Six Deficits
Students in
Secular Schools
Must Overcome
By Jeff Keaton - Founder, CEO &
President of Renewanation
A
CCORDING TO MUCH RESEARCH, the church
in America has been losing a significant majority of
young people for several decades now. As early as
elementary and middle school, kids have doubts and ques-
tions about the Bible that are going unanswered. 1 Studies
indicate that 59-70% of young people who regularly attend
church during their teen years will drop out of organized
religion during part of their early adult life. 2 Undoubt-
edly, the false ideas kids are taught in school and the truth
concepts they never have an opportunity to explore in
secular schools play a significant role in this dropout rate.
These kids are also not getting solid answers from church
leaders and parents. Research from the Barna Group reveals
“a vast majority of theologically conservative pastors believe
the Bible speaks to societal issues, but fewer than 10 percent
of these pastors are teaching people what the Bible says on
these topics.” Young people are not getting solid, biblically-
based answers to the skeptical questions of this day, and
many are leaving the church and turning to atheism or some
vague idea of “spirituality” as a result. 3 This lack of a well-
24
rounded education creates major deficits in the hearts and
minds of secular school students.
In 2014, Answers in Genesis researched the 20-29 age
group in the church and found that:
• Over 40% state they are not born again.
• 35% declare the Bible has errors or they don’t know if it
has errors.
• Close to 90% attend public school.
• Over 20% left school believing the Bible was less true.
• Over 45% say they were not taught to defend their faith
at Sunday School.
• 45% say homosexual behavior is not a sin or they don’t
know if it’s a sin.
• 40% believe same-sex couples should be allowed to
marry and have legal rights, and an additional 10% are
unsure.
• 20% believe there are books other than the Bible that
are inspired by God, and an additional 10% are unsure.
• 65% believe if you are a good person you will go to
heaven. 4