church leavers

In his book “Church Leavers: Faith Journeys Five Years On” Alan Jamieson writes: “A new spiritual landscape is opening up across the western world, and we are finding that church leavers are playing an increasing role. (George Barna’s) research suggests that by 2025 seventy percent of American Christians’ primary means of spiritual experience and expression will not be through a local church. If (he) is even remotely right, then it is crucial we come to understand church leavers and their continued journeys of faith in order to prepare for the new realities of a fundamentally different spiritual landscape.”

what’s required?

A woman emailed one of our group leaders: “My husband and I have been attending Journey every chance we get. We are both new to church and the Bible. I would like to attend the group meeting, but with my lack of knowledge of the Bible I was wondering if it would be appropriate.” The group leader responded: “There’s never a requirement for a certain level of Bible knowledge in order to participate in stuff at Journey. Part of the reason we’re named Journey is our strong belief that we are all at different places in our spiritual journey and God loves and accepts us where we are on that journey. It is our sincere hope that all will feel loved and accepted right where they are when they come to Journey . . . we effort to love people the way God does.”

whose might?

I received a call this morning from a deeply devoted follower of Christ. Among her spiritual gifts is the speaking of words of encouragement. She said that during her quiet time it had been placed on her heart that she should share with me from Zechariah 4:6-7 that though there will be challenges ahead as Journey prepares to fulfill God’s vision to become a multisite church, I need to hear God say that it will be accomplished “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.”

media junkies

A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that U.S. kids ages 8 to 18 are now using their phones, computers, TVs and video game systems for a total of 7.5 hours a day or 52.5 hours a week. Average daily media consumption for U.S. kids: watching TV—270 minutes; listening to music—151 minutes; text messaging—90 minutes; nonschool computer use—89 minutes; playing video games—73 minutes; talking on cell phones—33 minutes.

never thought possible

I received this email today; it’s what we’re about: “There has been a 180 degree turn-around in my children’s attitude towards “church” since coming to Journey. I have seen spiritual growth in all of my family in the last two years. God is changing attitudes and hearts in my family in ways in my humanness I never thought possible.”

who doesn’t go to church?

George Barna conducted a study that found that 28 percent of adults in America have not attended any church services or activities within the last six months. That translates to nearly 65 million adults. Adding children under 18 who may be living with them, the number swells to 100 million. If the unchurched population of the United States were a nation of its own, it would be the 12th most-populous nation on Earth. The demographics of the group defy common assumptions. There are more unchurched women than men. Boomers and their elders outnumber the young. Conservatives are more likely than liberals to be unchurched, and whites outnumber minorities nearly 3-1.

just a hobby?

According to David Barrett, author of the World Christian Encyclopedia, every 24 hours 72,900 people become Christians, the largest number in history. Of that population, however, only 7,200 are in Europe and North America, combined. Why this stark contrast between Christianity in the West and in the rest of the world? In South Korea, home to five of the ten largest churches on Earth, massive crowds pray every morning at 4:00 a.m. and all night every Friday. In Cuba over the last decade, a million people have become Christians. In America is the problem that for many people God is just a hobby, not really worthy of our full devotion?

what’s Easter about?

The Barna Group conducted a survey asking people what they thought the meaning of Easter was. Two-thirds of Americans (67%) indicated that they thought Easter was a religious holiday (which means that one-third of Americans think Easter is not a religious holiday.) The survey found that 42% of Americans identify Jesus’ resurrection as a part of Easter (which means a majority of Americans don’t realize Easter is about Christ’s resurrection.) Interesting.

saints or sinners?

In his book “What’s So Amazing about Grace?” Philip Yancey comes to this candid conclusion: “Having spent time around ‘sinners’ and also around purported saints, I have a hunch why Jesus spent so much time with the former group: I think he preferred their company. Because the sinners were honest about themselves and had no pretense, Jesus could deal with them. In contrast, the saints put on airs, judged him, and sought to catch him in a moral trap. In the end it was the saints, not the sinners, who arrested Jesus.”

unChristian, part 4

Young adults outside the church give the following as the primary reasons they’ve never become Christ-followers: they’ve never thought about it, they’re not particularly interested in spirituality, they’re already committed to another faith, they’re repelled by Christians.

unChristian, part 3

85% of young adults outside the Christian faith believe present day Christianity is hypocritical. Almost 50% of young adults who go to church believe present day Christianity is hypocritical. Why? Born-again believers are just as likely as not-yet-believers to gamble, visit a pornographic website, take something that doesn’t belong to them, consult a medium, physically fight or abuse someone, become drunk, use illegal drugs, lie, try and get back at someone, say mean things behind another person’s back. No difference.

unChristian, part 2

Do you know what percentage of young adults outside the Christian faith have a positive view of evangelical Christians? 3 percent, yes, 3 percent (and the vast majority of these outsiders have been to Christian churches and have heard the message of Christ.) Why so negative? Christians have become famous for what we oppose, rather than what we are for. Only a small percentage of outsiders believe that the labels “respect, love, hope, and trust” describe Christianity. Here are the six most common objections outsiders raise about Christians: 1) hypocritical; 2) too focused on getting converts; 3) antihomosexual; 4) sheltered; 5) too political; 6) judgmental.