Why Are So Many People Leaving the Faith?

The following program is recorded content created by the Truth Network. So why is it that so many Christians are losing their faith stage for the line of fire with your host activist all the international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience and president of fire school of ministry get into the line of fire valves like always 866-34-TRUTH that's 866-34-TRUTH your Jim is Dr. Michael Brown. So why is it that it seems really not just being blown up, not just being reported not just being exaggerated, but really, many Christians are leaving the faith. Many are losing their faith. Many are in church questioning their faith. Others have dropped out entirely.

I mean people who, according to everything we could see were believers before they were not just part of a liberal church and profess Jesus in name only, but seem to be Bible believing Christians.

Why are so many falling away. I want to address that in a comprehensive way. Today I want to be as practical as I can. We talked about the subjects a lot in recent weeks especially with my book has God failed you coming out last month but I felt was important to revisit to go a little deeper. Here's the recall 866-34-TRUTH 866-34-TRUTH 87884 if you yourself are struggling you're having questions you're having doubts you're wondering if God is real. Feel free to call if if you would rather call anonymously not even given name or location because you want to speak honestly but feel you can't if someone might recognize your name or whatever. Feel free to do that, you can call with questions and struggles.

Others are having. If you no longer believe if you are convinced.

What used to believe is false. While tell us why. Maybe I can be of help to.

Or maybe it would be helpful for people to know why you believe what you believe 866-34-TRUTH 866-34-TRUTH 784 if you have encountered objections to the goodness of God.

Objections to the Bible and you don't feel like you have solid answers may be a meme you saw just a little while I cut our response to that or something were confronted with on a university campus were some us come up with in your own family. Let's be as constructive as we can today. Phone lines are open 8663 for 87884 a few weeks back I did a video responding to one of the viral tick-tock videos of Abraham Piper, also known as Pastor John Piper's son look at this New York Times headline a pastor's son becomes a critic of religion on tick-tock John Piper's were the most influential theologians in America. His son, Abraham calls evangelicalism a destructive, narrowminded worldview and excerpts bite some of these videos you can see from these videos.

Some of you view hundreds and hundreds of thousands of times is questioning how always talk about experiences he had in the missions trip, etc. this is wrong that's wrong you still with evangelical parents and his lighthearted use got a style that I was the works well on social media created quite a buzz quite a following of again. I can be headline after headline. How about this headline talk about Pastor Shawn McDowell or or professor Sean McDowell how to make sense of all the Christians deconstructing its imagery was Stephanie Martin an article in church leaders website and he he's explaining why is this happening why are so many falling away and then Francis Chan, Christian leader Francis Chan said evangelical Christianity is seen as an absolute joke. This is also Stephanie Martin on church leaders interact with Francis Chan this year's recent online reset summit speakers address ways to lead with confidence in the post-cold church transport of the troubling trend of Roman Christians who publicly abandon the fold.

Quote I'm seeing so many people friends of mine who are in ministry or just a nonbeliever there. Walking away I just think that's crazy missing people that we look up to leaders fall receiving that the world look at evangelical Christians at Christiana is an absolute joke right now you can just jump on Instagram and some of saying I'm not a Christian any more. Now, on the one hand, social media and or instant access to all these opinions and views that can give an exaggerated feel of how many will ultimately but I don't believe it's exaggerated.

I believe it really is a crisis I know of people that were in our ministry school years back that were in the fires of revival that were deeply touched by God and pouring into the word want to be used by God who no longer believe or who have radically shifted their views and in one of the best known names of people who fallen away would be Joshua Harris, author and pastor.

Here's an interview that he did on HBO and it's it's very very sad to hear this but check this out as a very young man.

He wrote a book that sold a million copies that was called.

I kissed dating goodbye and I got a lot of attention because it was a radical idea. We shouldn't just not have sex mission stop dating because dating is leading to us making these mistakes the first time because Rife was at the altar I got married about a year and 1/2 after that book was released and then dove into being a pastor and pastor a church for for 17 years I was a pastor there and then the summary went on Instagram and said, essentially, I don't believe by all the measurements I have for defining a Christian I'm not a Christian I was really just trying to be honest about the fact that all the ways that I had to find faith in Christianity that I was no longer choosing to live according to those most significantly the decision that my wife and I made to end our marriage.

