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Statistics 101 Jan 27 2010
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest." - John 10:10
How are you at statistical analysis? If you are like me, you may not be very good. But I have a copy of the results of a survey done by LifeWay Research. They polled 1402 unchurched adults (defined as people not going to church in the last six months) and found some interesting responses. What conclusions do you draw from these responses?
71% think believing in Jesus makes a positive difference in a person's life.
72% believe that God actually exists.
72% say the church is full of hypocrites.
78% say, I would be willing to listen to somebody tell me about Christianity.
79% say Christianity today is more about organized religion than about loving people.
86% say I believe I can have a good relationship with God without belonging to a church.
Arthur Farnsley, administrator of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion interprets it this way, "Is there a workshop for churches in being less annoying, less hypocritical?"
Key thought: If Jesus is so attractive to the majority of the unchurched, how can the church become more and more like Jesus?
Hint = It begins with you and me.
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6 Comments
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Yes, report it NevermindI'm in agreement with the 86%I believe I dont have to go to Church to have a relationship with God, I can pray and ask God anywhere, any time I dont have to wait to go to Church to pray I can do the necessary anywhere.God is the Creator of all things and all people. He has a master plan for his creation. Discovering this plan gives purpose and meaning to life.
Man is sinful and in rebellion against God. As a result, he is separated from God and falls under his just wrath against sin.
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Yes, report it NevermindThere are 2 churches. There is Church Universal, or as we say in the Apostles Creed, The Holy "Catholic" Church. Then there are individual congregations. The latter is "where the rubber meets the road" so to speak.
Bryant's point is a good one. We all need to work to make ourselves and our own congregations more welcoming, exampling, and outreaching.
On the point of a relationship with God. He wants for us to know him personally, as he know us. It is the most personal relationship you will ever have. But, he also is very pleased that we gather together in worship and praise and that is one of the reasons why Jesus Christ came; to establish his Church so that it might spread the good news throughout the world and bring the lost sheep to him.
Have a blessed day,
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Yes, report it NevermindI'd agree with those responses, except for a portion of the "79% say Christianity today is more about organized religion than about loving people." Secular society, in my opinion, doesn't know the first thing about love. As in - they don't even know what it is. They seem to think being "loving" means turning off your brain and supporting whatever it is someone wants to do - be it moral or immoral. Telling someone that abortion or homosexuality is immoral is seen as being unloving. Letting someone fail is seen as unloving. Allowing someone to suffer the consequences of their own actions is seen as unloving.
My point is that secular society is confused. Hopefully, through the actions of Christians, we can show them what love really means. That it isn't just a feeling, but sometimes an act of your will. THat it is exactly how the Bible describes it. And that Jesus was love in human form.
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Yes, report it NevermindI have known the love Jesus has for me expressed by the words and actions of church members. Christian love is so sweet and lifts the spirits when one is going through difficult times. I hope I am able to do the same for others inside and outside of the church. By being in the church I am witness to many acts of love and it helps to supply my inner warehouse or storage of knowledge about ways to show the love of Christ. Of course, when there are interactions with people there are more opportunities for getting one's feelings hurt, for people to step on one's toes by accident, etc. Yes, that does happen in church, too. But I have found there are many more examples of loving experiences within the church than experiences which are lacking the ingredient of the love of Christ for people. For the 86% I say you can have a good relationship with God without being a part of a local church body but you are missing out on the BEST relationship with God by not being a member of a church body.
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Yes, report it NevermindYou can't really tell the state of Christianity or the church by asking unchurched people. What you get are their perceptions. Some perceptions will be true, and some will not. Good points, Austin, on the perception of the church being loving.
The challenge we have is that the Gospel is an offense to the world all by itself, and we as Christians can sometimes add to that offense in the way it is presented. I responded to a Jewish guy on Twitter yesterday who said he was offended by a statement that Ann Coulter made on a talk show. She was pressed by the host about what "her" perfect world would be like, and she said all would be Christians. The host, who is Jewish, then asked whether she then thought there should be no Jews. She said, "Well, no, we just want the Jews to be perfected". Of course, her point was that Christian's believe that Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament, and came for Jews and Gentiles, but the way she phrased it would put off anyone who is not a Christian, especially a Jew.
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Yes, report it NevermindThe church can become more and more like Jesus when its members are capable of becoming less "worldly" in all aspects of their lives.