Communicating with a Generation That is Biblically Illiterate
What’s a Bible College?
A few weeks ago I was at an engagement party and I found myself making small talk with friends-of-friends and distant family members about ‘what I’m up too'. I started chatting with a guy in his mid-twenties and after quick introductions, the conversation (as it often does) moved to "So, what do you do?" I explained, as concisely as I could, that I'm a youth pastor, and that I work with a group of churches trying to help reach people in his generation. His follow up question caught me a little off guard - “I think there is a special school somewhere that you can learn how to be a youth pastor. Did you go there?"
As a Christian you might laugh at this question thinking “Really? Who doesn’t know what a Bible College or Seminary is?”
The answer: A lot more people than you’d think.
We're living in a culture that is as post-Christian as ever, and with that title comes a lack of general understanding about the Christian God, faith, church, the Bible, and all that surrounds it. Gone are the days where the general populous knew the basic Scriptures like Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark or even the Christmas story. Today most children, teens and young adults would struggle to identify Biblical narratives against popular fiction like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games.
In 2012 The Bible Society in the UK published a study surveying 1,000 children between the ages of 8 and 15 (Millennial and Generation Z) and found that a large percentage had almost no Biblical literacy.
29% of children didn’t realize that the Nativity story came from the Bible.
20% didn’t identify Noah’s Ark as a religious story
19% didn’t recognize Adam and Eve as a religious story
9% incorrectly believed that the stories of King Midas and Icarus came from the Bible
23% had never read, seen or heard Noah’s Ark
25% had never read, seen or heard the Nativity
38% had never read, seen or heard Adam and Eve
43% had never read, seen or heard of the Crucifixion
The survey also looked at Biblical literacy among parents (Millennial Generation) and found that:
46% failed to identify Noah's Ark as a Biblical story
31% could not identify David and Goliath as a Biblical story
30% Adam and Eve as a Biblical story
34 % thought the plot line from the Harry Potter books might be a Biblical narrative
54% thought the plot line from the Hunger Games trilogy might be a Biblical narrative
Although this study was completed in England, the general trends and lack of Biblical literacy is the same over here in North America. According to a study completed by Barna and the American Bible Society 62% of non-Christian millennials have never read the Bible. Having never read the Scriptures, this group was asked to describe the Bible and most use words like: “story” (50%), “symbolic” (36%), or “a fairy-tale”(30%).
Nineteen percent (19%) said the Bible was “an outdated book with no relevance for today”, and 27% said it is “a dangerous book of religious dogma used for centuries to oppress people”. These descriptions of the Bible from non-Christians show us that their view of scripture is skeptical at best, hostile at worst. Who are these people? Click here to read about “The Nones”.
When I talk with church members and leaders about the lack of Biblical literacy among the next generation many people are confused about how we got here. Some are disappointed, and a few are openly angry. It’s easy to feel a bit uneasy about these trends, but what can we do about them? What should be our response be? Here are a few ideas.
1. Don’t Assume Anything
We do this a lot in different areas, and it's usually meant to be fun.
Like really, how is this generation getting by without ever seeing M.A.S.H. or Leave it to Beaver, without listening to The Rolling Stones and the Beatles, or without knowing that bed bugs were actual bugs that lived in mattresses made of hay?
Poking fun at pop culture is okay under the right circumstances, but when we’re talking about faith, this approach will shut down a conversation fast. When you come into a conversation with the "how can you not already know this?" you’ve already put the person you’re talking to in a defensive posture.
And it happens so easily:
when you make a face when they don’t know the difference between the Old and New Testament
when you are quick to correct a mispronounced name
when you giggle or poke fun when someone mixes up details from two different Biblical stories
when someone doesn't know a common saying comes from the Bible like “an eye for an eye”, “being a Good Samaritan” or “turning the other cheek”
The reality is that a lot of Millennials aren't going to know much, or anything, about faith - and that's ok. Take time on your own to consider the research above, then ask a few people in your friend group or family what they know about the Bible. As you begin to see the culture for what it is your assumptions will begin to disappear.
2. Ask More Questions
Millennial and Gen Z’ers are quick to identify when someone is trying to sell them something. That’s why it’s important when you engage the next generation in a conversation to ask more questions than you answer. It's tempting to try to give a response that steers them towards an answer - after all you have so much to teach them right?! But when you do this prematurely they’re going to shut down.
Instead take time to listen to their thoughts, their insights, their questions and yes - even their criticisms. When you do this you allow them to level the playing field and you give the message that you’re not trying to sell them on anything.
So lean in, ask another question. If you ask enough questions, eventually they’ll ask one back, and then you’ll have yourself a conversation.
3. Know Your Own Story
The following seems so obvious, that sometimes we forget to think about it.
In a conversation about faith, it's good to make sure you know where your faith comes from.
We can’t assume that the people we interact with every day understand the Scriptures that we cherish, and they probably don’t share our understanding of who Jesus is. So rather than leading with authority of Scripture, or the historical significance of the church, consider why your own faith is important to you.
What is it about Jesus that gives your life meaning?
How is your faith real in your every day life?
Bring the Biblical truths and stories that you’ve held dear for years into the conversation by highlighting how God has been real and faithful to you. When you take this approach to the conversation, you might be pleasantly surprised with how much further a conversation will go - some may even end with an invitation to church next Sunday!
What do to now
So remember: Don’t Make Assumptions, Ask More Questions, Know Your Story.
You can help others by telling your stories of what’s working and not working for you. Start a conversation wherever you see this posted, or email me directly! I’d love to hear your story too!
Links
The Bible Society Report - Pass It On - February 2014
Barna Research - Millenials and the Bible: 3 Surprising Insights