Since then Joshua Harris is been even more outspoken has apologized to the LGBT community and going to support gay pride events is very sad to hear that even if you say will the purity cultures thing went too far with some healthier is legalistic and in Joshua Harris as part of that is a questioning his sincerity is no questioning that there is a pastor.

He seemed to care for the flock and and love Jesus love the right norm at all. Personally never interacted with the never never read his books, but certainly with no reason to question whether he was a solid Christian or not. In some of the others who fallen what we explain this fun fall here but we need rather than faulting the people throwing stones at the people were saying. Obviously, there wasn't a good foundation in the wrong here.

Something was wrong there instead need to step back and said okay why are so many falling away. I wrote down a list of all six or seven different items and I want to go through them in no particular order notes unless and this is the first reason this is the most prominent reason but but I want to go through these different things to talk about why so many are leaving the faith, and have left the faith and what we can do about it.

I was just sent a wonderful beautiful testimony. Moments ago right before going on here just barely had a chance to read it, but I want to share that with you in a little while about has got failed to the book I wrote in response to it in any good that comes out of that trust me I know it's it's all from the Lord and for the Lord's glory. But let me throw one major factor going through list of six or seven as to why so many people are walking away from the Lord leaving their faith losing their faith. One is the aggressive attack on God and the Bible over the last roughly 15 years from what is called the new atheism or the new atheists.

There were prominent authors like Richard Dawkins, Christer Christopher Hitchens Sam Harrison others their books became best-selling books mega best-selling books so there are being read widely in the culture and attacking God attacking the God of the Bible. Now, many who are experience apologists an adult with atheism for years that this is actually a weak brand that that the atheism of past generations was more vigorous intellectually and presented tougher arguments to respond to, and of course we have answers to those, but this was more aggressive. This was more take no prisoners. This this was more into the part of Richard Dawkins saying in a Christian parents to be able to raise their children in the faith.

That's not a good saying this at a healthy thing. Their brainwashing these children and myths and things like that and what's happened is that those those attacks was tax on the God of the Bible being an evil gospel to the God of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament being a Bronze Age book with a Bronze Age God and outmoded outdated ideas that those have trickled down into the larger population of over 100 years ago, especially starting in German seminaries. There was the rise of what's called higher criticism. It really grew powerful in the 1800s late 1800s. Of the 1900s became tremendously influential that question. So much of the Bible that said this never really happened. This never really happened. This person didn't exist. This event was not true. This is exaggerated. Higher criticism is what is called and it undermines the confidence of many pastors and leaders in the authority of Scripture. Now higher criticism didn't really trickle down to the population as a whole, higher criticism didn't really trickle down to your average German Christian sitting in the pew.

So to say or your average American Christian sitting in the pew, but it did trickle down to many of the pastors to many of the seminary professors to others.

Now that were wrist. They were trained of the skeptics and now they came away, lacking in confidence and authority of Scripture, and that in turn produced a falling away in the body it if your pastor is not confident the authority of Scripture. If your pastor is not sure that Jesus rose from the dead. If your pastor cannot simply say the Bible is God's word. If your pastor can't do that and and comes into question what even if not overtly saying we don't know Moses wrote any of the Pentateuch and we don't know if this letter is authentic or even if he wasn't direct and saying it. The fact that he was in certain the fact that he can preach with authority that does have an effect and Jonathan Goforth used by God's missionary to China and Manchuria. The early 1900s said that he was seeing the effectiveness he was seeing. The effect of higher criticism on these denominational pastors who are now becoming uncertain their faith and then many were trained we going to be seminary professors themselves so that trickled its way down. Hence denominations becoming more more liberal and questioning the authority of Scripture. But the new atheism that that directly seeped in to the general populace to the point of Josh McDowell telling me and others that objections that used to confront with college-age students objections to the faces of the Bible is now confronted with 12 and 13-year-olds because they've got it by way of the tick-tock video they've got it right by way of an Instagram meme and there just spouting this stuff out. Repeating it without even understanding the nature of it. Got to deal with this friend that's one reason one reason. The line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown thanks Vince for joining us on 148664 truth you struggled with your own faith, dear friends, family members who have left the faith or lost their faith or their objections issues you're confronted with that you don't have answers for, or your struggling to come up with better answers.

Give me a call 866-348-7884.

