60% of adults do NOT believe that JESUS is the only way to Heaven, believe in bu

[powderman]

https://www.christianpost.com/news/60-of-young-adults-say-jesus-isnt-the-only-way-to-salvation.html

60% of adults under 40 say Jesus isn’t only way to salvation; equal to Buddha, Muhammad
Survey shows pluralistic worldview expanding rapidly among American Christians
By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor| Sunday, August 22, 2021
Facebook Twitter Email Print Menu  Comment150
Jesus
Unsplash/Paul Zoetemeijer
More than 60% of born again Christians in America between the ages of 18 and 39 believe that Buddha, Muhammad and Jesus are all valid paths to salvation and over 30% say they either believe that Jesus sinned just like other people when He lived on Earth or aren’t sure, according to a new study.

There’s a “striking decline” in evangelical religious beliefs and practices over the last 10 years, as the number of self-proclaimed believers to hold these beliefs has increased by nearly 25%, says Probe Ministries in a statement announcing the results of its Religious Views & Practices Survey.

The study, which interviewed 3,100 Americans ages 18 to 55 in 2020 and looked at various other previous studies, saw a drop in “basic biblical worldview” — God’s attributes, the accuracy of the Bible, salvation and Jesus being sinless — from 47% in 2010 to 25% in 2020 among born again Christians.

The drop in the “expanded biblical worldview” — beliefs about Satan and morals being objective — went from 32% in 2010 to 16% in 2020.

“So, the percentage of Born Again Christians with a biblical worldview (of either type) has been cut in half over the last decade,” says the study, which compared the 18–29 age group from 2010 with the same age group 10 years later, now 30–39. “This result is a startling degradation in worldview beliefs of Born Again Christians over just 10 years.”

This means, even born-again Christians “can have a false view of Jesus Christ and embrace a pluralistic worldview,” Kerby Anderson, president of Probe Ministries, said. “Pastors and church leaders just can’t assume any longer that the members of their church or Christian organization have a biblical worldview.”

There’s an even greater drop off among the general population, the study found. For the basic biblical worldview, there’s a drop off from 13% to 6%. For the expanded biblical worldview, the decline is from 9% to just over 3%.

Anderson attributed the change to the continual and growing influence of media.

“These disturbing trends are, yes, due to pastors not consistently teaching biblical theory. But they can also be attributed to young Christians who are not paying attention, who are focused — nearly exclusively, it seems — on their phones, social media and other content they deem more compelling,” he said.


A Message from WESTSIDE Christian Fellowship
God Makes a Wrong Turn Right
In this powerful message, God Makes a Wrong Turn Right, find out how God can use your past pain to draw you closer to Him. It's not the fall that hurts; it's staying down that does. With God, failure is not final. Listen now: https://youtu.be/CTO5giztFoo and be sure to SUBSCRIBE the channel!

The study suggests, Anderson said, that “we have to continue to explain the cost of salvation ... that there is no way to salvation, other than through the sacrificial and atoning death of a sinless Christ. That no one can come to the Father except through the Son, but also that anyone may come through Him.”

An article about the study’s findings on the Probe Ministries website notes that in the Roman Empire in AD 60, biblical worldview Christians accounted for less than 1% of the population. “Three hundred years later, virtually the entire empire was at least nominally Christian.”

“If we will commit ourselves to ‘proclaiming the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light,’ God will bring revival to our land,” it adds.

[ironglow]

.
  He also told us that God, deals in remnants..

    THere are 27 books in the New Testament...26 of them warn us to beware of "false teachers" !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

  "More than 60% of born again Christians in America between the ages of 18 and 39 believe that Buddha, Muhammad and Jesus are all valid paths to salvation and over 30% say they either believe that Jesus sinned just like other people when He lived on Earth or aren’t sure, according to a new study."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  If they believe ^^^THAT^^^ load of crap..they cannot be "born again" !  One Must believe Jesus is "the Son of God"....as well as, "God the Son'.
   That tripe concerning "other gods" or "other prophets" ...alienates them from God...

