The Battle We Must Not Lose

Preface In America, the war between good and evil has increasingly tilted in favor of evil. Since World War II, our culture has marched steadily toward nihilism, eroding the moral and spiritual foundations that once stabilized our nation. In 2025, as this second edition of The Battle We Must Not Lose is being written, the crisis has deepened. If this trajectory is not reversed, it threatens not only the future of the Christian church, but America itself. This book argues that the advance of evil has permeated America largely because the once-sacred Christian values that shaped our culture have been steadily weakened. As Christian influence has diminished, forces hostile to America’s moral, spiritual, and civic wellbeing have grown stronger. The decline in Christian influence is not abstract; it is rooted directly in the shrinking percentage of Christians in America—an erosion largely caused by the loss of Christian young people from the faith and from the church. The importance of this dynamic is rooted in the fact that today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders in business, government, education, religion, the military, and public life. Whether they possess a solid Christian worldview will determine their confidence in the faith and their ability to influence America toward what is good, true, and just. In addition, without a robust Christian education, they will be ill-equipped to lead. Without it, they will be unable to shape America for the better. We cannot reach every young person in the country—but we can reach the youth already within our churches and Christian homes. They account for roughly 60% of the youth entering middle and high school each year. We can give them a clear, evidence-based Christian education and a confident worldview. We can and we must reverse this decline because this is truly The Battle We Must Not Lose. The evidence shows that for decades the church has underestimated, misunderstood, or simply ignored the scale of this problem. The time for delay is over. We must urgently begin graduating more high-school seniors who possess a strong, well-formed faith—youth who are prepared to disciple others, and who can confidently contend for and defend the faith in any setting. The stakes are high, and the time is short. The Battle We Must Not Lose seeks to ignite a holy fire within the body of Christ, calling the church to assume command and lead this battle. President Ronald Reagan warned, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” That generation is now before us: Gen Z (today’s 15–29-year-olds) and Gen Alpha (1–15-year-olds). Perhaps we can take some encouragement from data since 2020 suggests a small but noticeable rise in church attendance and renewed interest in faith among Gen Z. Whether this turns into a lasting trend remains to be seen—but even this ray of hope does not lessen the urgent need for the battle we face. For 50 years we have lost a lot of ground. This book offers a battle plan—clear, strategic, and actionable based on the premise that if the church recommits itself to the intentional faith development of its youth, it will not only strengthen the next generation of disciples but help preserve freedom and moral order in America. For as Christian youth grow into Christian leaders, they will shape the nation’s direction for decades to come. It must also be understood that the efforts we make—through the church and through parents—to provide evidence-based apologetics and comprehensive Christian worldview training cannot make a young person a Christian. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. But these efforts can remove unnecessary stumbling blocks, resolve doubt, strengthen belief, and keep young people connected to the church—where the Holy Spirit can do His transforming work. And for those who have already come to faith, this training will equip them to confidently contend for and defend the gospel in any environment. Recently, President Trump proclaimed that “Making America Great Again” will usher in a Golden Age for our nation. We pray he is right. But unless we also Make America Godly Again, any Golden Age will be brief. America cannot remain strong without the continued influence and moral leadership of Christians who are equipped, confident, and faithful. Without this, America’s strength will become hollow—and its future uncertain.