The Research Forced Me to Say This About You

Arnie Cole
1 day ago
3 min read

Every once in a while, research doesn’t just inform us, it confronts us.

That’s exactly what happened when we finished the SALT (Scripture Absorption and Life Transformation) Index comparative analysis between the U.S. general population and you—Back to the Bible ministry participants who took the survey last Sunday (one of the best responses we have ever had from you). Same instrument. Same questions. Two radically different spiritual realities.

And I need you to see what this means, not with pride, but with a sense of holy responsibility. Here’s the blunt truth: you are not normal Christians.

This chart alone tells me that you are statistically, spiritually, and behaviorally different in ways that matter eternally. But there’s more.

What Makes You Different (And Why It Matters)

Below is a simple snapshot drawn directly from the Salt Index comparative findings. No spin, no exaggeration, just the data.

SALT Index Snapshot: You vs. the U.S. General Population

Source: SALT Index 2025 U.S. General Population vs. BTTB Comparative Analysis

This isn’t an incremental difference. This is an order of magnitude difference. And here’s the most important finding of all: When Scripture engagement crosses a threshold (4+ times per week) and you start to share, everything else changes:

Beliefs solidify.
Practices normalize.
Transformation accelerates.
And discipleship multiplies.

This is what we mean by Scripture Absorption. It’s not just reading the Bible, but letting it rewire how you think, live, forgive, resist temptation, and invest in others.

The Quiet Crisis

The data is clear: America doesn’t have a Jesus awareness problem, it has a discipleship problem.

Many believe something about Jesus.
Far fewer live under His authority.
And very few are actively discipling others.

Thus, our findings encapsulate our challenge: Being right about God is not the same as being right with God. The SALT research drives this home. It’s possible to believe all the correct doctrines and call Him “Lord” without obeying Him—a self-deception Jesus Himself warned against (Luke 6:46, Matthew 7:21-23). That’s not revival. That’s spiritual stall-out.

As the data shows, you are different. You’re not just informed (that’s why I treasure what you tell me). You’re formed. Thus, I am asking you to join me in doing everything we can to break this pattern. Right belief must lead to relationship and obedience, or our efforts are in vain.

Why This Moment Matters

I’ve spent decades in ministry, media, and research. I’ve watched waves of enthusiasm come and go. Big claims. Big numbers. Big promises. What’s different now is this: For the first time, we can accurately measure what actually produces transformation.

And the SALT Index makes it unmistakably clear: Bible engagement drives life change. Life change fuels obedience. And obedience leads to multiplication. Not programs, not personalities and not platforms. Scripture. Absorbed. Lived. Shared.

Odds are if you are reading this, you are part of a spiritually uncommon group. Which means the point of this email is not about making you feel encouraged—it’s about deploying you.

What would happen if:

Every one of us committed to discipling just one person this year?
Every small group became a Scripture-absorption engine?
Every transformed life became a training ground, not a trophy?

The data says the impact would be exponential, not incremental.

This isn’t hype. It’s math. And it’s discipleship. Jesus never asked for crowds. He asked for followers who would reproduce. The SALT Index, which you helped us create, confirms what He taught all along. So let’s not admire the data. Let’s obey what it’s telling us. We have been given much.

Now let’s change the world.

P.S. If you have a comment or prayer request, contact me here: or call me and leave a message at 1-800-811-2387. And be sure to join me tomorrow through Friday on our new podcast Spiritually Fit Today.