[Dixie-Dude]

Wow.  If you are truly born again, you would know who Jesus really is, and also read the Bible. 

[teamnelson]

Wow.  If you are truly born again, you would know who Jesus really is, and also read the Bible.

Its that truly born again part ... seems there might be a little more to it than where you go on a Sunday, what you call yourself, or maybe even an emotional moment once when you felt really really bad.

Those of the flesh think fleshly ideas like all paths are equal, but those of the spirit ...

[ironglow]

Wow.  If you are truly born again, you would know who Jesus really is, and also read the Bible.

Its that truly born again part ... seems there might be a little more to it than where you go on a Sunday, what you call yourself, or maybe even an emotional moment once when you felt really really bad.

Those of the flesh think fleshly ideas like all paths are equal, but those of the spirit ...

   Absolutely TN...fruit will be evident, along with other evidences. Still being born again, is a pre-requisite (John 3:3)

[Dee]

I left the Southern Baptist denomination about 12 years ago now. They seem consumed with folks like Rick Warren and what I call "christian lite" (little c).
I went armed with my Bible and pointed out discrepancy after discrepancy to our pastor, and several deacons to no avail.
The pastor said he saw what I was talking about, but he believed the teaching methods would better reach the younger folks.
Several deacons agreed completely, but said they had been with the church a long time, and would just go with it, as the pastor was the church leader.
A few deacons went to other churches that had not fallen to these scripture twisting methods.
The church I grew up in has become more of a "Sunday morning casual" place to get together with friends.
Membership has dwindled from some 600 members, to about 120. Same pastor, same "curriculum".

When the opportunity arises, I share the gospel, but there seems to be more apostasy out there every day, and some of the older organizations claiming Christianity while missing the mark by quit a bit, seem to be showing their real colors more readily.

[Ranger99]

People don't want to hear about hell or ponder
the thought of eternal damnation.
They'd rather hear that God wants you to be
rich from "flipping " houses,  or that there's
a secret code in the Bible that hides the true
path to salvation, and that's why they've
been continuously sinning without remorse.
Or in some cases they've been enabling
their family members or friends and have
a need to justify that

[ironglow]

I left the Southern Baptist denomination about 12 years ago now. They seem consumed with folks like Rick Warren and what I call "christian lite" (little c).
I went armed with my Bible and pointed out discrepancy after discrepancy to our pastor, and several deacons to no avail.
The pastor said he saw what I was talking about, but he believed the teaching methods would better reach the younger folks.
Several deacons agreed completely, but said they had been with the church a long time, and would just go with it, as the pastor was the church leader.
A few deacons went to other churches that had not fallen to these scripture twisting methods.
The church I grew up in has become more of a "Sunday morning casual" place to get together with friends.
Membership has dwindled from some 600 members, to about 120. Same pastor, same "curriculum".

When the opportunity arises, I share the gospel, but there seems to be more apostasy out there every day, and some of the older organizations claiming Christianity while missing the mark by quit a bit, seem to be showing their real colors more readily.

 Inthe words of the old hymn...  "The arm of flesh will fail you.."

[Bob Riebe]

The ignorant, those preached bs from childhood, very sad.
The rest, who at one time heard the True Word, let those self-righteous pieces of human debris rot in hell; they earned it. (This especially includes some big name preachers who speak with a forked-tongue.)

[Lloyd Smale]

spot on!!

Wow.  If you are truly born again, you would know who Jesus really is, and also read the Bible.

Its that truly born again part ... seems there might be a little more to it than where you go on a Sunday, what you call yourself, or maybe even an emotional moment once when you felt really really bad.

Those of the flesh think fleshly ideas like all paths are equal, but those of the spirit ...

[teamnelson]

Diving into that survey the article references, I was saddened to see that less than half of those who claim a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, agreed with 4 or more (of 6) basic biblical truths like the sinlessness of Jesus, accuracy of the Bible, existence of Satan, exclusiveness of Jesus as the way of salvation.

