A brand new survey has produced outcomes that would give Christians “good cause for hope” in regards to the gospel's influence on younger folks, in accordance with the researchers behind the information.
Hear them within the newest episode of “Fast Begin”
This yr, 54% of Gen Z adults (ages 18-27) agreed that the Bible's message has modified their lives, up from 50% final yr.
These outcomes are captured within the first chapter of the 14th annual report “State of the Bible Report 2024”.
The rise in help for the message of Scripture left Dr. John Farquhar Plake, senior program director and editor-in-chief of the State of the Bible, has some hope for the longer term, regardless of a decline in engagement with Scripture in recent times.
“Our youngest adults are displaying indicators of an curiosity within the Bible, a curiosity about it, and a transformative interplay with it,” Plake mentioned, dissecting the rise in those that say “the Bible's message has modified their lives.” “If this development continues, now we have good cause to be hopeful.”
On the destructive facet, nonetheless, the analysis discovered that “extra People are disengaged from the Bible than ever.” The State of the Bible discovered that folks fall into many classes in the case of Bible engagement: Scripture Engaged, Bible Disengaged, or Shifting Middle.
Tragically, the survey discovered that 10 million folks slipped from the center to the least engaged group, representing 4% of the overall inhabitants, in accordance with an outline of the outcomes.
“57% of People are actually disconnected from the Bible — the very best quantity within the 14-year historical past of this survey,” the assertion mentioned.
One of many different fascinating findings facilities on race. White People' engagement with Scripture has dropped to 16% over the previous yr, whereas black People' engagement with Scripture has elevated to twenty-eight%.
The American Bible Society reported that black People even have greater church attendance and different “measures of religious vitality.”
Further chapters will probably be launched all year long to supply a lens on the place People stand on biblical engagement and religion practices. Learn extra in regards to the outcomes of the research right here.