That's the number to call so one reason I've given for many falling away from the Lord is the. The rise of new atheism best-selling books over attacks on the God of the Bible over attacks on the Bible itself, and those have trickled down to the man and woman in the local church to the kids being raised in church to the larger general public and because of that there has been a crisis in faith for many of my friend Prof. Darrell Bock said that years ago used to be able to say it's true because it's in the Bible. Now you have to say it's in the Bible because it's true people's emotion to believe that book cares about what's written there. It's outdated. It's outmoded. That's why my book has God failed you have two whole chapters that deal with the attack on the Bible is an outdated, bigoted book. Okay, that's one reason. A second reason that many are falling away ties in with what Jesus said in Matthew 2412 that because iniquity will abound, the love of many will wax cold.

Obviously, this is happened in different ways in different generations but no generation in world history has ever had such access to such an array of temptation and sin that this generation has you know if if you struggled with pornography in the past will let's say you lived in a Christian home, you can subscribe to to a pornographic magazine, or even try to go fight you going to the city somewhere find a porno theater or your receipt have to mingle sneak in somewhere by a magazine and sneak away and look at it in me. Jesus did have access to porn now kid with a cell phone can access things that that I didn't know existed when I was shooting heroin at the age of 16, all kinds of stuff that didn't even know was out there so just that one area sexual temptation which is so strong and pornography which is so powerful and so addictive that that's just available ways like never before and then just things that can distract us things that can take her time endlessly and and pollution on different levels, so the availability of sin, the availability of of temptation. The constant pull that something new that something beyond anything was ever had.

Yes of sin is always been there in a certain level right here but but look at this of course is been society since the fall we understand and pervasive and available people going with your thought life but to think of this. If if you are single guy living in a small town and their two single gals. There that you find utterly repulsive in every way and it knows this. You want that relationship and so on will. It's there's only so much available and maybe they find you repulsive. But if you live in the city and their hundreds of prostitutes in your city and there every kind of person.

Looking for one night stand and every kind of person you can date short-term long-term. You mess up more sexually than any other setting just an obvious thing.

If an alcoholic and and you got a bar right near your apartment on top of the bar probably getting into more trouble drinking and then liquor store next to you then if you live 50 miles away from the nearest liquor store bar so this is another issue. This is nothing.

Okay.

The third factor that has contributed to so many falling away is the shallow American church that we had a full generation plus of preaching a watered-down message, a watered-down gospel trying to cater the people rather than bring people got to make God acceptable to people rather make people acceptable to God not bringing them into a real encounter with God. A real repentance experience with AC.

The holiness of God see their own sin or gloriously beautifully, wonderfully born again truly empowered and filled with the spirit.

Yes, some people start there and still following but it's a lot harder to it's a lot harder to fall away when you've really had the deep encounter with God sore or shallow gospel message has also contributed to the to the perfect storm of the lack of encounter with God. The watered-down gospel that doesn't really change people and and then with that with that of 1/4 factor of church hypocrisy in the dislike of Maria, what are your church hypocrisy when you hear scandal after scandal when usual well-known leader after well-known leader. This one sexual sin.

This women financial send this one.

Drinking this one you in this this one doing that, you better believe that has negative trickle-down effect, but I believe people wonder is this thing real. That was if he was so strong his message was probably like this I okay I can trust you questionably what you're saying and is the gospel really change people and and are they all charlatans see have you have that negative effect and then the politicizing of the church, to the extent that evangelicals in particular have been associated with politics and a political party.

Then we become as guilty as the party and it knows all political system is is a mixture and often corrupt. So some of us became better known, say supporters of Donald Trump, the followers of Jesus that if you want to in the Facebook pages of social media see more posts about that in the gospel being preached to them whatever he does wrong, now working guilty by default, guilty by association so that the politicizing of the church is driven many people away, and then LGBT issues, as odd as it may seem, when you have such a tiny minority that for so much of our history was just rejected the spies marginalized that that they have become so supported popular.

Obviously could still suffer and people get rejected understand that but the fact is there. There is been the celebration of gay and the churches looked at his mean-spirited mom why is God what is God hate gay people and you got a gay friend gay coworker gay family member, transgender, coworker, friend, family member and mutual love that person support them.

You're convinced they're born this way they can change. This is who they are.