Those of us who have been charged with the proclamation of God's Word to His people should probably take a moment and reflect. We may want to believe its those other preachers over there, in those other denominations, those liberal churches, but the fact is we probably all have folks in our churches that would come up short on a basic bible doctrine survey.

The past few years I've spent more time reading the puritans - we've allowed the world to tell us their story, but if you read their own words you get a different view. One thing they were keen on was discipleship from the pulpit, and they devoted less time in application than is popular today. After expositing the text, they took time to lift out the doctrines referenced in the text to ensure the listeners made the important connection, and then they applied the text briefly ... but while the current trend of application is to make it man centered, i.e. how can the listener benefit, their application was more God-centered, i.e. how does this move the listener closer to God. Did they do a better job of discipling their people? If you trace back through history the ideas that lead many folks to believe we were founded on Christian principles, you will trace those principles back to the influence of the Puritans over the colonies. In fact our very independence as a nation sprang out of puritan pulpits, but it wasn't because they preached politics.

Like many, I feel the impulse to warn the people on the dangers of the world ... but in fact they spend many hours a day saturated with the dangers of the world. I'm noticing that many of the more popular larger churches with national ministries devote 99% of their time in political and cultural commentary, and a quick nod to the gospel. We would probably do our folks a lot more good if we simply started with, The world stinks. And moved along quickly and dove deeply into God's word.

[Dee]

Been saying that for years TN. When I was a kid back in the  50s, there was a preacher in a little Baptist church in the small community of Elmont Texas named Bruce Cushman. He was a Golden Gloves champion in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and predicted to turn pro.
God had other plans for Brother Cushman.
As a little boy in the 1950, I remember Brother Cushman starting out his sermons in a suit. 1st the jacket would come off, and thrown at the small pew by the pulpit. Then the tie.
Not always, but sometimes, I've seen him on his knees with his shirt sleeves rolled up, preaching Hell so hot you could feel the heat.
There was no air conditioning, or PA sound systems in those days. But people got saved, and they knew why Salvation was worth the effort. I miss that kinda preachin. It hits you right square between the eyes, and during the rest of your week, it stays with you.

No colorful robes, funny hats, messed up hairstyles, or swanky churches. Just good ole Gospel preachin, and hymns based on scripture.

If one pays attention, there is more information concerning Hell in scripture than Heaven.

Your description of the Puritans, kinda sounds like the Bereans doesn't it?

[ironglow]

.
  I've noticed in recent decades that many local churches tend to be driven either cerebrally or emotionally.

  Even though I lean strongly toward the cerebral, I still must recognize that some emotion is fitting, for the Holy spirit to work.

  Those that appeal entirely through emotion, are treading a dangerous path (IMO)

  "9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?  (Jeremiah 17:9)

[Bob Riebe]

The first pastor I remember, Pasotr Kirsch was a hell fire and brimstone preacher; it sank in.

[ironglow]

The first pastor I remember, Pasotr Kirsch was a hell fire and brimstone preacher; it sank in.

  There sure is a place for that!  People should be aware of the consequences of ignoring His word, an dthose who pedal nothing but sugar water, are doing a great dis-service.

  I have found the best messages I have delivered, to present both sides.  Yes, bring on the danger of ignoring God and His instructions and plan...but don't leave them there..

    Leave them with hope and promise. Present to them the real alternative..the joy of becoming a "child of God"  (John 1:12) and enjoying not only a blessed eternity, but less stunted and fear filled life even now.

[powderman]

TOO many preachers preach what the people want to hear instead of what GOD wants them to hear. I knew a man who left the Church because hell was preached about, it scared him.
I saw oprah on tv after 9-11, she said all those people were now in Heaven, they are IF they were saved, but did NOT if they weren't. Good example of being ready at any time. She also said that there were MANY ways to Heaven, WRONG AGAIN, JES CHRIST is the ONLY WAY.
How many people has she led the wrong way?? Too many folks believe that if a celebrity says it that it must be true, wrong again. Lot's of cults out there that so called stars go to.
Throw away all those books like he said she said, read the Bible for yourself, trust in GOD'S words, Not mans. CHARLIE. 

