In a portrait of the "unchurched" in America, a new study found that most are willing to hear what people have to say about Christianity but a majority also sees the church as a place full of hypocrites.
"A full 72 percent of the people interviewed said they think the church ‘is full of hypocrites,’" said LifeWay Research director Ed Stetzer. "At the same time, however, 71 percent of the respondents said they believe Jesus ‘makes a positive difference in a person’s life’ and 78 percent said they would ‘be willing to listen’ to someone who wanted to share what they believed about Christianity."
LifeWay Research studied 1,402 adults who were unchurched - those who had not attended a religious service at a church, synagogue or mosque in the previous six months - last spring and summer.
Many unchurched adults don't have a biblical understanding about God and Jesus, according to the survey.
Study results, released this week, showed that while 64 percent of the respondents think "the Christian religion is a relevant and viable religion for today," 72 percent of unchurched adults said they believe God, a higher or supreme being actually exists. Only 48 percent agree there is only one God as described in the Bible and 61 percent believe the God of the Bible is no different from the gods or spiritual being depicted.
"If you went back 100 years in North America, there would have been a consensus that God is the God in the Bible. We can't assume this any longer," said Stetzer. "We no longer have a home-field advantage as Christians in this culture."
LifeWay Research Associate Director Scott McConnell isn't surprised that the unchurched population doesn't understand Bible basics.
"If you aren't going to church, you don’t have an opportunity to be informed about what the Bible teaches or what other faiths teach," he said. "It’s not surprising then that unchurched people lump world religions all together and consider the gods described in them as being the same."
Up from 17 percent in 2004, 22 percent of Americans say they never go to church - the highest ever recorded by the General Social Survey.
But the problem is compounded by a widespread notion of religious tolerance that says religious and spiritual truth is a matter of personal opinion, Stetzer said, according to the report.
"We found a real openness to hearing about matters of faith, but the study also clearly documents what I call the Oprah-ization of American Christianity," he said. "It’s very much a generic ‘big guy in the sky’ view of God and a ‘you believe what you believe, I believe what I believe’ viewpoint on theology. People say, ‘Who am I to judge?’
"We have seen this in the current political campaigns, in regard to Mormonism," Stetzer added. "Recently a Christian leader was asked whether Mormons are Christians, and he replied that no, Mormons are outside the standard definition of what an orthodox Christian is. The host was shocked somebody would say that. How dare we say someone else is or is not a Christian?"
The American public seems to hold a similar opinion, Stetzer indicated.
"Christians begin with a faith system that teaches who God is, but the people in our culture not only don’t believe that, but often consider us intolerant because we dare to believe it," he said.
Many unchurched Americans have a negative perception of the church. Continue >>
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I thought that the term "unchurched" meant persons who identified themselves as Christians but did not belong to any particular church or denomination. That was my situation for a few years when I had begun to find my way back into faith but hadn't found a church home. I believe (and it's certainly been the case in my journey) that it is by learning to interact with other Christians in a church community that we really begin to grow as Christians. I agree with what Eugene Peterson writes in his book "Christ Plays In Ten Thousand Places" about how we get closer to God in community than we do in solitude. Interacting with other Christians is often a rather challenging experience, but these challenges are all opportunities for growth.
There are some very interesting comments on this article. My only comment is that once someone does accept Christ as their savior, it is between them and the Holy spirit how they develop as Chrisitans because they are now in a spiritual relationship with God. I believe the Holy Spirit is well able to work with people to bring them into a closer relationship with God.
It is easy to find reasons not to attend church services, but if a person sincerely wants to deepen their spiritual relationship with God, they only need to read the Bible and converse with Him.
Although I was saved 50 years ago, I didn't have a spiritual relationship with God. My life truly changed in every area once I understood that He is my Father and how much He loves me. I have a running spiritual conversation with Him daily. As a result, I am blessed in every area of my life. I do not depend on people or the church to make my life happy, healthy, or successful, and I an free from fear - I am free because I depend on my Father to guide me through my life. I recommend a personal relationship with God to everyone.
I also believe that along this walk of faith following Christ it should also be a form of what I call true worship. By that I mean "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" in a sense. As I spiritually mature I find that this earthly life has less and less meaning and I more and more seek to have the character of my Father. For many years I often wondered how it was that one could pray without ceasing, now I wonder how I lived for so many years without it. The company I work for was purchased by a much larger company this past Nov. Yesterday the new company informed us they are closing our location putting approx 200 out of work. When I told my wife her responce was, we should call and get so and so to pray. I said, why? I am walking the path God has chosen for me and having to get "prayed up" is not necessary, I stay that way because my Lord is all I can think of and I talk to him nearly all day. He controls and has in place my life so I am not worried about tomorrow.
