Most U.S. adults believe in a supreme being, but the country is divided over belief in the God of the Bible, a recent report from Pew Research Center indicates.

While 9 in 10 Americans say they believe in God or some other higher power or spiritual force, just over half (56 percent) profess a belief in God as described in Scripture.

Even among the religiously unaffiliated, nearly three-quarters (72 percent) believe in a higher power. However, just 17 percent of “nones” believe in the God of the Bible.

Younger Americans are less inclined to believe. Just 49 percent of respondents aged 30 to 49 and 43 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds accept as truth the Bible’s revelation of God.

Three-quarters of Americans say they have tried to talk to God or a spiritual force, and 28 percent say God has spoken to them. Six in 10 Americans believe God will judge all people for their deeds.

Few Americans reject outright the idea of a divine being. That’s a starting point for engaging people in spiritual conversations.

Helping our congregations develop a biblically correct understanding of God and encouraging them to share that knowledge with others is imperative.