[Dee]

TOO many preachers preach what the people want to hear instead of what GOD wants them to hear. I knew a man who left the Church because hell was preached about, it scared him.
I saw oprah on tv after 9-11, she said all those people were now in Heaven, they are IF they were saved, but did NOT if they weren't. Good example of being ready at any time. She also said that there were MANY ways to Heaven, WRONG AGAIN, JES CHRIST is the ONLY WAY.
How many people has she led the wrong way?? Too many folks believe that if a celebrity says it that it must be true, wrong again. Lot's of cults out there that so called stars go to.
Throw away all those books like he said she said, read the Bible for yourself, trust in GOD'S words, Not mans. CHARLIE. 

Words with the bark still on'em. The  truth front to back. Good post Charlie. 

[littlecanoe]

“These disturbing trends are, yes, due to pastors not consistently teaching biblical theory. But they can also be attributed to young Christians who are not paying attention, who are focused — nearly exclusively, it seems — on their phones, social media and other content they deem more compelling,” he said.

“If we will commit ourselves to ‘proclaiming the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light,’ God will bring revival to our land,” it adds.



These two paragraphs are from the end of the article are telling. In the first paragraph the responsibility is shifted to those hearing, in this case the children and young people. This shifts the responsibility away from the adults, parents and pastors. The author addresses that pastors haven’t consistently taught Biblical theory. The opposite is true. Biblical theory is pretty much all that has been preached in America since the Revivalist Movement.

The second paragraph places the emphasis on God yet remains consistent with the bad messaging of the first paragraph. Per the logic of the author the kids and young people are not listening so God is not honored and the church is dwindling. Are the adults, parents and pastors, blaming God?  The first paragraph tells us that while biblical theories haven’t been consistently taught it implies that they have been taught enough that the negative effects should not be present. It’s that the kids aren’t listening. If embrace of the church and traditional belief is dwindling it has to be God since enough biblical theory has been preached. 

[Dee]

Most "pastors" today are the product of "seminaries". They are "trained" how to teach, and preach, and "indoctrinated" into what that particular seminary, or professor believes.

I once heard a "youth director" doing our Sunday morning service while filling in for our pastor, stand in the pulpit say: "You older folks think ya'll have it all figured out. You sing a few gloomy old hymns based on some scripture to set the mood. Then you tell some scary stories out of the Bible about Hell to scare folks. But what do you end up with?"

Well, my question is: why is a young guy teaching our young kids. It ain't Biblical

And what do we end up with preaching the Gospel?
I say you end up with  Christians. They know where they don't want to go. They know where they do want to go. And they know why.

Now I'm sure I'm gonna get some blowback here, and that fine its water on a ducks back with me.

This "youth director" went to a Southern Baptist Seminary, and that's one of the "propaganda lies" he learned there.
I'm not saying all seminaries are bad, but many seminary trained pastors, REGARDLESS OF DENOMINATION, believe that they understand and interpret the Bible better than other Christians, and they have a better understanding. These "pastors" are in good company, the Roman catholic organization believes the same thing.

I don't need a bottle of milk, I need a knife and fork symbolically speaking, and many of todays "pastors" are passing out bottles with pablum which ain't even milk.
Just my opinion, and it ain't subject to change.

[littlecanoe]

Dee,

I've been mulling over your last post throughout the day. From what I've seen over the years I really can't make a distinction between non-seminary and seminary trained.  I came to the short term though that both are (or can be) equally bad for the largest part.  That's a pretty broad brush but my reasoning is that no matter the background or school of training, be it formal or informal, very few people are willing to be introspective and self questioning. 