What is the church that embraced the modesty church say this is wrong, so solidarity with gay and lesbian community is change many people. It change their theology and and then with that. Those that are secretly struggling. No, maybe your pastor and your your in a heterosexual marriage with kids and preaching, but deep down, struggling with same-sex attraction in front you get to the breaking point and you come out several believe any of this anymore. The biggest reason is not so much that you've thought through philosophical and intellectual arguments about the existence of God and the trustworthiness of Scripture, but rather your thinking if God says I can't be gay I just have to reject God and the next thing you're announcing that your relationship with someone of the same sex, pretty young people is not that it's not their own attractions as their friendships. It's their sense of solidarity with others. Is this belief that the God of the Bible is somehow mean and hates gays and and was he punishing my friend and sending them to hell. If God made them gay was some time and that's how the argument gets oversimplified so that's a real factor. It is a real undeniable cultural factor that we must deal with and have answers for.

It's a major reason that I wrote the book has God failed you. Finding faith when you're not even sure God is real, not a medical your calls in a moment, 866-34-TRUTH and of wide wide range of comments, questions that are coming in is is I look mature calls so I do do I get to those shortly but will pick that up and use of the break.

I don't want to want to to rush things that please read this testimony though just came in and it really blessed me. It's from Chad posted this on Facebook believe I was family and his dad died suddenly but a year ago. He said I'm not usually like this most issue looking to get a sense of me when it comes to my feelings by going to be vulnerable with you and be honest with you guys and myself post this on his Facebook page a relationship with the Lord's been rough lately. Unlike a liar should coat it's been almost nonexistent.

But before I go any further, let me make myself clear. I have and never will leave or announce my faith in God been to many things in times of my life that have experienced his love scene a movement only ways he could, but I'd be lying if I have and struggles my relationship more the past year plus than I ever have in my life I've dealt with so much loss, pain, health, confusion, countless friends people that I've looked up to four years renounce their faith and jump trains to some other kind of faith of in dealing with all the hard questions in life lately like why didn't God answers prayer, and what I feel like God is just sitting up there, not even listening to me all along being seriously upset with God. But at the same time believing in him that I stumbled across a post from one of my Facebook friends adjust just finished reading Dr. Brown's new book title has God failed you.

Of course, the title jumped out at me and I felt it was very timely and for me, so I picked up a copy all along wondering to myself if I if it would even really help if I can get anything out of it. When he started reading it didn't even I didn't even make it to the second page of the book and this is what I read quote what makes me think these are my words makes me think I could possibly help you with magic formula.

Can I supply what can I tell you that you've not already heard baby suffered a devastating loss. Something that was almost impossible to bear, but would make things even worse was he felt abandoned by God with tears of anguish he cried out. Where are you to the state, you still wonder where was God when I was hurting writing God, let me feel his presence widely speak to me or send help my way when I needed the most. What kind of God is that if he if even exists or something just wrong with me. He says when I read that I broke right little bit more. The testament ocean on the other side of the break and then straight to your calls. Why are so many leaving the faith, never gives the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown to the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown and I are soon increased, announcing their faith. Christian leaders, 866-34-TRUTH given the phones momentarily. This testimony from a reader of my new book has God failed you funny faith when you're not even sure God is real, a book that at times I literally wrote on my knees literally on my knees with computer to the bedside's and got I don't have answers, but my words are inadequate. You've got to give me the wisdom the insight the ability to reach and touch and help. So from a young man who's going through a real difficult struggle last year plus greatest struggle faith he had after reading the book. This is what he said I finish the book now and can honestly say it's one of the best books of ever read.

If you're struggling your relationship with God or wonder why your prayers have been answered and why do people experience pain or wonder if the bugs even real, you're not alone. Don't stay there a missing read this book all your problems will be solved, but if there's a chance at all that it will help you with it is help me tremendously.

This is this on his Facebook page about putting the South from a radio Internet, but I was Facebook pages if that's you or someone you know I want to buy you a copy of this book free seriously to some your name and address and I will mail you one free. I'm offering this because I feel the Lord asked me to and if there's a chance it would even help just one person that was worth it to me. God bless you.

I am so thrilled to hear that. That's why we wrote the book real life struggles with real people in real pain so so pleased to hear that me the Lord, be glorified may many others be helped and when I went through a list earlier in the broadcast about the major reasons why so many are leaving their faith. I didn't say increase in scientific knowledge because honestly that's the case at all. I believe is the reverse that the more we learn, scientifically, the more there has to be a God the Creator intelligent designer that there's no other option for if you that to deny intelligence behind in order and purpose behind it is to deny scientific evidence, but many get hit with objections that have answers but they don't know the answers or their and in their there. Many of the reasons I did list but but I listed most of the principal ones. With that, as promised, we go to your calls and will start out with Dan in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Welcome to the line of fire.) Correct area problem. A lot of times you have a number. People walk up the water down the gospel message.