Maranatha--Yes, that was yesterday's sermon in a nutshell. Faith is a life of commitment and growth.
Citizen: May I ask you, if I could prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt that God exists and loves you, would you believe it? Or would you, in the dialect of the legal profession, be a hung jury?
theotrek, I think we're in agreement that the Christian life is not about just making a profession of faith and then walking in a completely different way opposed to that. I've experienced churches and parachurch ministries which did indeed try to boil the Christian life down to a simple formula, but of course that's not the day-by-day reality of walking with the Lord and often leads to a 'works'-oriented lifestyle which is not based on daily fellowship with the Lord.
maranatha7593-- Engel's main conclusion was that many people get to the stage of showing interest, walk the aisle, say a prayer, then we forget about them and assume they became Christians while they were seeking information. They said, "sounds good" and we responded "you're in".
I don't particularly like boiling it down to a static concept of linear steps, either. He does make sense from a large-picture perspective. If I were to boil it down, Jesus most often said, "Follow me." That is a lifetime commitment through eternity.
maranatha: I'm not surprised, since your imagination and emotions are indeed always with you, and that's where your god resides: in your imagination. But we can imagine many things that are not objectively real, so that you can imagine a god and feel powerful emotions as a result does not make your god real. The superstitious, magical thinking part is when you take events that objectively need no god, and use them to imagine messages from your god.
Citizen, it is your opinion that faith in the Lord Jesus is 'superstitious magical thinking', but you must understand that is only your opinion. Those who have experienced the reality of the Spirit of God know that He is indeed real and that He is with us always, constantly. Those who have not experienced that (and I was there, at one time in my life) cannot comprehend what this dimension of life is like.
theotrek:
With all due respect (I did see some truth there), I am adverse to boiling down the Christian life, so to speak, in a series of steps. I have seen too many well-meaning leaders offer 'formulas' which people followed very zealously, only to find they were following someone's idea of the Christian life and not Jesus Himself.
Personally, based on Mark 3:14, I believe prayer is the foundational step to walking with the Lord once one has been born again of the Spirit of God. I believe Jesus made it clear in Mark 3:14 that "being with Him" is something we must all do FIRST, and then true ministry will follow. Matthew 6:33 seems to say the same thing. I DO believe all believers should be active in ministry (Acts 1:8), but note even there Jesus said prayer (and the infilling of the Holy Spirit) were essential to true ministry.
Well said Prophet.
xizwick,
So, you do not believe you can be saved without complete surrender? Most people who get saved do so in an attitude of surrender and conviction of the Holy Spirit. But there are those who do so, and then their zeal and "surrender" fades. And their relationship with God fades. They are still saved, though they have not surrendered all, but their life will be incomplete. The same goes for those who get saved just to escape the punishment of hell. They view Him as Savior, and that's it. They don't view Him as Lord.
But then I wonder about their salvation. Romans 10:9-10 says "If you will confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus Christ...." I haven't postulated an opinion on that yet. If our salvation hinges on complete surrender, then we are all doomed.
Slacker: I'm was attempting to demonstrate the difference between your faith in jesus, and my expectation that a light will go on when I flick a light switch. The first is superstitious magical thinking, the second is inductive reasoning based on verifiable and understood past events that I have seen, as well as known technology, all of which can be revised or probed in the event that a future event does not continue the pattern.
Maranatha--Engle posited a scale of evangelism similar to devleopment stages of psychologists like Erickson. He said we move along a whole series of steps in evangelism/discipleship. That fits with the concept of spiritual growth that begins at a point and continues dynamically:
-10 Awareness of the supernatural
-9 No effective knowledge of Christianity
-8 Initial Awareness of Christianity
-7 Interest in Christianity
-6 Awareness of basic facts of the Gospel
-5 Grasp of implications of the Gospel
-4 Positive attitude to the Gospel
-3 Awareness of personal need
-2 Challenge and decision to act
-1 Repentance and faith
0 A Disciple is Born!
+1 Evaluation of decision
+2 Initiation into the church
+3 Become part of the process of making other disciples
+4 Growth in understanding of the faith
+5 Growth in Christian character
+6 Discovery and use of gifts
+7 Christian life-style
+8 Stewardship of resources
+9 Prayer
+10 Openness to others/Effective sharing of faith and life
(I've not seen these last seven steps before, but this was the version I found quickly:
http://www.angelfire.com/bc/normanhousechurch/EngleScale.htm )
To clarify: I flagged my own post below. It was a double post from another webpage.
