Most American parents would let their children attend church with trusted neighbors, according to a survey by LifeWay Research. Click here for the full article.

  
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4 Responses to “Lifeway Research: Evangelism”

  1. david says:
    March 17, 2009 at 11:49 am

    That is interesting research: Most parents would let their children attend church with a “trusted” neighbor. I would ask: Can we trust lifeway?

    Several years ago Lifeway presented children’s lessons for Easter — WITHOUT the cross. When we wrote Lifeway and asked why the cross was not discussed in a lesson in the “younger” children’s classes, we were sent an age graded chart. That’s right! We were being told that the cross was too violent to discuss with children.

    This came as Lifeway continued to present increasingly “non-violent) matereal. meaning: David and Goliath was out adn other favortie Bible stories. Our boys was board! Again, when we asked about this, we were referred to the age appropriate chart. Lessons were quaterly on things like: Daniel and the vegitables, God made the earth, and so on. Things that were true, but an obvious attempt to tone down the Scriptures was being made.

    Obviously we elected to step away, feeling we could not trust our publisher.

  2. Mae says:
    March 17, 2009 at 1:50 pm

    david,
    most of the BIble is watered down for children. we love to tell the story of noah’s ark, as if it were cute animals boarding a boat for a cruise or something. we neglect to point out that God destroyed every man, woman and child (other than noah’s family) by drowning. animals died. complete and total devestation. we tell the story, though, as if it’s cute and sweet. it wasnt. God was destroying His creation…destruction doesnt even seem like a strong enough word.

    i dont remember as a young child being told (in sunday school) that after david killed goliath, he cut goliath’s head off.

    i dont remember being told the story of the bears who ate the man.

    there are many parts of the Bible that “we” water down and make more “kid friendly.”

    im not saying the cross should be left out of an easter story, no matter what age. it should definitely be shown. it’s the only Truth we should be concerned with sharing. however, do you think the true violence and horror of the cross (or many other bible passages) should be told to children? if not, do you think it is “watering down” the truth of the Scriptures to water them down? because in essence, by watering down the story to make it more appropriate for certain age groups is really denying the truth of the matter.

  3. david says:
    March 18, 2009 at 12:29 pm

    Mae,

    When I tell kids the stories from the Bible, I am sure to tell them the gross stuff, too. The reason kids think the Bible is boaring is because we edit! It’s not for us to make God’s word “more appropriate.” Know why boys love TV but not Sunday School? because no one tells them david cut goliaths head off and walked around with it while it was all rotten and stinky. (:

    David

  4. Mae says:
    March 18, 2009 at 2:10 pm

    very true.

    another way to stay “true” to the Scriptures is to tell the truth about them.

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