movement raise these concerns.
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