To Citizen:
"holito8: Except that in religion the assumptions never change. Suppose I flick a switch and nothing happens. If I'm you, I claim that the magical elves or "god" or any other supernatural thing you want has judged me unworthy to receive the light, and so I must repent. If I'm me, I check to see if there is a short circuit, or if the power is out, or if there is no light bulb."
Just because I have faith in the saving Grace of Jesus Christ, my lord and savior, doesn't mean i don't believe that the light bulb can blow out. Your trying to make things out of nothing...
BikerFunJoe, I have two brothers-in-law who are right on your page. I think that's great as long as there is no appearance of (or reality of) evil. I do believe (know) God uses people in the most unlikely places - places unbelievers would never think of! - to minister to people who may never set foot in a church.
xizwyck and Prophet: Great discussion! Good food for thought. :-)
A few years ago, during a time when the Lord was ministering to me very intensely each morning, I began to see salvation differently than I had ever seen it before. I began to see it as a 'starting point', a continuum - not a 'moment in time', though there is a precise moment when it begins. When we pray to receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, we *begin* a journey. Paul compared it to 'running a race'. Yes, I believe there is a moment in time when we bow our hearts and lives to the Lord, I believe there is a moment in time when His Holy Spirit enters our hearts and lives, I believe there is a moment in time when we are 'in Christ, a new creation', and 'old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new'. Eternal life begins right then!
At the same time, Jesus said, "Those who endure to the end shall be saved", "To him that overcometh will I give to sit...", "Put thy hand to the plow and do not look back". I believe the book of Hebrews is clear that people CAN choose to walk away from God as did the disciples who turned and went back from following Jesus. I believe it is clear we CAN forfeit our salvation willingly, but NOT 'lose' it. In every Christian's life there will be crossroads, places where one must count the cost of 'building the tower' before he proceeds. Because there IS a cost in following Christ - we must lay down our entire lives and die to self.
I also believe people can backslide, get off track for a season, then repent and get back on track even stronger than they were before. The Bible says, "A righteous man falls seven times, then gets back up." We know God is quick to forgive a contrite and humble heart; He tells us that in I John 1:9.
The Bible speaks of people who did so, in the NT. Sometimes it is difficult to put into words things the Lord speaks to our hearts. I hope I have presented this as clearly as the Lord showed it to me. :-)
The best way for us as Christians to change perceptions of the "unchurched" is to have a presence in areas other than church. Anti-Christian bigotry, like all bigotry, is born of ignorance and best combated with education. I find some people are surprised when I proclaim my love of Christ after knowing them for a time. They come to understand that Christians are rarely like the stereotypes propagated by the media. My minister addressed this subject here: http://www.fumcmb.com/podcast
Prophet,
I don't see how salvation and surrendering (to Christ) can be separated? If anyone has not surrendered, they are indeed unsaved. Why? If I call Christ 'Lord', that demands a surrendered position on my part. It's when you surrender your life (because you have then acknowledged your position and who Jesus Christ is) to Christ that you "become saved" and is demonstrated with baptism and fruits of the Spirit.
xizwick,
So true!
Our pastor preached on the difference between salvation and surrender this week. Very powerful message. He said "Salvation may change your destination, but surrender will change your situation. Fulfillment is not gained by living a saved life, but by living a surrendered life."
Many people get saved and then get disillusioned, thinking it's a big farce, because their life never goes beyond salvation. If they would enter the realm of surrender and submission, they would see a whole new spiritual world open up; one that can radically change their life.
holito8: Except that in religion the assumptions never change. Suppose I flick a switch and nothing happens. If I'm you, I claim that the magical elves or "god" or any other supernatural thing you want has judged me unworthy to receive the light, and so I must repent. If I'm me, I check to see if there is a short circuit, or if the power is out, or if there is no light bulb.
Sorry wrong that a different conversation. Citizen.
You must not be saved because you don't come to the Lord already clean. If so, then you would not need a savior. The Lord cleans you up and makes worthy to be His, remember Moses, David, Peter, and Paul;
holito8: If I'm you, I think the lightswitch works because magical elves live inside the electric wires, or that I can use the power of my mind to slow down time so I won't be late. That's the kind of faith you use, a very different thing from expecting the same result based on the an action performed repeatedly in the past.
