A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine
save many people who never confess Christ but have sincere
faith according to their traditional religion. Some
Evangelical scholars have questioned the infallibility of
Scripture and are using the tools of higher criticism in a
way that is incompatible with a high view of inspiration.
Some advocate the acceptance of homosexual behavior.
These trends also affect Pentecostal scholars and institutions
that identify with Evangelicalism.
A number of Evangelical leaders are concerned about
a disturbing trend of accommodation to secular social
mores. For example, in 1988, the Josh McDowell Ministry
commissioned the Barna Research Group to survey sexual
activity among youth who attend church regularly.
The survey covered 1,500 young people aged twelve to
eighteen in eight Evangelical denominations, including
one Trinitarian Pentecostal denomination. Here are some
of the findings: 248
• 65% of churched youth have had some type of sexual
contact by age 18.
• 43% have had sexual intercourse by age 18.
• 20% have participated in some sexual experimentation
by age 13.
• 57% said they received at least some of their information
about sex from the movies.
These figures are about 10 to 15 percentage points
behind the results from secular youth surveys.
Nevertheless, they are still disturbingly high. The influence
of the movies is noteworthy since Evangelicals formerly
opposed movie attendance.
In 1989, the Christian Broadcasting Network com-
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