That married with the commitment that a man makes to a denomination or a theological viewpoint makes me think that very few are willing to go against whatever got them to where they.  Helen Keller said that most people don't like to think. Thinking requires one to reach conclusions and conclusions aren't always pleasant.  Many (most?) don't want to lose pension, position, prestige, power, level of income....those things aren't protected when one stands on principle, even principle that's off center. Thinking and questioning can lead to the loss of most of those things which isn't necessarily a good conclusion in the short term 

[Dee]

Scripture says not to add, or take away scripture. I don't believe it necessarily means omitting it physically from the Bible.
Omitting it from teaching I believe falls into what the aforementioned scripture was referring to.
I don't question scripture, I study to understand it. Most times I believe I reach a reasonably accurate conclusion based on context, and supporting scriptures, and sometimes questioning folks I consider at least as well read as myself, or more so.
Some Biblical questions I struggle to comprehend, but in research I find I'm not alone in the struggle.

The Gospel is offensive. It convicts us of our imperfect selves. MANY "pastors" are hung up on numbers, and slapping new members, or potential new members in the face with Gospel facts, doesn't make these folks happy.
So, most "pastors now days avoid Biblical facts that might make these kinda folks uncomfortable. No meat, not even milk. Pablum, a replacement for milk, and meat, but not sustainable.
I loathe these fakes.
I agree, there are untrained pastors out there, but most denominations get their pastors from the stables of seminaries, and many of these seminaries "of all denominations" are the leading culprits of failing churches.

[ironglow]

From LC;
 
  " That married with the commitment that a man makes to a denomination or a theological viewpoint makes me think that very few are willing to go against whatever got them to where they.  Helen Keller said that most people don't like to think. Thinking requires one to reach conclusions and conclusions aren't always pleasant. 
 Many (most?) don't want to lose pension, position, prestige, power, level of income....those things aren't protected when one stands on principle, even principle that's off center. Thinking and questioning can lead to the loss of most of those things which isn't necessarily a good conclusion in the short term "

  I see what you are driving at, and perhaps we are all finding the same problem, albeit coming from different angles..
  I have a distrust of church bodies with a structure of a hierarchy.  Perhaps Dee sees it as seminary trained, but I'll let him speak to that.
  It seems that when any church becomes like a major business..with a "home office" and a CEO, with several degrees of staff, reaching out to the various sub-sectors, finally trickling down to the local church ..and the most neglected part of the scheme..the individual...

  How much time is spent by the various factors in studying and researching the word?  How far do they venture from the "approved" line.
  Ar ethey more concerned with reaching the lost, or seeking to rise to a higher position in the' company'?

  True, any can produce error..seminary trained or not..makes little difference, but I think that groups with a complex and expansive hierarchy, has that much more to distract them from the basic commission we have been entrusted with!

[Bob Riebe]

Too many do not follow Christian Dogma; they follow denomination doctrine.

[ironglow]

Too many do not follow Christian Dogma; they follow denomination doctrine.

   Right Bob, and it behooves us to remember the "great commission"..

[teamnelson]

We are showing our age gents if we're still blaming denominationalism or seminaries. None of the data supports that view, none. And as long as we keep blaming them, we will most likely ignore the real problem. Fact is denominations and seminaries are dead and dying, have been for decades, and constitute a very small percentage of Christianity in America. The vast majority of churches in the us are non-denominational led by personable folks with little formal bible education who can entertain a crowd. 60% of children raised in a non-denominational church will never go back to church once they leave home - they can find their entertainment elsewhere. Sadly, sexual assaults by youth workers in non-denominational churches are the highest amongst any other kind of church. There's a lack of seriousness in the majority of non-denominational churches - independence has led them to license.

Conservative non-denominational churches can rarely afford to keep a pastor of any kind; the more conservative the smaller the church, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but practically speaking, America doesn't tithe - they tip, even amongst conservatives. I know many good godly men who felt called to leave a career (like the disciples) to study for a few years (like the disciples) before they went into full time ministry, and still couldn't find a church that wanted a conservative pastor and paid a living wage - too small. Many conservative churches then have gone to looking for kids with no wisdom or experience, or retirees who may have other income. When I was bivocational 20 years ago, over 60% of SBC pastors were bivocational. I understand that number has shrunk - too hard to keep both jobs up today. I left the SBC, and have been CBA for some time because their really not a denomination, and more conservative where it matters than the SBC was headed. But I sense the urban churches in the CBA now are going "relevant" while the rural churches are struggling to stay conservative and keep a pulpit full, between what they can afford to pay and who is out there willing to lead a conservative church. I am grateful to have been called to one such and gladly retired earlier than I could from the Navy so as to be young enough to be able to give them a few decades hopefully. But both the church and I recognize how rare it is to make that kind of connection.

