A Study Released This January From The Barna ...

A study released this January from the Barna organization revealed that 73% of today’s youth have been involved in some form of psychic or witchcraft related activity. The most popular of these activities includes playing with Ouija boards and the reading of witchcraft and Wicca related books.

In fact, more than one fourth of all American teenagers have played board games or video games featuring witchcraft or sorcery.

More than one-fourth of teens have had their palm read (30%) or their fortune told (27%). Other psychic deeds included being physically present when someone else used psychic powers (14%), visiting a medium or spiritual guide (9%), and consulting a psychic (9%).

More than two million teens say they have communicated with a dead person (10%). Nearly two million youth claim they have psychic powers.

The research revealed that many churches fail to address the subject of the supernatural with sufficient frequency or relevance. One of the report’s most sobering findings is that only one-quarter of churched teenagers (28%) recall receiving any teaching at their church in the last year that helped to shape their views on the supernatural world!

While this research may have been based on a teenage audience, the same influences are impacting single adults and families. It is difficult to turn on the TV, check out movie listings, or browse the bestseller lists at your local bookstore without spotting several supernatural items featuring witchcraft, aliens, ghosts, or evil spirits.

As a church, it is vital that we learn what God’s Word says about this issue of the supernatural. The Christian faith is a supernatural faith, affirms the existence of evil and good spirits, heaven and hell, and angels and demons. Yet if I were to quiz you about even a few of the basics regarding these activities in the Bible, I wonder what results we would see.