A White Horse Inn Survey of Christian Faith & Practice (Proddie Caucus)

White Horse Inn ^ | 9 Nov 2009

[Gamecock]

Hello and welcome to another Broadcast of the White Horse Inn. In this program we are going to be taking at a new WHI survey of Christian faith and practice conducted by our producer, Shane Rosenthal. Now we have to say at the outset, this is not a Harris Poll, it is a Rosenthal poll! It is not scientific, but this multiple-choice survey was distributed at a Franklin Graham meeting and Christian music event in St. Louis, August 2, 2009.

Facts about the Survey This multiple choice survey was distributed at a Franklin Graham evangelism and Christian music event in St. Louis, Aug 2nd, 2009. A total of 92 people participated (45% male, 55% female). 57% were teens between 13 and 19, 29% were adults between 20 and 40, and 14% were adults over 40.

1. How often do you attend a church service?
Weekly 90%
Once a month 2%
Once a Year 0%
Rarely 8%

2. God is like a helpful coach who s there to help us when we need him; he wants us to be happy
Agree 96% (84% Strongly agree; 12% somewhat agree)
Disagree 2% (2% disagreed; 0% strongly disagreed)
Unsure 2%

3. Sermons should be inspiring, practical, fun and enjoyable to listen to
Agree 94% (66% Strongly agree; 28% somewhat agree)
Disagree 6% (4% disagreed; 2% strongly disagreed)
,p> 4. Do you think it s important for churches to attempt to be relevant to where people are at?
Agree 95% (62% Strongly agree; 33% somewhat agree)
Disagree 5% (4% disagreed; 1% strongly disagreed)

5. If being “relevant” means making things more fun, entertaining, and exciting, do you think it would be okay for a church to move in that direction?
Agree 83% (44% Strongly agree; 39% somewhat agree)
Disagree 17% (13% disagreed; 4% strongly disagreed)

6. Which of the following do you think is the best summary of the Christian Gospel:
God changing me 14%
Making a decision for Jesus 12%
Living for God 36%
Christ s life, death & resurrection 35%
Unsure 3%

7. Studying Christian doctrine is a crucial component of Christian growth
Agree 90% (63% Strongly agree; 27% somewhat agree)
Disagree 8% (4% disagreed; 4% strongly disagreed)
Unsure 2%

8. I think concepts like the Trinity, atonement and propitiation are difficult, yet crucial to grasp
Agree 79% (35% Strongly agree; 44% somewhat agree)
Disagree 19% (14% disagreed; 5% strongly disagreed)
Unsure 2%

9. Good people go to heaven, bad people get what they deserve
Agree 35% (15% Strongly agree; 20% somewhat agree)
Disagree 65% (25% disagreed; 40% strongly disagreed)

10. Christianity is primarily about my personal transformation, becoming a better person
Agree 66% (23% Strongly agree; 43% somewhat agree)
Disagree 32% (25% disagreed; 7% strongly disagreed)
Unsure 2%
11. If we were to ask you to name the Ten Commandments, how would you do?
I could name all 10* 29%
I could name 7-8 43%
I could name half of them 22%
I would do very poorly 6%
*Previous WHI polls have shown that only 5% can name all Ten Commandments)

12. Have you ever heard of the doctrine of justification?
Yes, itʼs mentioned frequently at my church 17%
Yes, I sometimes hear about it 28%
I rarely hear about it 14%
I have never heard of it 39%
Unsure 2%

13. What do you think the doctrine of Justification means:
A situation in which people try to justify their sinful lifestyles 17%
We need to do good works to justify ourselves before God in order to go to heaven 26%
God justifies the ungodly by declaring them holy and righteous by faith alone* 31%
Justification is a process in which we are made holy over time 16%
Unsure 10%

* 32% of those who answered correctly said in the previous question that they had never heard of the doctrine

14. There is no one righteous, there is no one who does good, there is no one who seeks God (Rom. 3:10-12)
Agree 31% (15% Strongly agree; 16% somewhat agree)
Disagree 67% (22% disagreed; 45% strongly disagreed)
Unsure 2%

15. America was founded as a Christian nation, therefore only Christians should be allowed to rule
Agree 36% (14% Strongly agree; 22% somewhat agree)
Disagree 62% (35% disagreed; 27% strongly disagreed)
Unsure 2%

[Gamecock]

[Gamecock]

I would think people attending conferences are a notch above the, for lack of a better word, average Christian. Better read, more into deeper study...

And people think we Calvinists are just yelling “fire” just for our own amusement.

[blue-duncan]

“Franklin Graham evangelism and Christian music event”

Is that anything like the annual St. Jamal’s by the Sea, Holiness Built on the Pillar and Ground of the Solid Rock Chowder and Marching Society Esteem and Victimization Conference and Kazoo Festival?

If so, I can understand the responses.

[Lee N. Field]

14. There is no one righteous, there is no one who does good, there is no one who seeks God (Rom. 3:10-12)
Agree 31% (15% Strongly agree; 16% somewhat agree)
Disagree 67% (22% disagreed; 45% strongly disagreed)
Unsure 2%

"And he swings! And he misses!"

Pitching underhand.

[Lee N. Field]

Franklin Graham evangelism and Christian music event in St. Louis, Aug 2nd, 2009.