MacArthur's Commentaries are particularly popular amongst not-formally-trained preachers in conservative non-denominational churches, the irony being that he is a graduate of several seminaries, and the founder of a seminary. Folks might want to read why he founded a seminary - he thought it was important. He also has at times seriously considered moving Grace into the SBC so as to participate in missions and some of the other perceived benefits of denominational affiliation - the current woke-ness of the SBC put that thought to bed. But he has on multiple occasions given strong reasons for denominations. I know he does not blame the current situation on either seminary or denominations, even though he is non-denominational.

[littlecanoe]

We formerly attended a SBC church. In speaking with the pastor a couple months ago they are in the process of leaving. He is a grad of SBTC in Louisville and greatly disgusted with the wokeness.

I attended the 2018 TFG conference.  I was absolutely appalled by the beginnings of what I perceived to be  holiness movement. I missed the mark by thinking the movement would be conservative rather than liberal. Liberal it is.

McArthur spoke at that conference. I was disappointed. While not woke his message was too much that way and had little of Christ in it. I know him to be more Christ focused than most but it was disappointing that he was not a stronger voice for the Gospel at an event where social issues were beginning to take front seat. I hope that I was mistaken but that’s the impression that I walked away with.

Going back to the idea of independent churches it has been my personal experience that the mists severe and abusive Tyrannies by preachers and boards take place in such churches. There is absolutely no avenue for recourse in such an institution. At least a denominational hierarchy offers a chance at reconciliation.

[Dee]

I don't know what part of the world everyone else is living in, but I see about 1 out every 6 or 7 churches in my area of Texas being non denominational. After full retirement kicked in for Linda and I, we check out a lotta small towns in our area looking at old houses,  churches, downtowns ect.
It's the same every where we go.

In the town I live in now, there are 7 churches and ALL are denominational.

Even non catholic Mexican churches are denominational. Usually Baptist.

I pretty well got the reactions I expected, from the folks I expected to get them from, but I'm gonna go with what I see, both in the denominational issues  and the teaching lightweight doctrinal issues.

For me, what I personally see, and hear first hand, carries more weight than what someone says.
I expect ministries to defend themselves, even when confronted with Biblical doctrine directly from scripture.

[teamnelson]

If we're talking personal experience, there are probably 20 denominational churches on our island and 2 non-denominational, so based on number of buildings, I guess we agree Dan, from experience.

Unless you look at the size of the actual churches: the combined population of those 2 nondenominational churches is twice the total number of the other 20 combined. Hard to say denominationalism is the problem on this island, when 2/3rds of evangelicals here go to those 2 churches ... and that's an assumption, since there is a really really huge mega non-denominational church not far away that many folks drive to because they have all the cool hip programs. Reality is more like 75% of the Christians here are non-denominational, eventhough there are more denominational churches. Have to clarify, we are members of a really small non-denominational church here on the island, so I guess there are 3, but we're weird in that we're conservative, sober minded, and only attract bible students for worship. The other two non-denominational churches are on the opposite end of church from us.

And then you look at the age: the average age of those attending the 20 denominational churches here is 50+ ... not many youth groups very little Sunday school. While the average age at the denominational churches is 30, loads of kids and youth.

From my current experience, it appears that counting the number of churches doesn't tell the story. My experience bears out the national statistics that very clearly indicate that numerically there are more people in non-denominational churches, and have been for years, than in denominational churches, and that the age demographics show that non-denominational churches are younger. Looking back at the original poll, younger folks are less likely to be biblically affiliated.

