5 Kinds of Christians : Understanding the disparity of those who call themselves Christian

Leadership ^ | October 1, 2007 | Helen Lee

[SeekAndFind]

Jennifer Hua identifies herself as a Christian. A 35-year-old former attorney studying Christian counseling at the Wheaton College Graduate School (Illinois), she has gone to church all her life and is a lay leader in her suburban Chicago congregation. She furthers her spiritual development by daily Bible reading, prayer, listening to and singing worship songs, and interacting with other Christians. And every few months, she carves out time for a silent retreat. "I do all of these things because I know from past experience I need to recalibrate my mind and my heart to be in tune with God," she says.

James Smith also identifies himself as a Christian. He attended church as a child, but his attendance was minimal as a young adult. He believes in God, occasionally attends Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan when his time-consuming job in the finance district allows, but he does not often participate in other activities to further his spiritual life. He has a Bible but rarely opens it; what leisure time he has he spends with friends, most of whom are of different faiths, and he does not necessarily believe that his God is any different from the one his Muslim friend worships.

"I don't think that God would be a God who would shut others out of heaven because they don't use the word 'Christian' to describe themselves," he says.

The United States is described in mainstream media as largely Christian (between 70 and 80 percent, depending on the study, identify themselves as "Christian"), and compared to the rest of the world, this is certainly the case. However, not all within this vast group of Christians are alike.

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To understand the range and differences among American Christians, Christianity Today International (publisher of Leadership) recently partnered with Zondervan Publishers to commission Knowledge Networks to conduct attitudinal and behavioral research of U.S. Christians. In September 2006, more than 1,000 self-identified Christians 18 years of age and older were surveyed on their religious beliefs and practices. The results reveal a number of significant differences, illustrated by the examples of Hua and Smith. In fact, portraits of five distinct segments emerged from the study. We have named them Active, Professing, Liturgical, Private, and Cultural Christians.

Each group represents about one-fifth of those identifying themselves as Christian, with Active Christians (such as Hua) most likely to have a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that affects their beliefs and inspires an active church life; Cultural Christians (such as Smith) are least likely to align their beliefs or practices with biblical teachings, or attend church. Between the two is a range of beliefs, commitment levels, and public practice of the faith.

Leadership discussed the survey results with leading pastors and religious experts to ascertain the ramifications for church leaders. Three critical issues emerged:

1. The local church is no longer considered the only outlet for spiritual growth.

2. Churches must develop relational- and community-oriented outreach.

3. Lay people have to be better equipped to be God's ambassadors.

Faith Yes, Church Maybe

The survey shows that for nearly half of Christians, involvement in a local church body is a minimal part of their daily lives

[SeekAndFind]

[SeekAndFind]

Active Christians 19%

1. Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
2. Committed churchgoers
3. Bible readers
4. Accept leadership positions
5. Invest in personal faith development through the church
6. Feel obligated to share faith; 79% do so.

Professing Christians 20%

1. Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
2. Focus on personal relationship with God and Jesus
3. Similar beliefs to Active Christians, different actions
4. Less involved in church, both attending and serving
5. Less commitment to Bible reading or sharing faith

Liturgical Christians 16%

1. Predominantly Catholic and Lutheran
2. Regular churchgoers
3. High level of spiritual activity, mostly expressed by serving in church and/or community
4. Recognize authority of the church

Private Christians 24%

1. Largest and youngest segment
2. Believe in God and doing good things
3. Own a Bible, but don’t read it
4. Spiritual interest, but not within church context
5. Only about a third attend church at all
6. Almost none are church leaders

Cultural Christians 21%

1. Little outward religious behavior or attitudes
2. God aware, but little personal involvement with God
3. Do not view Jesus as essential to salvation
4. Affirm many ways to God
5. Favor universality theology

[djf]

You can sum up his two greatest messages with three words.

Forgive.
Judge not.

Works for me!

[fkabuckeyesrule]

I geuss I’m in that second group. It’s been hard to impossible to really connect with the people at a local church here where churches tend to be pretty large and personally shallow.

[Jagdgewehr]

Cultural Christians 21%

1. Little outward religious behavior or attitudes
2. God aware, but little personal involvement with God
3. Do not view Jesus as essential to salvation
4. Affirm many ways to God
5. Favor universality theology

Cultural Christians? Sounds like a misnomer.