If someone truly understood what Christ did for them on the cross by paying their and making them righteous. That sense of gratitude allows you to operate in faith, not blind faith but out of gratitude and what happens when you start questioning a lot of things you're doing it, not from gratitude just like the man but the parable of the man who got forgiven. It's great that MN one outdoor choking permanent (box.the parallel to a lot of Christian, especially the watered-down version where homosexuality is so rejected and so vile for so many years and you adultery and fortification of no-hit within a nod and a wink and so it out of gratitude for what Christ did for us that actually will keep your faith growing as you realize the depth of that debt paid. This incident is no question that when someone has a real conversion experience. Even Spurgeon in his. They talked about a superficial message that rather than people that the nooses around the neck there about to be hung is condemned men and then the pardon is given, you know that their gratefulness is as much greater than the person just got cut a deal with God – or else I'll start serve you see how that works, and certainly there's a lot of of bleeding of members from liberal churches where people didn't really hear the gospel and what really saved the other. So I actually agree on that side. This artists people go through crisis and the wonders got even there did this whole thing. Jesus did you know did he really existed. A diameter of die for my sins or is any real and that's when when that foundation gets hit and you you minister the truth to them that you just shared with me and I got enough it's real. I don't used to believe it but I don't know.

I mean I've gone in the XYZ is happened the Navy? The Bible is true regardless really there.

That's we can become really difficult. But then hate. Thank you for weighing in with that I appreciated and though that's the problem is when summers like you quoting the Bible to me, but I don't know if the Bible is true. Your tone about Jesus but not I don't even know if any of what was written about him really happened in that's one by God's grace. 50 funky what's going on and why in and help get to the root of hidden get the Becky thank you for weighing in 86634 a, let's go to Brad in St. Louis, Missouri.

Welcome to the line of fire. Are you doing well. Thank you.

My name is Becky and I got my own thing about God you be radio show. I have a different idea on why working in the extreme by my repair in my view, my view is like yourself you're doing social media. I'm doing close media we reach out many, many more people than we normally do in a local church.

I think a lot of Christian faith.they either killed or recruited you a hard core of all make you likely want to be the preacher they want to be the one outspread message and world may do it on the Internet you don't have a big nose you get 10,000 subscribers watching you and what you being that I do is show him around a lot of very very popular person from all over the world and though I don't see any real major decline sure there is a movement for social media but are getting clobbered with all the great argument walked the earth bring forth yellow brother Lisa this. I'm glad that you're not seen decline in in those regards. If you look statistically procession of Christian faith in America in the decade is gone and errantly through profits and that would mean that every word spoken by every prophet is always perfect and inerrant is the written word along the can lay claim to being the word of God prophecies at best, or a word from the Lord to be tested by the word of God to just have a conversation about that. Allen in Charleston, West Virginia, back to you of what you are your final comments about Dr. Brown. So what what you're trying to I can actually give a word from God and it would be incorrect that what your development was not a word from God.

You think it is. But it's not that that's what I'm trying to get God God anybody work they do thermometer that we what we walked up. Whether your note for Robert for news but I do not eat whatever gridlock people ever got that work will be current and will come to five yeah it whether we get the interpretation wrong wrong… Big group for not so with me on the people that are thinking of the expected, with the comfort of the current problems that don't even apply out of our moment for the box.Barbie people did not hear from God that is going it might be for people did not hear from Dr. Donald would be Brett right so so here's the other angle to that Allen which is that God may give me a word right and then I and I add to it when I deliver it dry right so it has to has to be has to be sifted and ends again work on the nuance in this point for people and believing that he is simply talking about wealth.

Have you ever gotten some from the Lord. Maybe a sense about something or strong feeling her strong impression and and then you kind of attitude you you presume something you know the Lord showed you you going to get a certain job see what had quit your job as a know your six months too early and is so we can often do that and our two cents to that's why things must be tested. Hey Alan, thanks.

