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?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Be as loquacious as you like.
Ok, so I don't have the most fun job in the world, but I think calling it "going to hell" is a little bit of an exaggeration. LOL!
BigMack
I got two words for you.
BigMack
Every "local licensed" minister (those working toward ordination..and the Pastors helpmates) left the church..all of the mature Christians have left..What the seeker friendly wanna be has left is a church full of babes...not one mature Christian left.
So the classes were suspended.
Interesting is the fact one of the things the pastor promoted to get the "target group" (25-40 unchurched..some college or an undergrad degree ) was the music ministry..(which was awesome..it also "drew" large numbers of "kids" from the nearby University) has completly fallen apart...the music minister (one of the local licenses) was accused of molesting acouple of young girls. So he is gone . Now the worship time is a very poorly done music..
In short I believe that was an ego driven church..the pastor wanted a mega church for HIS glory IMHO...God is correcting that situation
Check out Ken Ham and Answsers In Genesis as well as Summit Ministries for excellent resource materials.
More after lunch. You have hit my hot button. I care more about this than just about any other topic related to the Church today. I may end up waxing eloquent in a little while. I beg your indulgence in advance.
I go to a mega-baptist-church that many like to take issue with. But I challenge anyone to spend time in the church, then go to say a state fair, or a rock concert, or a gathering of Harley riders, or a professional football game, or lots of other "american" activities.... and then conclude there is not in general a difference in the people at these events.
Granted the church and church people are not perfect. But I know that when I get out of my normal routine, (comfort zone) I am often shocked at the difference in environment.
The purpose driven church exists for one purpose..it is to grow
Now a field full of tares is full...but it does not make bread..
There are many believers that love mega churches..they love the various ministries and variety of people you find in them. But IMHO A good mega church grew by God's design not mans.
I was told all the material in the classes should stress the tareget group and how we will reach them (as the pastor said so that everyone is on the same page). Some of the teachers as well as I tried to tell them that the "target" offended people..that many would say I am not in the target group for the future do you want me?
I did not fit the target group my self..toooooo old:>)
It is spiritual manipulation IMHO..
BTW This pushes all my buttons too
I think Barna has done well in one sense, it is what is happening in the church today, he just doesn't know what to do about it, and is pushing the purpose driven church, 2 floor shows a day and a watered down message.
BigMack
What I question is his defination of Christian..
He is counting those that go to a church and say they are born again..I say that is a faulty number base
The tares are in the same field as the wheat . But being in that field does not make them wheat...you can not change a goat into a sheep.
The bible is clear xzins...by their fruit you shall know them..If they talk like the world and walk like the world they are the world
Well good for you, bring it on. :)
The class compares biblical Christian worldview with a Humanistic worldview.
Is this something you have come up with? I would love to hear about it.
Many of the kids (and we have been doing this for 8 years) respond to our teaching by saying that we are teaching them things that they have never heard before: not from their pastors, not from their youth pastors, not from their Sunday School teachers. Shame on those teachers!
Its the same in our church, in the Sunday school class, we are put to sleep, they try to resave us each week, just milk, no meat, I have started asking hard questions in class, and have them in puzzelment :) like what the other so called faiths teach, and how to respond to them, the teacher tells us the Holy Spirit is guiding him, and I ask him, what makes your Holy Spirit smarter that theirs? I ask have you looked around in the world and seen what is going on in the churches, and what are you doing about it? What and how are you going to answer someone that has bought into a works based faith? Are ya just gonna tell them that Jesus loves ya? The others in the class are saying yeah, what about that? Oh the rabbit trails that we have gone down, but they are starting to see futher than the end of their noses. :)
BigMack
That IS the problem xzins..Evangelization should be done in the workplace and the schools and the neighborhood..People should be well taught and know the gospel well from their personal bible study (a mark of a mature Christian) and from sound teaching from the pulpit...
Bringing in the unsaved for regular services by its nature dumbs down the sermon...it has to be aimed at giving a salvation message...that is MILK to the mature..you stunt their growth and maturity xzins.
It is NOT the job of the pastor to save the unsaved IN the church service..It is the job of every believer to give the gospel and let the spirit of God work
Can you give me a biblical example of anyone being saved IN a home church in the scripture?
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