Are Churches of Christ losing confidence in the Bible?

You may hear that Christianity is declining, younger ministers are abandoning biblical authority, or churches no longer believe Scripture is truly inspired.

But what does the data actually say?

In this episode of Trends with Truth, Dr. Michael Jackson, Dale Jenkins, and Jeff Jenkins examine new survey results from ministers and preachers in Churches of Christ—and the findings challenge some of the loudest narratives being repeated today.

Among survey respondents:

• 94.4% affirmed the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God and fully authoritative.
• Among preachers, that number rose to 95.7%.
• 93% affirmed that Scripture is without error in all that it affirms.
• Nearly 95% said they are very confident in their belief in biblical inspiration.

Even more encouraging: these convictions remain strong across generations, including younger ministers.

The conversation goes beyond the numbers to ask a much bigger question:

What happens to the church when confidence in Scripture begins to erode?

Because our beliefs about baptism, worship, church leadership, doctrine, and Christian living ultimately come back to one foundational issue:

What do we believe about the authority of the Bible?

This episode offers a hopeful—and data-driven—look at the state of biblical conviction among Churches of Christ today.

If you value thoughtful conversations about the church grounded in real data rather than anecdotes, subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

CHAPTERS

00:00 — Welcome to Trends with Truth
02:13 — Is Christianity Really Dying?
03:42 — What Do Ministers Believe About Scripture?
04:33 — Why This Survey Matters
05:16 — Biblical Authority in American Christianity
07:00 — What Churches of Christ Ministers Said
07:22 — 94.4% Affirm Biblical Inspiration
08:12 — 95.7% of Preachers Affirm Biblical Authority
08:39 — Are Negative Narratives Misleading Us?
10:33 — Is the Bible Without Error?
10:59 — Original Manuscripts vs. Translations
11:42 — Confidence in Biblical Inspiration
13:18 — Do Preachers Address Challenges to Scripture?
14:21 — Doctrine and the Authority of Scripture
15:41 — Why These Results Give Hope
16:39 — The Danger of Losing Confidence in Scripture
17:03 — What Younger Preachers Believe
18:30 — Some Convictions Should Not Change
19:06 — Teaching Biblical Authority to the Next Generation
20:08 — Will Preachers Still Believe This 100 Years From Now?
20:56 — Closing Thoughts

KEYWORDS

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HASHTAGS

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