I don't know where you grasp that but good try. I was saying you assume things will work. Assuming things is a faith based assumption. You believe you will wake up because you did it today. But there is no proof that should happen. You hope to wake up.
I'd say that one issue is that the church, in general, has confused the gospel with church membership and as a result, people believe they are Christians because they attend church. Unfortunately, people are deceived but then live an unregenerate life - a life still dominated and characterized by sin. Thus, as best, you have hypocrites as they attempt to live a life characterized by holiness because they have not repented and submitted to God. At worse, you have people who deliberately live as hypocrites because they will not repent and will not submit to God - but don't want eternal punishment.
Maranatha-- Try http://www.mainstreambaptists.org/mob4/missionary_terminations.htm for starters. No, denominations are all composed of human beings who are prone to seek power, especially as we grow larger. We all have our problems and when we gather together, it is easy to become distracted from the goal of following Christ Jesus wholeheartedly. Power corrupts, and it is too simple to sit back and do nothing about it.
theotrek, I've not been a part of the SBC in my adult life, so I don't know about missionaries who were falsely accused and mistreated by the SBC mission agency. Can you give me a link? And, at the same time, do you know of any denomination which is without fault?
Maranatha7593--Do a search for "missionary terminations" and tell me if there is much difference between Clinton's moral failure and the failure of morality in the way missionaries were falsely accused and mistreated by the SBC mission agency.
holito8: If I'm you, I think the lightswitch works because magical elves live inside the electric wires, or that I can use the power of my mind to slow down time so I won't be late. That's the kind of faith you use, a very different thing from expecting the same result based on the an action performed repeatedly in the past.
the church ‘is full of hypocrites... It may be true that some came in but the Lord will change those who are willing. Those who are not will be driven out. The Lord knows those who are His. His sheep know His voice and another they will not follow. Unchurched people walk by sight and live in the past. When a person become saved, God removes the sin from them as far a the east is from the west. Therefore they are no longer the former but a new being in Christ.
I heard this saying some years ago: Would you rather be in church with some hypocrites, or in Hell with all of them?
Now, I realize that church membership in itself will not keep anyone out of Hell - only a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can do that - but there is a lot of truth in that statement. ALL hypocrites will end up in the Lake of Fire.
If Bill Clinton left the SBC (I didn't realize he had), then I'd say that makes THEM look good. He obviously is not concerned about God's standards for man.
JHS--Sorry to hear of your own experience with the SBC. I have to keep reminding myself that the SBC is still not a homogeneous denomination. There are still many churches and member with whom I can identify, even if I can no longer hold to the convention's direction. Peace to you!
In regards to faith and superstition, a good read follows:
http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=692
Slacker
Well, when you rely on superstition, you take the risk that the superstitious person has already had an experience that they've interpreted in ways other than yours. There isn't any objective evidence that you can point to outside of personal opinion. This is a flaw of theology in general. "
Its not a flaw, its called Faith....
Faith is a interesting word. Let me give you a view of it. When you get in you car, do you not believe it will crank and deliver you at your desire destination?
When you us the light switch, you believe the lights will come-on.
The reward of faith is that you see what your believe. Next time you are running late and hope things turn out for the better, remember that is faith.
The Bible is the manifested word of God. He said His word would not return to Him void. He made it "material' for a phyiscal world. But God word still transcend the physical because it goes beyond being a mere book. People are still being saved by it.
THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION IS A JOKE AND HAS BECOME THE RELIGIOUS ARM OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THEY ARE SLOWING IN MEMBERSHIP AND BAPTISIMS BECAUSE FRANKLY PEOPLE LIKE MY FAMILY WHO ARE DEMOCRATS AND THEY HAVE A WAY OF MAKING YOU UNWELCOME. I CAN SEE WHY BILL CLINTON LEFT---GOOD FOR HIM!
To Citizen:
Well, when you rely on superstition, you take the risk that the superstitious person has already had an experience that they've interpreted in ways other than yours. There isn't any objective evidence that you can point to outside of personal opinion. This is a flaw of theology in general. "
Its not a flaw, its called Faith....
I don't understand what is so confusing about the term "unchurched". If you don't belong to a church, you don't go to church, you don't support a church financially, you refuse to ever be part of a church, then you are "unchurched". You may believe in God, but the devil also believes and he trembles. I am happy and proud to declare that I am very "churched" and I will remain that way because I cannot walk this life alone. I need the precious fellowship of my "churchified" friends as we labour from dawn to setting sun to build up the body of Christ.