[Mr. Silverback]

The survey shows that for nearly half of Christians, involvement in a local church body is a minimal part of their daily lives

Yet these Christians are in conflict with scripture, specifically Hebrews 10:25. Of course, I guess that's no big deal next to denying the whole idea that one must believe in Christ to be saved and also believing the bloodthirsty god of Islam is the same as the Prince of Peace.

[Kimmers]

We all need accountability and I think fellowship with a church or a group of Christians is very important.

Having said this, it also depends on the philosophy of the group we attend. There are so many feel good churches out there, the word of God has been watered down to a point of “oops, we don't want to offend the masses with biblical truth.”

[knarf]

bump

[SeekAndFind]

You can sum up his two greatest messages with three words.

Actually Jesus had a different answer to the question.

Matthew 22:34-45 (New International Version)

34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

38This is the first and greatest commandment.

39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

[anniegetyourgun]

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

[Kimmers]

Don't give up and keep looking for a church....

I have been in Dallas for about 18 mths and I consider it the epi center of mega churches..... My husband and I attended a none-dom. bible based church this morning that has maybe 100 members. We both agree we have finally found home !!!!

[mysterio]

You can sum up his two greatest messages with three words. Forgive. Judge not. Works for me!

I like this. Thank you.

[anniegetyourgun]

Most people like that....it’s a wide path.

[mysterio]

My path has been more of a woodland trail, and rocky at times. I keep reminding myself it’s not the destination, but it’s still easy to get lost.

[anniegetyourgun]

Me, I’m makin’ my way on the narrow way...I know it’s destination, and I can’t be lost.

[OneWingedShark]

>You can sum up his two greatest messages with three words.

Really?
I thought it was Love God, and then love others. (simplified/paraphrased)
Or am I misinterpreting what He said when He said “Upon these two hangs all the Law and the Prophets”?

[TheBattman]

It all goes back to one question - what is the Biblical picture of a “Christian”?

Well - the dictionary definition is one who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. So, by inferance, one who does not follow Jesus is not a Christian.

Which of the two cases above comes closer to following Christ’s instructions (and indeed, the Bible’s teachings regarding followers of Christ)?

Jesus Himself said there is only ONE way - that being through Christ. So for anyone to believe otherwise is to be deceived and not of His.

Thus the reason I use the term CINO (much like the much-loved RINO term used here frequently). Christian In Name Only.

But we know that a time is coming (but none can know the exact hour) that the Lord will return and then it will be abundantly clear who were truly His. My firm belief - MANY will be caught unaware and will stand before the throne of judgment making excuses - everything from “my priest never told me that” to “but I was a good person”. And the saddest words ever to be uttered will be heard - over and over - “Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, for I never knew you”.

While I am a Baptist by faith and practice, I make no qualms that we Baptists will have exclusive run of Heaven. But I also firmly believe that some denominations will be rare in representation in God’s Kingdom.

[Finny]

Matthew 22:34-45 (New International Version) 34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Thank you for posting that.

As I have gotten older and, I hope, wiser, my thinking has changed. I've always believed in God as Jesus' Father, loved Him and as I got older also feared Him. I also used to think Jesus was kind of optional, the virgin birth and resurrection a nice fable. In my late 30s, I had what I can only call a revelation, a sudden and surprising realization that hit me like a bash of water, out of the blue, unprovoked -- I realized that in my heart, down deep, I really did know that Jesus was real, the virgin birth and His resurrection were real, and that His death and sacrifice was for me, and for us.

So I see these different kinds of Christians and believe that they are all fleeting, in transition per individual and the grace of God. Your post reminds me that one of my jobs is to love and forgive and value them as I love and forgive and value myself. The "forgive" part is the most difficult -- it's perhaps more difficult to forgive oneself than to forgive others. That, to me, is the most loving and miraculous and cherished gift of Jesus -- if He can forgive me, then surely I can forgive myself. Keeping in mind that forgiving is very different from forgetting.

[bethtopaz]

congratulations on finding a church home.
I’m looking right now, too.
I live in Northern California.
I love your tagline!