I didn't take it that way. Living up North there are just not as many churches, as many Christians. I just spent a couple years up there (just outside NYC) and people stay home on Sunday morning. In our circle of acquaintances NO ONE went to church on Sunday, or discussed their faith.
Now that I am back in the South I as so happy to see so many churches and people so willing to openly talk about Jesus and God.
Tim Keller, the pastor mentioned above, said evangelism is easier in NYC. In the South many people will say they are Christians, even when they are not. It is such a cultural thing. Folks will say, "Oh yeah, of course I am a Christian." But they don't know the Gospel, they don't know God, they don't go to church, etc, etc. Up in NYC people are openly, aggressively atheist and at least you know what you are dealing with.
In the South I know many unsaved people who would be too embarrassed to admit they aren’t Christians. And when they use the word Christian they mean bible-believing born-again Christian, not cultural Christian. It’s sad.
I love Tim Keller - just discovered his sermons online this year. Wonderful sermons - intelligent, funny, and most importantly, passionate about Christ.
There was an article about six months ago on the need for more people doing missions work/church plants in New England due to the difficulty of the work there. Many just don’t want to do it because of fewer (though IMO much more beautiful with their steeples) churches and a much more secular environment.
It’s hard. You have to break through the harder shell of those people instead of just put up a sign and you have 30 people next Sunday.