(CP) While the overwhelming majority of Evangelicals consider they’ve an obligation to share the teachings of the Bible, most do not feel prepared to accomplish that, in accordance with a latest survey.
The Institute of Faith and Culture released the outcomes on Tuesday of its 2024 Survey on Christian Cultural Engagement, which it conducted in collaboration with Lifeway Research.
When asked if Christians have a responsibility to “share truths from God’s Word with individuals who hold different views,” 92% agreed, while only 6% disagreed and a couple of% were unsure. However, only 35% of Evangelicals considered themselves “ready for many opportunities to share what the Bible says about cultural and hot button issues.”Â
An additional 18% said they were “ready for any opportunity to share what the Bible says,” while 32% maintained that they were “only able to discuss a number of truths” they knew well. Nine percent didn’t think they were ready for “most opportunities to share what the Bible says,” while 5% believed they were “not able to share what the Bible says in any respect.”
Even as many Evangelicals remain hesitant to share the teachings of the Bible in some cases, 40% of respondents “somewhat agreed” that “their church prepares them to have conversations with people whose views differ from the Bible,” and 38% “strongly agreed” that their church equips them for such encounters. Only 10% “somewhat disagreed” that their church adequately prepares them to speak with those that have a distinct worldview, and three% “strongly disagreed.”
However, just 37% of respondents “somewhat agreed” that their church “intentionally creates environments to debate differences between our culture’s values and the Bible’s,” as a further 22% “strongly agreed.” Significant shares of those surveyed either “somewhat disagreed” (17%) or “strongly disagreed” (9%) with that statement.
“There are noticeable differences in the massive variety of evangelicals who feel responsible to share the Bible’s views than the number who’re able to accomplish that,” said Scott McConnell, the CEO of Lifeway Research. “Churches seek to assist Evangelicals have conversations with people whose views differ from the Bible, but fewer churches discuss the Bible and the culture’s values side-by-side.”
When asked in the event that they thought God was “unconcerned with how they vote,” 12% said they “strongly agree” with that evaluation, while one other 12% reported that they “somewhat agree” with it. Forty-four percent “strongly disagreed.”
“While few Evangelicals doubt God cares how they engage the world around them, greater than 1 in 5 don’t think this is applicable to voting,” McConnell noted. “This discrepancy could lead on to different decisions amongst this minority of Evangelicals.”
Only a plurality of those surveyed (38%) acknowledged that they often “seek opportunities to advertise the Bible’s perspective on topics knowing they usually are not popular.” An additional 20% admitted to in search of out such opportunities “often,” while 10% said they accomplish that “all the time.” Twenty-two percent of respondents “rarely” seek to bring up biblical positions on matters in the event that they are unpopular, while 7% never do.
Similarly, a plurality (45%) of respondents told pollsters that they often “share a biblically informed view when someone says something that shouldn’t be biblical.” An additional 23% “often” provide a biblical response to unbiblical remarks by others, while 9% “all the time” accomplish that, and 16% of Evangelicals said they “rarely” accomplish that and 6% “never” do.
Forty-seven percent of those surveyed “somewhat agree” that they “wish to speak up when talking with someone who says something that does not align with Scripture,” followed by 28% who “strongly agree” that they possess such a desire, 14% who “somewhat disagree” and 6% who “strongly disagree.”
By contrast, 50% of Evangelicals indicated they “strongly agree” that they desired to “promote biblical truth amongst people they know,” while one other 39% “somewhat agree” that they’d such a desire. Just 5% “somewhat disagree” that they sought to share the Bible’s teachings with those that they know while only 3% “strongly disagree.”
“Promoting biblical truth appears to be much easier for evangelicals after they are amongst individuals who agree with them,” said McConnell. “Far fewer say they rarely give a biblical response in settings where the Bible’s position shouldn’t be popular.”
The data within the report relies on responses collected from 1,000 Evangelicals from July 18-Aug. 2. The survey had a margin of error of +/-3.3 percentage points.
