I just read a report by the Barna Research Group that was very thought provoking. Let me know what you think by posting a comment below.
One-third of the adult population (34%) has not attended any type of church service or activity — other than a special event, such as a funeral or wedding — during the past six months, as noted by a new Barna Group report. Past research discovered that most unchurched adults were formerly churched, and one out of every five unchurched adults (21%) is a born-again Christian.
The study indicates that six out of ten unchurched people (62%) consider themselves to be Christian, 4 percent say they are Jewish, 4 percent are associated with an eastern religion, and 24 percent say they are atheist. Denominationally, almost three out of every ten unchurched people (29%) associate with Catholicism and one out of every five (18%) say they are Baptist.
Absence from church life, however, does not indicate a lack of commitment to the Christian faith in the eyes of these individuals. Three out of four unchurched adults who consider themselves to be Christian (77%) contend that they are either absolutely or moderately committed to the Christian faith. For instance, nearly two-thirds (62%) pray to God, one fifth (20%) read the Bible, and 5 percent participate in a small group that meets in someone's home for Bible study, prayer or Christian fellowship.
Perspectives held by half or more of the unchurched include the following:
- 50 percent agree that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches.
- 66 percent agree that their religious faith is very important in their life today.
- 64 percent contend that Satan is not a living being, but is just a symbol of evil.
- 62 percent believe that a good person can earn eternal salvation.
- 51 percent believe that Jesus Christ sinned while He lived on earth.
- 61 percent say their single, most important purpose in life is to love God with all their heart, mind, strength and soul.
- 55 percent argue that they are totally committed to having a deeper relationship with God and will do whatever it takes to get and maintain that relationship.
- 66 percent say they are completely committed to making the world, and other people's lives, better.
Any comments? Please click on comments below and let me know what you think.
I think this shows how people have a desire to appear, or perhaps even hope, that they are "religious" while being almost totally spiritually ignorant.
Posted by: Ivan Ryan | March 25, 2006 at 09:27 PM
This is exactly wy we need to get ou of tefour walls of the church and start asking God to develop within us all a heart for the "seeker"
Posted by: Patrick Campbll | February 16, 2008 at 10:03 PM