The American Worldview Inventory 2021 survey of adult philosophy of life in America concludes that American youth are drifting. The report, conducted by Arizona Christian University, assesses the worldviews of four generations and warns that beliefs and behaviors of younger Americans, especially Millennials, “threaten to reshape the nation’s religious parameters beyond recognition.”
In his book, Hope for This Present Crisis: The Seven Step Path to Restoring a World Gone Mad, Dr. Michael Youssef observes, “Our culture has lost its mind. … All across America and Europe, churches are emptying, and an entire generation is turning away from God. People today have many gods—money, pleasure, politics, the environment—but they no longer acknowledge the God of the Bible.”
The university’s cultural research center (CRC) polled Millennials (born 1984-2002) Gen X (1965-1983), Baby Boomers (1946-1964) and Builders (1927-1945). They noted the following in comparison to traditional Christian beliefs:
— Researchers found that among other recent generations, Millennials have gone farther in cutting ties with traditional Christian views and normative biblical teaching.
— For example, nearly half of all Boomers believe that when they die, they will go to heaven only because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus as their Savior, compared to only 26% of Gen X and 16% of Millennials.
— Additionally, 43% of Millennials stated they either don’t know, don’t care or don’t believe God exists, compared to 28% of Boomers, and 44% of Millennials, who believe Satan is real and influential, compared to 64% of Boomers.
— On spiritual matters, Americans younger than 55 are far more likely to distrust the Bible and to believe God is uninvolved in people’s lives.
— However, a majority of Americans call themselves Christian, ranging from 57% of Millennials to 83% of Builders.
The CRC assessment measures worldview within eight categories of beliefs and behaviors. The new research reveals that across all four generations, the category in which Americans are least likely to think and act biblically is the dimension of “Bible, truth and morals.” However, all four generations were found to be most likely to believe and behave biblically in relation to religious faith practices.
Dr. Youssef says “we are at a tipping point in American history—and we could go either way. We could return to the founding principles that made our society great—or we could tumble into the same abyss that has swallowed so many other nations and empires over the centuries.”
The report notes the alarming reality that younger Americans do not embrace the foundational Christian faith and biblical principles the same as older generations. In more than two dozen examples, Millennials were substantially more likely than any other generation to reject biblical principles or question beliefs such as creation vs. evolution, inerrancy of the Bible, abortion, original sin, and salvation and redemption through Christ alone vs. social activism and good works. Many survey participants argued that traditional moral perspectives are irrelevant today, making a series of formerly rejected behaviors now morally acceptable including: lying, not repaying loans, premarital sex, illegal tax deductions, speeding, suicide or allowing euthanasia.
Despite shifting beliefs and moral decay, Dr. Youssef’s draws this encouraging conclusion: “It’s not too late to bow before God and plead for our nation. … We are fighting for the souls of a generation—and the fight goes on.”
Dr. Youssef continues, “It’s not too late for God to hear and answer from heaven. It’s not too late for revival to sweep our land. I don’t want to leave you despairing for America’s future, so please turn the page and read on with me—and discover how you can play a part in saving America for future generations.”
Dr. Michael Youssef’s discussion and thoughts on what brought America to this point and what must be done to defeat the forces battling to dismantle and destroy our country can be found in Hope for This Present Crisis, available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM, christianbook.com and Leading The Way. {eoa}
Michael Youssef was born in Egypt and lived in Lebanon and Australia before coming to the United States and fulfilling a childhood dream of becoming an American citizen. He holds degrees from Moore College in Sydney, Australia, and Fuller Theological Seminary in California, with a Ph.D. in social anthropology from Emory University. He founded The Church of The Apostles, which was the launching pad for Leading The Way’s international ministry. Youssef has authored more than 40 books, including popular titles like Jesus, Jihad and Peace and Saving Christianity?
Youssef is the host of the popular TV and radio broadcast Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef, which airs more than 13,000 times every week across six continents in 26 languages—reaching audiences in nearly every major city in the world. His programs attract tens of millions of viewers weekly in the U.S. on major TV networks, including TBN, Daystar, Fox Business, Lifetime, GOD TV, CTN, NRB TV and more.
Equipped with a keen understanding of the Bible, the Middle East, sociological trends in the Western world and popular Christian worldview issues, Youssef is a sought-after voice whose expertise is regularly requested on both secular and Christian media, including Huckabee, Fox & Friends, Eric Metaxas, The Hugh Hewitt Show, The Christian Post, Fox News, Hannity, Glenn Beck, The 700 Club and more. He and his wife reside in Atlanta and have four grown children and 10 grandchildren.
Hope for This Present Crisis is published by FrontLine, an imprint of Charisma House.
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