bridging the gap

that is the idea of the rorheim institute.

it crosses where we are today to where we are tomorrow using these four pillars

• a nurturing home-family
• an equipping church-church
• a vision for the future-nation
• a shepherding adult-work/education

there is a need to do something. let me hit you with some Barna-facts

• One-third of all teenagers (34%) as born again – unchanged in several years. (2000)
  
• The most common church affiliations among teenagers were Catholic (22%), Baptist (16%), and mainline Protestant (19%). Only 4% usually attend a charismatic or Pentecostal church. (2000)
  
• In 1997, 88% of teens say they are Christian. This number dropped to 82% in 1999.
  
• Of those who call themselves Christians, 26% said they are “absolutely committed” and 57% said that they were “moderately committed" to the Christian faith. (1999)
  
• Almost two-thirds of teens (62%) believe that the Bible is totally accurate in all of its teachings. (2000)
  
• Almost two-thirds describe themselves as “religious” (64%). (1999)
  
• Three out of every five call themselves “spiritual” (60%). (1999)
  
• Three out of five say they are “committed Christians” (60%). (1999)
  
• One out of every three teens (33%) is born again. (1999)
  
• Only 4% of U.S. teens are evangelicals (1999)
  
• 28% of teens feel a personal responsibility to tell others about their religious beliefs (56% of born again Christian teens feel this way). (1999)
  
• 56% of teens feel that their religious faith is very important in their life. (1999)
  
• Two out of three teens (65%) say that the devil, or Satan, is not a living being but is a symbol of evil. (2000)
  
• Three out of five teens (61%) agree that “if a person is generally good, or does enough good things for others during their life, they will earn a place in Heaven. (2000)
  
• Slightly more than half (53%) say that Jesus committed sins while He was on earth. (2000)
  
• 30% of teens believe that all religions are really praying to the same God, they are just using different names for God. (1999)
  
• In total, 83% of teens maintain that moral truth depends on the circumstances, and only 6% believe that moral truth is absolute. (2001)
  
• When it comes to believing in absolute truth, only 9% of born again teens believe in moral absolutes and just 4% of the non-born again teens believe that there are moral absolutes. (2001)

"You can't give people what you don't have. The low percentage of Christians who have a biblical worldview is a direct reflection of the fact that half of our primary religious teachers and leaders do not have one" Barna Research Group January 2004

what exactly is a worldview you may ask.

worldview is the life compass by which each child, youth and adult perceives, processes and practices reality, relationships and responses (life-view, heart-view)

a childs definition: the whole way i see, think about, act on and share beliefs (things that are important to God, me and others)

worldview is a mental and emotional filter that allows us to make choices consistent with what we believe to be true, significant and appropriate...A biblical worldview is a means of experiencing, interpreting and responding to reality in light of biblical perspective George Barna, Think Like Jesus