“For churches to be putting most of their ministry resources into reaching an adult is bad stewardship. It’s not going to have much impact. If you want to transform lives and you want to take part in that, you should put most of your resources, most of your thoughts, your energy, your teaching, your time, your people, and all the resources you’ve got into ministering children because they’re the ones whose world is being radically shaped today.” – Dr. George Barna.
George Barna is a professor and Director of Research at the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. He is also the Senior Research Fellow at the Family Research Council’s Center for Biblical Worldview. He founded The Barna Group, the Barna Institute, the American Culture and Faith Institute, and Metaformation. His new book, Raising Spiritual Champions, is the 60th book that Barna has authored or co-authored. His books have addressed social and religious trends, worldview, leadership, spiritual development, church dynamics, and cultural transformation.
During this second part of the two-part episode series with Dr. George Barna, the discussion continues about the alarming statistics revolving around church ministry leaders and the impact they have on raising children with a strong biblical foundation.
Some of the shocking statistics about ministry leaders:
- 56% believe that sexual relations between consenting adults who are not married to each other are morally acceptable.
- 61% of children’s pastors say it doesn’t matter what faith you believe in as long as you have some kind of faith.
- 12% of churches have Bible-oriented ministers.
- 37% of pastors have a biblical worldview.
Many children’s ministry leaders hold beliefs that contradict fundamental Christian teachings, such as denying the existence of absolute moral truth or endorsing morally questionable behaviors. These beliefs have significant consequences on the teachings and influences our children receive within the church. Dr. Barna stresses the critical role parents play as the primary spiritual leaders for their children. With the decline of Christian influence in society, parents must actively discipline their children. Dr. Barna emphasizes the importance of understanding the true meaning of discipleship, as defined by Jesus himself. The core principles of discipleship involve obeying God’s teachings, loving others, producing spiritual fruit, and surrendering everything to follow Christ.
He highlights the top influencers in a child’s life, including parents, schools, peers, government, and arts/entertainment, collectively holding 70% of influence. It raises the question: why does the church fail to make this list? Dr. Barna suggests that churches often undervalue children, seeing them merely as bait to attract adults. He challenges parents to actively engage in their children’s spiritual upbringing and invest in ministry that truly impacts their lives.
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