Thanks for the call so conversation that I was just having with lower staff members right before radio today was the, the prophets, who continue to hold the Gramercy trumpet is the real president is the authentic president and he did when he won a landslide in the let's got stolen. So my question is will number one we weren't asking an arbitrary quit. You weren't giving you were giving arbitrary information in advance as he was gonna win the election, but it was stolen.

Rather you telling us to the next president would be sitting in the White House right and right now it's not Donald Trump. The other thing is if you really had this word then you should've also had with it, but it's good to be stolen is always what's the use of saints to wind up its that's a whole question that was being asked who's gonna win right. But what if this theoretically. What if this conversation were having before radio. What if people were any since the Transco went. In fact, the election would be stolen through fraud Joe Biden within the president, but that this was all an answer to prayer, because God's right to teach the church and reveal front and all the stuff… It so these sums prophets had some of the truth, but then put your interpretation on it with things been properly vetted, then people is a daily census of the windows you lose at the same time is very conversation have before. So that would be a matter of getting part and I think you have the whole just throwing that out because remember that the Old Testament prophets were in first Peter one thought that the prophecies they were seeing out of about the sufferings of the Messiah and his glory were for them maybe to think it applies their lives got synonymous for future generations.

This is what happens with prophecies what we have to be so careful rightly understanding and interpreting all right lets up that's go to Bobby and San Luis Obispo, California. Welcome to the line of fire. Dr. Brown blogger hero Lancaster right in line with what you're talking about out at you personally. Dr. Brown, do you believe the election was stolen and dropped it a bit. I don't know. I wrote about this some months ago saying that some of my colleagues very very solid people. Researchers PhD's in statistics, people with inside information have insisted that the election was stolen that it can be demonstrated.

I do not have a the expertise to look into this be the time came suddenly all the birds will not be live toss old money Tiger. I can honestly up to three minutes. But if we if we choose to play excerpts on the air. Then we can only have so much time in. In doing so, so keep it under three minutes under two is even better if you could save more concisely great but one 800 618848. That's number to call. What was your experience with simple purity culture positive or -1 800 618848. It's the line of fire with your host activist, author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 664 through here again is Dr. Michael Brown remember friends just because you haven't been tested in one area doesn't mean others aren't tested just because an answer satisfies you, doesn't mean it satisfies someone else just because you haven't struggled with your faith doesn't mean that others aren't struggling and and sometimes because we've never been through a challenging test. We just were not sensitive were not empathetic when understanding when someone shares their challenge there test their struggle with us and that's a quick thing to realize okay.

My answer seems very superficial to this person.

My response seems to be in one ear and out the other I'm missing something, and sometimes just pray Lord help me to understand what this person is going through. If US II don't have what you need will provide a listening ear. At least a praying heart and a listening ear 866-34-TRUTH let's go to Sean in Omaha, Nebraska. Welcome to the line of fire. I will hello Mr. Michael Brown area doing good thank Sean year, 15-year-old strongest rates right now. I was having to deal with because I'm going through the Bible is trustworthy or not I'm going to just disrupt now nonchalant creation with the creation account M will emotionally so tried to go you not harboring an outright trying to not about you not answering so how would you expect it. Hey Sean… Thanks thanks for calling and being so so open. How would you expect God to answer you now know every give me something. Markdown omitted personal conversation or something right now. I mean, that would be nice if it would happen like that in every level amid the awesome gaga was is going on. Was I going on obviously doesn't always happen like that and that there are aspects where God wants us to to learn to trust him, but then you have to have some basis for trust like I know I'm I can put my trust in the tree were in over a piece of steel wrote an animal. Why should I put my trust in this invisible deity, so you have to have some reason to trust him and I want to come to that in a minute but why do you sit why do you think Genesis 1 is in the Bible trigger foundation for the rest of it right so excellent. What is it that were supposed to take away from Genesis 1, I may borrow okay, maybe maybe so I got a question for you, has science changed his views about things over the centuries very much okay so a thousand years ago. If you said that the sun goes around the earth. Everyone would think you are correct right that's what people easterly it easily. The sun or on the earth. If you told him no, none of the earth goes around the sun, they will think you're crazy okay so if the Bible if Genesis I was mainly there to teach us. Science, then the problem is every generation would think it was wrong until science got things right that if if the Bible talked about, for example, the the earth going around the sun. Everyone would've thought a thousand years ago 2000 years ago 3000 years ago people like you Sean reading it you think the Bible is wrong.