Hmmm. Looks like "Rock the River".

Rock the River Tour. Looks to be one of these youth Christian music thingees. Will look this over later, in my Abundant Free Time.

[Sans-Culotte]

I listened to a CD earlier this year of highlights from the White Horse Inn radio broadcast. They were asking people to name the Ten Commandments. It may have been part of the actual survey you posted. Most people who answered could only name one, and that one was consistently “Thou shalt not commit adultery”.

[lupie]

OUCH!!

How sad, yet undestandable when I watched the promo for the tour. :(

[lupie]

OUCH!!

How sad, yet undestandable when I watched the promo for the tour. :(

[lupie]

OUCH!!

How sad, yet undestandable when I watched the promo for the tour. :(

[lupie]

oops sorry about the triple post

[Lee N. Field]

One of them was actually pretty close by. I’m a little surprised our youth group didn’t go. Or maybe they did. Hard to keep track of the comings and goings of the youth ministry.

[alpha-8-25-02]

“Primarily, we may learn this lesson: that it is not a matter of small importance whether we preserve the purity of the gospel. The chief dangers to Christianity do not come from the anti-Christian systems. Mohammedanism has never made inroads upon Christendom save by the sword. Nobody fears that Christianity will be swallowed up by Buddhism. It is corrupt forms of Christianity itself which menace from time to time the life of Christianity. Why make much of minor points of difference among those who serve the one Christ? Because a pure gospel is worth preserving; and is not only worth preserving, but is logically (and logic will always work itself ultimately out into history) the only saving gospel. Those who overlay the gospel with man-made additions, no less than those who subtract from it God-given elements, are not preaching “the gospel” in another form, but are offering a different kind of gospel, which is essentially no gospel at all.” - B.B.WARFIELD

EXURGE CALVINISTI,ET JUDICA,CAUSAM,TUAM!

[Dr. Eckleburg]

"Because a pure gospel is worth preserving; and is not only worth preserving, but is logically (and logic will always work itself ultimately out into history) the only saving gospel."

Amen!

[Gamecock]

Awesome quote from the Lion of Princeton.

If you don’t mind this fits in on one of the Mormon threads...

[sr4402]

12. Have you ever heard of the doctrine of justification? Yes, itʼs mentioned frequently at my church 17% Yes, I sometimes hear about it 28% I rarely hear about it 14% I have never heard of it 39% Unsure 2% Since this is a Biblical doctrine found in Romans, I can only conclude that preachers are not doing their job.

[lupie]

So true alpha, so true. Is it no wonder then that the Word spends quite a bit of time discussing false doctrine, and very little about combating the other religions. We are warned about the wolf in sheep’s clothing because when we see a wolf, we KNOW and recognize the danger.

[raynearhood]

7. Studying Christian doctrine is a crucial component of Christian growth
Agree - 90% (63% Strongly agree; 27% somewhat agree)

14. There is no one righteous, there is no one who does good, there is no one who seeks God (Rom. 3:10-12)
Disagree - 67% (22% disagreed; 45% strongly disagreed)

Ummmmmmmmm.......? As someone on another site commented: "Since this (#14) is a verbatim scriptural quotation, disagreement here is hard to justify (no pun intended--this time)."

I couldn't help myself, but the first thing that came to mind when I saw #2 is below (hope it's not sacrilege this satire I write):

The Lord says to the church: "Well, children ... I haven't a thing to say. Lived a great life...all of you. Great Times," He tries to smile, "I guess we just can't expect to win ‘em all. The Lord pauses and says quietly. "I'm going to tell you something I've kept to myself for years. None of you ever knew Peter Cephas. It was long before your time. But you know what a tradition he is in the church..." There is gentle, faraway look in His eyes as he recalls Peter's words, "And the last thing he said to me -- 'God,' he said, 'sometime - when the church is up against it - and the breaks are beating the saints - tell them to go out there with all they got and win just one for the Rock..." The Lord's eyes become misty and his voice is unsteady as he finishes, "'I don't know where I'll be then, God', he said, 'but I'll know about it - and I'll be happy.' Lord looks across the church, turns and says to Abraham, "Alright." - Rockne 12:1-20

Well, what are we waiting for?

[Lee N. Field]

Ummmmmmmmm.......? As someone on another site commented: "Since this (#14) is a verbatim scriptural quotation, disagreement here is hard to justify (no pun intended--this time)."

Honestly, if I wasn't a "geek" trying to keep up on this stuff myself, I probably wouldn't have a clue, 'cause by and large I'm not hearing it very clearly in church. Atonement, propitiation? Only if you know what to hear. Justification is a little bit (solomente un pocito) better.

< /whine>

The venue appears to be the kind of fare that our church's youth group goes in for. The folks under 20 are the people that disappear from church after high school. The folks over 20 would be their keepers.

[Sans-Culotte]

Honestly, if I wasn't a "geek" trying to keep up on this stuff myself, I probably wouldn't have a clue, 'cause by and large I'm not hearing it very clearly in church. Atonement, propitiation? Only if you know what to hear. Justification is a little bit (solomente un pocito) better.

Yep. As Michael Horton puts it, the basic "message" preached in most churches is "Do more; try harder".