Exploring such topics as “are economic considerations a valid biblical ground for closing the womb?”, “What about ‘natural’ family planning?”, ”What about families that cannot have children?“, to humorous and personal stories of the Duggar family of twenty on how they manage their home, Vision Forum has put together a collection of resources to encourage, challenge, and aid you in explaining to your family members and friends, the economic and spiritual importance of looking at children as God‘ sees them—a blessing and the foundation of society.

Demographic Winter: The Decline of the Human Family

‘The family is crucial to a well-functioning economy...particularly in the modern economy based on innovation, new ideas and development.’ - Dr. Gary S. Becker, Nobel Prize in Economics, 1992

One of the most ominous events in modern history is quietly unfolding. Social scientists and economists agree—we are heading toward a demographic winter that threatens to have catastrophic social and economic consequences. The global birthrate is declining with such ferocity that many nations may cease to exist—not through invasion, but simply because there are not enough children being born to replace the aging population. The effects will be severe and long lasting and are already becoming manifest in much of Europe. In Japan, the situation is already at a crisis level.

Enter Demographic Winter: The Decline of the Human Family, one of the most important and groundbreaking films of the last year, maybe of the last decade. This is the first significant movie to explore the most overlooked crisis of our generation—the rapid worldwide decline in birthrates.

And the data presented is chilling. Columnist Don Feder summarizes the important issues raised by this film (i.e. how “Demographic Winter” will impact many areas of our lives):

• What will happen in the First World as fewer and fewer workers are called on to provide pensions for more and more retirees? At what point will the burden become so onerous that young workers will simply rebel and refuse to support a system that they couldn’t possibly hope to benefit from?
• How will Russia, which is expected to lose a third of its population by mid-point of this century, defend its borders? If Russia, which occupies the largest territory of any nation, dissolves into enclaves of squabbling ethnic groups it will destabilize both Europe and Asia.
• Due to falling birthrates, at some point in the century, the world’s population will begin to decline. Then the decline will become rapid. We could even reach population free-fall.
• Throughout the course of history, there is no instance of economic growth accompanied by population decline. How can an industrial society be maintained with fewer and fewer workers and consumers?

Demographic Winter: The Decline of the Human Family draws upon voices from all around the world and experts from many different disciplines—demographers, economists, sociologists, psychologists, civic and religious leaders, parliamentarians and diplomats. Together, they reveal in chilling soberness the dangers facing society and the world's economies, dangers far more imminent than most people realize.

This film does not pretend to be a Christian film with a biblical analysis, but it is so chock-full of carefully researched data indispensable to this critical culture battle, that Christian parents around the nation need to own it, and watch it, and then watch it again.

The Duggars: 20 and Counting

Assuming that children really are a blessing and the fruitful womb “is His reward” (Psalm 127:3), how does that concept work in the real world where economic resources are scarce and time is at a premium?

Sometimes people pose the question this way: “I can barely manage and afford a family with one child. How could I possibly handle three or four, let alone (gasp!) seven?”

But there is another question that needs to be asked: Are there practical, economic, and spiritual blessings for the family that flow from an economy of scale?

We believe there are. And these are precisely the types of blessings and benefits that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have modeled for all of us in their beautiful new book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting: Raising One of America’s Largest Families—How They Do It.

From a practical perspective, this book offers definitive answers. And it is absolutely delightful, transparent, hands on, and full of humor. After reading it, you will walk away loving your own family more and will gain great ideas for household management. Beall Phillips, wife of Vision Forum President Doug Phillips, gobbled it up:

“This is a totally delightful book, easy to follow, and full of personal stories about their life as well as practical, tangible information about THEIR family which can be easily adapted into MY family, or anyone else’s. It is honest, humorous, humble, and completely in earnest. . . . You will read about their life story, from Michelle and Jim Bob’s childhood up to right now, their many businesses, their solution to laundry, education, music, and even food preparation.”

There is a reason why this family has captured the imagination of America through their top-ranked television show, 17 Kids and Counting. They are communicating a Christ-exalting vision of home. And they are the real deal—a family that loves their children…all eighteen of them! There is so much negativism in the world, but the Duggars are using their life as a large family to show the beauty and practicality of the Christian household to a generation where many children never even experience the blessing of sitting down with their entire family for dinner.

‘Be Fruitful & Multiply’ and ‘Children and the Dominion Mandate’

What does the Bible say about the blessing of fruitfulness? Does this apply today?

For Christians, the Bible is our standard for faith and practice. Everything necessary on the subject of having babies is found in God’s Holy Word. It is both the starting place and the ”final court of appeal“ for prayerful Christians who desire to make wise decisions regarding the womb.

Related issues include: Why are children a blessing? What does it mean to be fruitful? How does the Bible specifically link low birthrates to national judgment? Does the Bible promote, condone, or encourage baby banning? Is it a good idea to have babies in times of economic hardship?

These questions and others are answered in our CD, Children and the Dominion Mandate, and the book Be Fruitful & Multiply. If you have ever found yourself wondering how to respond to such questions, or if you have friends or relatives that disapprove of the number of children in your family, these indispensable tools will help you to use Scripture to reason through the many complex issues which are on the table.