Posted on 09/30/2002 9:19:01 AM PDT by PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain
VENTURA, Calif. -- Pollster George Barna, known these days as the bearer of bad tidings about the state of Christianity in America, arrived in his office a few minutes late for a 10 a.m. appointment.
His hair was ruffled; his eyes puffy. Shoulders slouched. Being the George Gallup of the conservative evangelical world is a heavy burden for Barna, who often works into the early morning, deciphering numbers generated by his surveys to find church trends.
The 48-year-old author of 30 books, who describes himself as a raging introvert, is a popular national speaker. And he produces enough in-your-face statistics and blunt talk to irritate pastors, cost him business and earn a reputation for having, as one magazine put it, "the gift of discouragement."
His data undercut some of the core beliefs that should, by definition, set evangelicals apart from their more liberal brethren. Findings of his polls show, for example, that:
• The divorce rate is no different for born-again Christians than for those who do not consider themselves religious.
• Only a minority of born-again adults (44 percent) and a tiny proportion of born-again teenagers (9 percent) are certain that absolute moral truth exists.
• Most Christians' votes are influenced more by economic self-interest than by spiritual and moral values.
• Desiring to have a close, personal relationship with God ranks sixth among the 21 life goals tested among born-agains, trailing such desires as "living a comfortable lifestyle."
'Are people's lives being transformed" by Christianity? Barna has asked. "We can't find evidence of a transformation."
Even Barna's toughest critics concede that Barna Research Group's polls carry considerable weight because of his first-rate surveying techniques and his 17-year-long record of tracking church and cultural trends.
His work has been used by major companies (Ford Motor Co. and Walt Disney, for example) and religious organizations such as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and World Vision.
"He is the accepted authority on church trends," said Bob Cavin, director of the Texas Baptist Leadership Center. "He gives pastors insight, not only into the effectiveness of the church, but with trends in society that help the pastors with their strategic planning."
Because of his influence, many are watching with interest as Barna branches out from his usual business. He has been preoccupied with quantifying contemporary Christian beliefs, attitudes and practices; comparing them with biblical truths; and delivering the results to pastors, Christian leaders and laity. He said that he once hoped his analyses would be used as building blocks for more relevant churches.
But he decided this year to take a more active role by helping to identify and develop new and better church leaders who will boldly go where their predecessors haven't gone before: to radically revamp the church. He said he believes the process will take decades -- generations -- to complete.
"One of our challenges is to revisit the structures and means through which people experience Christ," Barna said. "People have been talking about developing the 'new church' for the past several decades, but nothing new has been forthcoming."
According to Barna, pastors are great teachers, but not necessarily adept at leadership. To back up his claim, he cited one of his own polls: It showed that only 12 percent of senior pastors say they have the spiritual gift of leadership and 8 percent say they have the gift of evangelism. In contrast, two-thirds say they have the gift of teaching or preaching.
"We, not God, have created a system that doesn't work and that we're reluctant to change."
Barna also is in the early stages of establishing a genuine and appealing Christian presence in secular entities: film, music, media and politics. He has identified these as the institutions that hold the most influence over Americans.
What's needed are "skilled professionals who love Christ and model his ways through their thoughts, words and behavior in enviable and biblically consistent ways," he said.
For Barna, the need for better leadership and better Christian role models in the secular world was underscored by a poll he released this month.
9/11 opportunity lost
The survey showed that the Sept. 11 attacks had virtually no lasting effects on America's faith, despite a 20 percent rise in church attendance during the first few weeks afterward.
"We missed a huge opportunity," he said, adding that, because of their own shallow faith, church regulars needed so much reassurance themselves that they couldn't minister to newcomers.
This kind of comment bothers evangelical Christians.
Mike Regele, author of "The Death of the Church," is one of many who believe the Barna Research Group's statistical work is excellent, but the conclusions drawn by the company's founder are too harsh.
The hypocrisy of Christians, Regele said, "has been a part of the church, probably since the day of Pentecost" and doesn't indicate its collapse.
"It sounds like he's very, very angry at the church," said Regele, a church critic himself who is ultimately an optimist. "There are reasons to be disappointed, but scripture never said we'd be perfect. We shouldn't view the whole institution as a failure."
With each new Barna poll or book, the attacks begin again: He's too negative; he has it in for pastors; he's arrogant.
The criticism "would affect any human being," said Barna, a husband and father of two. "We all want to be loved and accepted by others, but we also have a higher calling to which we each must be true."
Barna said he has learned painfully that giving advice on how to revitalize churches in America is a hugely complex proposition that doesn't fit well into sound bites. He has learned to be more guarded.
Although his statistics often show self-described Christians living lives no different from those of atheists, Barna's faith never has wavered.
"The issue isn't whether Jesus or Christianity is real," he said. "The issue is, are Americans willing to put Christ first in their lives?
Do you think he had neither seen nor heard of Jesus before that moment? He could have been in the crowd on Palm Sunday.
Mack you understood it because God gave you a new heart.
The resaon everyone does not get it is they have hearts of stone
Ezekiel 36:26-27 - "26 A new heart also will give you, and a new spirit will put within you: and I take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."
Jesus said you could not even see the Kingdom of God..let alone desire it unless you were born again..He opened your heart
Acts 16:14 - "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul."
Mack you did not choose him..he chose you
Romans 10:20 - "But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me."
Rn, you KNOW that faith is not a work. The Apostle Paul himself says so in Romans 4:5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts (KJV= Believes) God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
Paul specifically says here that believing is different than working.
Um, Mack? Are you sure you're saying that Jesus bought them a ticket to hell?
SD
The problem is that this completely ignores all of the passages of the Hebrew scriptures where men do choose God, and are called righteous.
BigMack
Of course God's will is stronger. However, God chooses to withdraw and restrain His will so that we can freely use our own will. If you can believe that God voluntarily emptied himself and took the form of a slave, then it shouldn't be a stretch for you to conceive of God giving us room to exercise our will.
God gave Both of them had enough grace to believe.
Actually, Rn, if you remember the story, God gave the unbelieving thief even an additional chance that he didn't give the believing thief. He had the believer testify to him...don't you remember?
We both thought of the same analogy. Scary, huh? ;o)
Sure He did, just like he does EVERYONE, I just accepted Him in my heart, but alot will not, it their choice.
BigMack
God gave Both of them had enough grace to believe.
Indeed. Notice the way the question is formed. "Why didn't God do more?" It's always God's fault.
SD
Well, it is a mystery for Christians, and I'm trying to understand the differences between the two camps. From my perspective its not even an issue.
Genesis 6:5 - "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
"Slap" "Slap" "Slap" pay attention boy. :)
No, He bought them, though they are damned and on their way to Hell, because they made their own choice to reject Him.
BigMack
Like I said, just ask me. Sooner or later you won't even need me around! ;-)
SD
Are you saying that He does not wish all to be saved?
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