44 Percent of Americans Say Coronavirus is a ‘Wake-Up Call for Us to Turn Back to Faith in God’

​With the coronavirus pandemic causing unprecedented lockdowns and distress worldwide, a new poll found nearly half of Americans believe that the global pandemic and resulting economic meltdown is a “wake-up call for us to turn back to faith in God” and “signs of coming judgment.”

​“This survey provides a fascinating window into how Americans see the COVID-19 pandemic and how it is dramatically increasing their interest in spiritual matters,” New York Times bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg said. “The results are clear: this unprecedented global crisis is causing Americans to start reading the Bible and listen to Bible teaching and Christian sermons online, even though they usually don't; search online for teaching on Bible prophecy and God's future for mankind; and/or engage in more spiritual conversations with family and friends."

​The survey was conducted March 23-26 by McLaughlin & Associates and was commissioned by The Joshua Fund, an evangelical non-profit educational and charitable organization founded by Rosenberg.

​The McLaughlin & Associates questions were asked of 1,000 likely American voters. The breakdown of those who believe this crisis is a “wake-up call” back to faith in God includes:

• 25 percent of self-identified "secular" Americans.
• 42 percent of Jewish Americans.
• 58 percent of Republicans.
• 41 percent of Democrats, including 34 percent of liberal Democrats and 47 percent of moderate Democrats.

Also, 22 percent of self-identified non-Christian respondents and 40 percent of Christian respondents indicate the global coronavirus pandemic and economic chaos have resulted in more interest in God and spiritual matters.
“These are no ordinary times,” Rosenberg said. “Americans in near full lockdown are anxious, and understandably so. Yet millions are turning to God, the Bible and Christian sermons for answers, some of them for the first time. That may be the most important silver lining in this crisis so far.”

In addition, nearly one-third of Americans (29 percent) said they believe that this crisis indicates that “we are living in what the Bible calls the ‘last days.’” 
Broken down by demographic, this includes:

• Nearly 30 percent of Jewish Americans.
• 30 percent of Democrats, including 27 percent of liberal Democrats and 34 percent of moderate Democrats.
• 39 percent of Republicans.
• 37 percent of military households.
• 40 percent of African Americans
• 50 percent of Hispanic Americans 
• 25 percent of White Americans. 
• Some 28 percent of individuals 18-29, 33 percent of people age 30-40, 29 percent of people age 41-55, 33 percent of those between 56-65, and some 24 percent of seniors over 65.

​The Joshua Fund has also published, “What Does the Bible Teach About Pestilence, Plagues & Global Pandemics?”, a 12-page fact sheet derived from insights from senior pastors, theologians and seminary professors.
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“In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus Christ warns His disciples that 'pestilences' will be one of the signs of the 'last days' of human history, a time of shaking the world to wake up and realize that Christ’s return to judge and reign over the earth is increasingly imminent,” Rosenberg wrote in the article. 
The poll and the report are posted on The Joshua Fund website at https://www.joshuafund.com.