The American Religious Identification Survey 2008,

I wonder how the surveys account for some who over the years have joined several churches and yet each church maintains them on their roll as a member? That would account for the same person being a member of several churches at the same time. In some religious circles there are about three times as many on the roll as there are attenders and others who have less members than attenders.

 

We've all heard the stats about how many youths are "walking away from Christianity" in their college years. What we don't have good stats about is how many of them return after their college years either once they get married or are in their mid-20s.

One reason is many are attending large contemporary churches and have not seen their numbers get tracked effectively. Many in popular media are still relying on standards and formulas where mainline denominations are seen as the goto sources for this information.

With so many contemporary churches and new church starts seeing growing numbers I wonder if most of the decline is in our older more established churches. Of course the real number is how many people are making true decisions for Christ. The trouble with evangelicalism is that most adults in America have found it a no lose proposition. They can get their "fire insurance" from Hell and never have to change how they live. The amount of sinful activity in their lives remains the same.

 

A few years back a "Marketing survey" showed that our town was "Number one" in the nation for "fast food",

and overnight, all the fast food chains started building.

But I told my wife that the marketing survery also showed there were "more women" unwilling to "cook", in our town than any other per captial town in the nation. :laugh: :tonofbricks:

 

Why preach to the choir but instead show them how it is done in ppublic among non-believers? Numbers do count. How about knocking on at least 75 doors each month. If you consistently did that you would be amzed at what might happen after a few years. Most people come to Christ through a friend.

 

Too bad surveys don't accurately record how many people are BORN AGAIN Christians. Being religious means nothing if a person isn't born again. Jesus didn't say, "Ye must be religious." He said, "Ye must be born again." How many of those "religious" people have actually had a life-changing experience and KNOW Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour?

 

The following statement you made indicates that you do not place the same emphasis God places on numbers. "Maybe we should stop being counters and just preach the gospel. All our counting doesn't further the Kingdom one iota."

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit numbers are recorded throughout scripture in many places. The name of one of the OT books is Numbers.

Remember that numbers are often the souls of men. Is that not important?

Read the quote by Spurgeon from his sermon on Mt. 4:19 and then mention that numbers do not matter.

"Well, if any person in the world said to you, “I am a fisherman, but I have never caught anything,” you would wonder how he could be called a fisherman. A farmer who never grew any wheat, or any other crop — is he a farmer? When Jesus Christ says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” he means that you shall really catch men — that you really shall save some; for he that never did get any fish is not a fisherman. He that never saved a sinner after years of work is not a minister of Christ. If the result of his life-work is nil, he made a mistake when he undertook it. Go thou with the fire of God in thy hand and fling it among the stubble, and the stubble will burn. Be thou sure of that. Go thou and scatter the good seed: it may not all fall in fruitful places, but some of it will. Be thou sure of that. Do but shine, and some eye or other will be lightened thereby. Thou must, thou shalt succeed. But remember this is the Lord’s word-- “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Keep close to Jesus, and do as Jesus did, in his spirit, and he will make you fishers of men."

 

Actually, Barna has certain question he asks to determine this. There is a category of "Evangelical" which is broader, the it is narrowed down to other questions that he believes indicate someone is born again. This is, of course, not something we know for sure but the answers give a good idea.

I think the questions (in addition to other broader questions) have to do with belief in Satan as a real personal being, heaven and hell, belief in Jesus needed for eternal life, judgment of all people at the end of time, God's word as inerrant, and others.

I couldn't find the questions he asks but I found info on a survey conducted to see how many have a biblical worldview:

http://www.barna.org/barna-update/a...dview-among-christians-over-the-past-13-years

 

But I think he's right in his percentages. I think that the number of actual born again believers is quite low, and I think the number of people with a biblical worldview is quite low. I am astonished at some of the beliefs or lack of certain beliefs I find in the church (conservative, evangelical).

 

What proof do you have to support your "facts"?

 

Josh McDowell wrote a book called Right from Wrong that would lead one to believe that most Christians are hiding their head in the sand.

 

The best offense is always a good ad homenim...or maybe not...

 

What proof do you have of your "facts"?