[Dee]

I would question that statistic at face value, inas much as the Sunday morning head count of say, a Baptist, a Methodist, and maybe a Pentecostal church all combined, would likely blow the independent church head count out of the holy water.
Individually church on church your head count stat "might be" accurate in "some areas" but all denominations vs independents, I'm skeptical at best.
Statistics are always leaning towards the statisticians view. They are like poll takers. Influential, and regional.
Well saying that "denominational" is part of the problem wasn't my statement. I consider the pablum based sermons and teachings of most modern modern day churches, whether denomination or independent.

I see backing off on the Gospel, replaced with soft pedaling, and theatrical infusions as a message without a message.

Like out DC government and our Congress, I believe pastors are being educated to be administrators, and the business of preaching the entire Gospel has been watered way down, or in some cases sidelined entirely.

Like many colleges, and universities, and public schools, I think seminaries in large part have drifted into areas they weren't initially intended to promote.
Like a few churches, some have not, but many have.

[ironglow]

Diving into that survey the article references, I was saddened to see that less than half of those who claim a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, agreed with 4 or more (of 6) basic biblical truths like the sinlessness of Jesus, accuracy of the Bible, existence of Satan, exclusiveness of Jesus as the way of salvation.

Those of us who have been charged with the proclamation of God's Word to His people should probably take a moment and reflect. We may want to believe its those other preachers over there, in those other denominations, those liberal churches, but the fact is we probably all have folks in our churches that would come up short on a basic bible doctrine survey.

The past few years I've spent more time reading the puritans - we've allowed the world to tell us their story, but if you read their own words you get a different view. One thing they were keen on was discipleship from the pulpit, and they devoted less time in application than is popular today. After expositing the text, they took time to lift out the doctrines referenced in the text to ensure the listeners made the important connection, and then they applied the text briefly ... but while the current trend of application is to make it man centered, i.e. how can the listener benefit, their application was more God-centered, i.e. how does this move the listener closer to God. Did they do a better job of discipling their people? If you trace back through history the ideas that lead many folks to believe we were founded on Christian principles, you will trace those principles back to the influence of the Puritans over the colonies. In fact our very independence as a nation sprang out of puritan pulpits, but it wasn't because they preached politics.

Like many, I feel the impulse to warn the people on the dangers of the world ... but in fact they spend many hours a day saturated with the dangers of the world. I'm noticing that many of the more popular larger churches with national ministries devote 99% of their time in political and cultural commentary, and a quick nod to the gospel. We would probably do our folks a lot more good if we simply started with, The world stinks. And moved along quickly and dove deeply into God's word.

  The Puritans were instrumental in many ways, of propagating the gospel in the "new world'..  Of course, like many others, they had their "zits".
 
    Not just the witch trials of the 1690s, but for the way the treated the Separatists, who preceded them at Plymouth.  They were of course, not in the least tolerant of the "Pilgrims', who differed from them, in that the Separatists wanted to separate from the Anglican church, founded by Henry VIII, while the Puritans wanted to stay with the Anglicans, but "purify" it!  ..Let's call it a mini reformation.

  Eventually, with their accumulated wealth, they swallowed up the Plymouth colony.  Then the separatists, along with other faiths not Puritan, were banned from the Massachusetts Colony, even before the witch trials.

     The Separatists were so mistreated by the "royals" that they wanted little to do with them.  They were so adamant, that they used the Geneva Bible, rather than the KJV !

  Many of those banished from the Massachusetts Colony found their way to Rhode Island Colony, where they found Roger Williams offered religious freedom, and most became Baptists.  My first progenitor on this side of the ocean, was one of those Rhode Island refugees, having been booted from Boston because of his religious bent.

   The heirs old the Puritan religion can be found with the Congregational Church of today, with some small vestiges being found with the Presbyterians (PCUSA).

  Ironically, the Puritans suffered from a "second generation syndrome"..in that by the 164os and 1650s,  a portion had already started to backslide, and were chastised by some of the old guard , for pursuing wealth and comfort, more than God.