My "churchified" friends and I could very well be "hypocrites" and I know that often we are poor ambassadors for our Lord Jesus Christ, but we are in the church because that is the most visible earthly structure for his Kingdom. If anyone, even one of the "unchurched", knows of a better trysting place with Jesus than my local church, I'd be happy to consider it!
'Unchurched' - there has to be a more inaccurate word to describe the lost... but it would take a gathering of gifted wordsmiths to come up with it.
The term 'Unchurched' is utterly unbiblical and misleading - always has been if one takes the time to ponder the word. The implication is that by merely being 'Churched' something redemptive occurs. Hello. Where exactly is a single church on planet Earth that causes someone to be redeemed by merely walking through the doors? In Heaven - yes. Not not in this life.
This is a seeker-focused term that has been completely worn out. Hybles and co. and Willow have recently admitted that much of what they sought to convey is officially not effective.
As a beginning point, let's retire this term now lest we confuse not-yet believers who might actually read such terms and consider that if they become 'Churched' something transformational has taken place...
I did a little study and you are correct on context, thanks. I also ran accross the word translated into english for our word church, ecclesia which simply means assembly, or called out assembly. Then looked up assembly, a group of persons gathered together, usually for a particular purpose, whether religious, political, educational, or social. Then group, any collection or assemblage of persons. So I guess there is no real requirement to be considered as a "church" other than a group of believers whether small or large. Which kinda leads me to think it is left up to the persons comprising the "group".
Flagged as inappropriate. show NEW BOOK- SNAKES IN THE PULPIT EXPOSES THESE PASTORS SUCH AS T.D. JAKES. JOEL OSTEEN, CREFLO DOLLAR, AND EDDIE LONG hide
Oglefam--While an institution is not necessary to define church, be careful quoting from Matthew 18 for rationale of "two or three." If you read that passage carefully in its context, Jesus is talking about reconciliation, saying that where it occurs between two or three previously at odds, He is the glue binding them together.
I know many who have given up on the institution of the church. I know many who worship the institution and its structures instead of following Christ. Both make me sad. We need a vital walk with God in a visible setting that makes a difference to others as well as to ourselves.
"Many unchurched adults don't have a biblical understanding about God and Jesus, according to the survey."
Why should non-christians grant any authority to the bible (keeping in mind that they don't believe it's "the word of god.")?
"But the problem is compounded by a widespread notion of religious tolerance that says religious and spiritual truth is a matter of personal opinion, Stetzer said, according to the report."
Well, when you rely on superstition, you take the risk that the superstitious person has already had an experience that they've interpreted in ways other than yours. There isn't any objective evidence that you can point to outside of personal opinion. This is a flaw of theology in general.
pgcfriend--I fit into both of your (1) and (2) categories. But I do have church at work sometimes with other believers. When we stop for a few minutes to talk about our Lord we have church. Scripture only requires 2 or more.
"A full 72 percent of the people interviewed said they think the church ‘is full of hypocrites,’"
This is true, the church does not make anyone perfect. Perhaps change "hypocrites" to "sinners".
Jesus did not come to heal the healthy, but the sick. Jesus did not come to save the righteous, but the unrighteous! And praise God, He calls all!!
This quote appeared in this article:
"If you aren't going to church, you don’t have an opportunity to be informed about what the Bible teaches or what other faiths teach,"
This is utterly ridiculous. If a person can read they can find a Bible and get some basic understanding. In fact many that stay out of church have done a little or more and have seen that what they hear does not line up with the Bible. People can also learn about other faiths by going to the library or through friends that worship other false gods.
Many unchurched do know who Jesus is, in many cases better than the preachers in many churches. Many that are unchurched are people that know and love the Lord but refuse to participate in religious systems that (1) do not accurately teach what they can clearly read in the Bible and (2) lord it over people to keep the people AND MONEY coming. Many of these people have been in churches for many years.
unchurched is a broader term, including believers who are not active in a local church for whatever reason. Normally it is defined as one who has not been in church for two-three months.
i cannot understand why we use the term 'unchurched' to refer to those who are lost. the 'unchurched' have more to worry about that just not coming to church. they are lost in their sins. why dont we just call them lost or unregenerate? anyone has an idea why we do this, trying to remove the offense from the term 'lost' by changing it to 'unchurched'? why cant we just call a spade a spade without all this PC nonsense? who are we trying to please?