Session 5 Do you see the jetsons
Do You See The Jetsons Going to Church?
Mark H Dillon
Colorado Christian University
11 March 2015, Submitted: 14 March 2015
Author Note: Prepared for “History of Christianity” HIS-211-A-ON25; Professor Lilia Anand Abstract In the past 20 years the percentage of Americans that say that they believe in God has dropped by 8%. (CNSNews.com) - A new Harris Poll finds that a strong majority (74 percent) of U.S. adults say they believe in God, but that 's down from the 82 percent who expressed such a belief in earlier years. Christianity for future generations is on a decline. Since taking the Bible and prayer out of Schools, there have been five negative developments in the nation’s public schools: Academic achievement has plummeted, including SAT scores, increased rate of out-of-wedlock births, an increase in illegal drug use, increase in juvenile crime and deterioration of school behavior. Without someone teaching our youth in schools about God, the Bible and Jesus, where are the youth of America going to learn? I am employed by The Salvation Army and live day to day witnessing men and women, in which have been homeless and have “hurts, habits and hang-ups” ; some turning their will and lives over to the care of God and others, not! There are many children and teens that I witness to that don’t even have the foggiest idea who Jesus is and what He did for them. In the upcoming pages, I will discuss all the above along with how I perceive my life in the future, what I was and what I have become by following Christ, His Miracles still at work, and how the global world plays into it all.
I. Decline in Christianity Is Christianity in decline in America? When you examine the cold, hard numbers it is simply not possible to come to any other conclusion. Over the past few decades, the percentage of Christians in America has been steadily declining. This has especially been true among young people. As you will see later, there has been a mass
Mark H Dillon
Colorado Christian University
11 March 2015, Submitted: 14 March 2015
Author Note: Prepared for “History of Christianity” HIS-211-A-ON25; Professor Lilia Anand Abstract In the past 20 years the percentage of Americans that say that they believe in God has dropped by 8%. (CNSNews.com) - A new Harris Poll finds that a strong majority (74 percent) of U.S. adults say they believe in God, but that 's down from the 82 percent who expressed such a belief in earlier years. Christianity for future generations is on a decline. Since taking the Bible and prayer out of Schools, there have been five negative developments in the nation’s public schools: Academic achievement has plummeted, including SAT scores, increased rate of out-of-wedlock births, an increase in illegal drug use, increase in juvenile crime and deterioration of school behavior. Without someone teaching our youth in schools about God, the Bible and Jesus, where are the youth of America going to learn? I am employed by The Salvation Army and live day to day witnessing men and women, in which have been homeless and have “hurts, habits and hang-ups” ; some turning their will and lives over to the care of God and others, not! There are many children and teens that I witness to that don’t even have the foggiest idea who Jesus is and what He did for them. In the upcoming pages, I will discuss all the above along with how I perceive my life in the future, what I was and what I have become by following Christ, His Miracles still at work, and how the global world plays into it all.
I. Decline in Christianity Is Christianity in decline in America? When you examine the cold, hard numbers it is simply not possible to come to any other conclusion. Over the past few decades, the percentage of Christians in America has been steadily declining. This has especially been true among young people. As you will see later, there has been a mass
References: Gonzalez, J. L. (2010). The Story Of Christianity vol.II. New York: Harper Collins. Lloyd-Jones, S. (2012, July 1). Teach Children the Bible. Retrieved March 14, 2015, from desiring God: http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/teach-children-the-bible-is-not-about-them Noll, M. (n.d.). New Shape of World Christianity. Retrieved from Church Planter: http://churchplanter.lifeway.com/ Olson, D. (n.d.). Retrieved from Evangelical Covenant Church: http://covenantcompanion.com/news Sessions-Stepp, L. (2011, December 16). Why Young Evangelicals are Leaving Church. Retrieved March 11, 2015, from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/16/opinion/stepp-millennials-church/index.html Shannon-Missal, L. (2013, December 16). Americans ' Belief in God, miracles and Heaven Declines. Retrieved March 11, 2015, from Harris, A Nielsen Companyhttp://www.harrisinteractive.com/NewsRoom/HarrisPolls/tabid/447/ctl/ReadCustom%20Default/mid/1508/ArticleId/1353/Default.aspx