September 10, 2024
A new study by researcher Dr. George Barna conducted by Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Research Center, reveals that evangelicals are fewer in number, less biblically grounded, and less politically engaged than previously believed.
“The cultural awareness sparked by the COVID pandemic and the 2024 presidential campaign has led millions of Americans to realize just how depraved American society has become,” Barna writes. “Corrupt politicians, dishonest journalists and media outlets, broken social institutions, immoral religious leaders, unconstitutional government programs and policies, and more, have generated non-stop headlines highlighting the decadence of American society and the demise of the United States.”
The research seeks to answer the question, “How did America stray so far, so quickly, from its historical Judeo-Christian values?”
According to Barna, director of research at the Cultural Research Center, the study reveals the changes that have taken place in the evangelical community in the last 30 years. Notably, the study shows that almost half (44%) of evangelicals now say there is no absolute moral truth. Among non-evangelicals, a quarter reject the idea of absolute moral truth and assert that it is always subjective and conditional.
Additionally, the study shows that fewer Americans identify as evangelicals than previously believed. The American Worldview Inventory 2024 indicates that only 10% of adults qualify as evangelicals.
According to the National Association of Evangelicals, “Evangelicals take the Bible seriously and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The term ‘evangelical’ comes from the Greek word euangelion, meaning ‘the good news’ or the ‘gospel.’ Thus, the evangelical faith focuses on the “good news” of salvation brought to sinners by Jesus Christ.”
Evangelicals, the NAE states, “are people who recognize their sinful life, rely upon Jesus Christ for their redemption, and receive practical life guidance and wisdom from the Bible in their quest to live under the lordship of Jesus.”
The study indicates that in addition to there being fewer evangelicals, only about a third possess a biblical worldview. Nearly two-thirds (64%) are Syncretists, defined as “the combination of different forms of belief or practice.”
However, Barna explains, “The research does not suggest that evangelicals are anti-biblical or even biblically illiterate (as is true for many self-identified Christians who are not evangelicals). The study instead reveals that while evangelicals often get the ‘big picture’ of Christianity, they struggle to apply core principles to everyday situations, and are too often victims of catchy slogans and feel-good behaviors promoted by a culture propelled by competing worldviews.”
Mike Griffin, public affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, says, “This study reminds us that we need to have a clear teaching on a what a ‘biblical worldview’ is. You see, many of our millennials and Gen Z’s have not heard preaching and teaching on what the Bible has to say about the social and moral issues we are facing in our country. A common social moral code can no longer be assumed in our nation anymore. Now is the time for the church to step up to the plate and make a difference for Christ in our culture and government.”
Lastly, the survey shows evangelicals to be more politically disengaged than in the past. While 67% of evangelicals typically vote, only one-third reported being ‘very likely’ to vote in the 2024 general election.
“Now, more than ever is there a need for true believers to demonstrate the life-changing power of the gospel in the public square,” Griffin says. “If God’s people will engage government on every level, we will exponentially make a difference because Jesus said that we are called by Him to be ‘salt and light’ in our culture.”
“Too many Christians,” Griffin continues, “have ‘self-censored’ themselves. They have disengaged from the public square. Some Christians think it is ‘unspiritual’ to participate in government. Many don’t realize that we live in a constitutional republic, where we as citizens have a responsibility to participate in government as Christ followers.”
Evangelicals, the study shows, tend to be more conservative than the general population. More than half (53%) identify as consistently conservative compared to fewer than a quarter of non-evangelicals.
Barna notes also that each person’s faith journey is unique, and “that journey both shapes and is shaped by a person’s belief structure and religious practices.” That makes it difficult, he admits, to identify evangelicals and develop an understanding of their minds and hearts.
“Many evangelicals struggle to apply core biblical principles in daily life,” Barna says, “falling prey to cultural slogans and behaviors.”
Barna emphasizes the need for pastors to combat the spread of unbiblical worldviews in their churches by preaching biblical truth. And, he blames the media for misrepresenting evangelicals, defining them inaccurately, and relying on flawed data.
“Evangelicals” are not the monolithic bloc often portrayed by the media, and there are deep divides about who is an evangelical and what they stand for. “When consuming media reports about evangelicals,” Barna cautions, “it is wise to be cautious about who the media have defined as members of that segment.”