It's false. And then when science would get things right in science is still learning still changing views. These are all so the Bible had it right. The Bible is not there. Genesis I is not there to teach us so much about science and the creation of the universe is to tell us about what kind of God. He is read Genesis 1.

Not so much trying to figure out how the universe was created, but more what it tells you about God because the Bible is God's book so that it starts with, science consigns keeps changing his views all the time.

My wife was watching Nancy was watching the video with the sciences time at the University say it looks like almost everything we thought we knew is not right and we have to look at it from another angle, Israel, contemporary scientists, so the the whole purpose of Genesis 1 is to teach you who God is. So when you read that it talks about a God who brings light of darkness. It talks about a God who brings order out of chaos. It talks about a God of abundance who causes everything to reproduce after its own kind.

It it tells us about human beings being on a higher plane than everyone else and then it talks about us being created male and female. The importance of male and female distinctives, and in God's order for mankind's.

That's the main thing we learn from it and there are scientists who debate back and forth.

It is the Bible accurate scientifically or not, that's an interesting debate with that's not why it's there. So when you go through the rest of the Bible, like all the things about light and darkness and walking in the light versus walking in the darkness, or are God's power over over the powers of chaos and things like that. That's why it's there. If you step back and read it again and just say pray this prayer. God opened my eyes as I read your word maybe you getting an answer to prayer that that I can give some wisdom in this and and by the way I spent many years studying these texts and got a PhD in these ancient languages like Hebrew and Aramaic and Babylonian all of that so I could read these texts and their ancient context and that's it was in that in that way. There is what wises here Sunday are primarily tells about science, but to tell us about who God is. So if you just pray. God give me spiritual insight is a read over my heart my mind and then read through the rest.

The Bible say about day and night about light and darkness about order and chaos.

Then you start to see who God is and that's was there that make some sense to you earlier you chew chew on that some more and then again the other Bibles in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and in no refer to that with a 24 hour days. This is just mean days of creation, which could be add-ons that can be debated, but God put it there. She could learn about him that that's wise to learn about him is is the creator.

When you read the flood accounts what what's giving you the biggest problem with those strong signs are there was no way to our global flood right so what science does record so so then there's the debate is the Bible talk about a localized flood limits as the world this just mean the earth that the Middle Eastern region you're there is there is that debate so you know some would argue that II believe that the Bible is talking by the universal flood but then there there are geologists there are archaeologists there are others that would say oh there's no question that all around the world in virtually every society where you go you have accounts of a flood that destroyed everything of sight. So the question is why do you have these accounts all around the world.

Many would say it's the only way we can understand certain geological layers and how things are. I'd encourage you to to check out two websites along with the things that are shared.

Check out creation.com just typing flood in and look for information or creation.com and then reasons.org creation.com and reasons.org one will give you answers to these questions based on the perspective that that the universe is old and the earth is old. Others will give you answers based on the perspective that the earth is young, but they'll they'll all be intellectual will be scientific will be intellectual and and then you can sift through okay. What seems to be the most accurate to you and then what would you like a copy of the book that I wrote has God failed to because part of it.

I don't it was signed so much but I do deal with questions about the existence of God and the reliability of Scripture I be glad to send your free copy if you like to receive it. Sure all right take what just stay right here, Sean… Last thing though and then Rachel can get your info like a punch in a mailing list or anything just once, and you this is a gift key saying is having a personal relationship with the Lord is any point your life.

We feel that you've really come to know him personally that that you know your sins are forgiven in Jesus, the Savior is more something you're exploring not serve our emotional life is only now am*really, my faith challenged by got it all right will do so. Sean II say good that your faith has been challenged but good. The other foundation doesn't get you through this cause can help you is as you lean on him and looked to him and rather looking for that conversation it where you just have a back-and-forth about every little verse in question of, say, God open the heart of my minds read your word, give me insight open my heart and will do that right Rachel's gonna get your info and I want to send you a copy of has God failed you and I'm so I'm so glad you're asking honest questions cause can review wisdom, and remember his biggest thing is to reveal himself to you.

I friends we are out of time. Dustin hey maybe we take a call tomorrow or Friday is and just looking at some questions coming up. If you're struggling with your faith own questions, please give me a call because right to us and ask Dr. Brown.org SK your Brown.org recess contact right back with you tomorrow the Lord is faithful call out to him a friend. He will he will another program powered by the Truth Network