Bible Belt?

"The heavens declare the Glory of God..."









I live in northeastern Kentucky which I have been told is part of the Bible belt- a place where there is a church on almost every corner, a Bible in every home and everyone has had a chance to hear about Jesus and His love for them.

Yesterday I asked a new friend how long she has been a Christian and found out she is a new baby- just born in September.

I asked her to tell me her story-how she became a Christian.

She said, "I don't want to shock you."

I said, "It's okay." I figured not growing up in a Christian home and raising six kids has pretty much shock proofed me.

"Well, I didn't want to come here." ...

Her parents are atheists.

There was never a Bible in their home.

"I was a Satanist."

How does a satanist with atheist parents end up attending a Christian University?

(I am leaving out a lot of her story to focus on how she became a Christian.)

She was in Old Testament Survey class this semester with Dr. Girdwood. Part of class was a visit to the Creation Museum.
She likes astronomy and while she was sitting in the part of the museum where all the stars are it came to her mind that there was a God. Remember, her parents are atheists and there was no Bible in their home.
She had to buy a Bible for class, and when she got back from the museum she started reading it.
She kept reading that God loves her.
She had never been told that God loves her.
"And if He loves me like it says He does the only logical response is that I love Him back."

A new baby was born.

This is a reality check.

Maybe we used to be the Bible belt that fit the description I first listed.
But are we still?
Have we drifted or wandered away from what the Bible teaches?

I contend that if we have people eighteen years old who have never heard that God loves them we are keeping the Good News of Jesus too quiet.

Everyone should have the opportunity to hear that God loves them, read it for themselves in a Bible and then choose what they are going to do with that information.

Especially in the Bible belt.