By Aaron E. Ziebarth, Executive Director
My family and I were in Canada for a Christian camp leadership conference. After arriving at the Calgary, Alberta airport, we hopped in the shuttle van that would take us to the rental car facility. After jockeying back and forth regarding the rate, I began reading and signing all the paperwork. And then she told me, “There will be big fines for American drivers if you don’t follow the rules.” And as if to emphasize her point, she told me how the rental company would add their fees to those of the law enforcement.
I had no choice. If I wanted a vehicle I had to agree to these fines. And so I signed.
I seek to follow traffic laws as much as possible. But on that trip I quickly realized that the signs were different enough that there would be a learning curve. Thankfully I had three advisors (back-seat drivers, LOL) who could help me when I got it wrong…and I did.
The most notable was when I turned left and I shouldn’t have. After all it was a one way road (in the other direction). Who knows why I didn’t see the “No Left Turn” signs before I started turning. (Everyone pointed them out to me as I was in the middle of the intersection.)
Thankfully as I drove the wrong way on that city block, the opposing drivers moved over and I was able to get things straightened out at the next intersection.
My lack of knowledge certainly hindered my driving abilities for a while. Yet, more important than that is a lack of knowledge of God.
Many years ago the prophet Hosea shared, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children” (Hosea 4:6).
They were being destroyed because they didn’t know the Lord. And there were natural consequences.
While talking with another ministry leader a couple weeks ago, we both lamented that students don’t know the Bible like our generation. Stories that we would easily call to mind draw blank stares.
A recent LifeWay Research study found only 45 percent of those who regularly attend church read the Bible more than once a week. Over 40 percent of the people attending read their Bible occasionally, maybe once or twice a month. Almost 1 in 5 churchgoers say they never read the Bible—essentially the same number who read it every day.
George Barna has shared, “the Christian body in America is immersed in a crisis of biblical illiteracy.” And this is dangerous. It can destroy people. It can destroy a culture.
My heart aches for those who don’t have a love for God’s word. I am thankful that Joy El is committed to God’s Word, for reading, memorization and meditation.
To learn more about this crisis:
The epidemic of Bible illiteracy in our churches
Biblical illiteracy isn’t funny, it’s scary
To help make a change:
Consider volunteering in the Bible Adventure Program https://joyelgeneration.org/
Help young children develop a love for God’s word
