Thank God if You Can Read This

By David Bragg

 

    The US Department of Education and the National Institute of Literacy reports that 14% (32 million) of American adults are illiterate. Twenty-one percent read at or below the 5th grade level. Of the youths who interact with the juvenile court system, 85% are "functionally illiterate" (literacyinc.com). One in four children in America will become illiterate adults while 20% of high school graduates are considered functionally illiterate (Visually by Rockcontent, 2017).
    As alarming as these statistics may be, they pale in comparison to the number of Americans who are biblical illiterate. According to pollster George Barna, “the Christian body in America is immersed in a crisis of biblical illiteracy” (magazine.biola.edu). Amos, the Old Testament prophet from the Southern Kingdom (Judah) who preached to the Northern Kingdom (Israel) spoke of this danger when he lamented, "'Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord God, 'That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord'" (Amos 8:1).
    We give thanks to all those who contribute to the biblical training of our young people, from parents to Bible class teachers to participants in the Lads to Leaders program to those who work with and interact with our youth program. Training our young people is one of the most important obligations to God.
    So, if you can read your Bible give thanks to God and show your appreciation and gratitude to our teachers.

- David Bragg serves as one of the ministers at the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC and is                 co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.nwchurchofchrist.com/ or his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/