Survey fail - Christianity isn't dying: Ed Stetzer

Ed StetzerMay 13, 2015  USA TODAY

Fakers who don't go to church are just giving up the pretense.

(Photo: Steven M. Falk, AP)

A new Pew Research Center survey found the Christian share of the American population declined almost 8 percentage points from 2007 to 2014. Drawing from this point, many continued their breathless claims that the Christian sky is falling.

Rather than predict the impending doom of the church in America, this latest study affirms what many researchers have said before. Christianity isn't collapsing; it's being clarified. Churches aren't emptying; rather, those who were Christian in name only are now categorically identifying their lack of Christian conviction and engagement.

USA TODAY

Christians drop, 'nones' soar in new religion portrait

Gallup recently found that weekly religious attendance as a percentage of the U.S. population is about where it was in the 1940s — hardly a statistical collapse.

Simply put, the strains of a funeral dirge aren't being played at the graveside of American Christianity because there is no body for burial.

Evangelicalism is growing

Yes, you read that correctly. Evangelical Christianity is growing in America. From 2007 to 2014 the number of evangelicals in America rose from 59.8 million to 62.2 million, according to Pew.

USA TODAY

American nuns, Chinese booze and religious persecution: Column

USA TODAY

Boy Scouts should stay tough, not pander to gender gap: Column

While it should be noted that evangelicals' share of the overall U.S. population dropped by 0.9% over the last seven years based on denominational affiliation, the percentage of U.S. adults who self-identify as evangelical rose from 34 to 35% over the same period of time. Don't miss that: More than one-third of Americans call themselves evangelical.

And despite what many are saying, evangelicals are attending church more than ever. The latest (2014) General Social Survey found that in the last two years of the study a greater percentage of evangelicals are attending church than in any other time of the last 40 years. Currently, 55 percent of evangelicals attend church at least nearly every week.

This is part of the growing "evangelicalization" of American Christianity in which the church in the U.S. is increasingly taking on the attributes of evangelicalism. According to Pew, half of all Christians self-identify as an evangelical or born again.

So why is Christianity shrinking?

If evangelical Christianity is growing, or at the very least remaining steady, why is Christianity as a whole shrinking and why are those who claim no religious affiliation increasing at such a rapid rate? In short, nominals — people whose religious affiliation is in name only — are becoming nones — people who check "none of the above" box on a survey.

USA TODAY

Christian schools will have no choice about gay marriage: Column

Those who value their faith enough to wake up on Sunday morning and head to their local church are mostly still going. What I have described as "convictional Christianity" will continue. Those who say their faith is very important to their lives are not suddenly jettisoning those beliefs to become atheists.

According to Pew, unaffiliated Americans grew from 16 to nearly 23% in the last seven years. That increase largely came from the ranks of Catholics and Mainline Protestants, religious traditions with high numbers of nominals. Among adults who claim no religious affiliation, 28% were raised Catholics, while 21% grew up Mainline.

Many of these who have been labeling themselves as Christians are starting to feel free to be honest about their religious affiliation, or lack thereof. Jewish, Muslim or Hindu are no longer the only religious survey options passed over for many Americans. Christianity has joined the list.

So, the number of people who are practicing a vibrant faith is not fading away, quite the contrary. Christianity and the church are not dying, but they are being more clearly defined. Both the recent Pew and GSS data affirm this clarification should only continue.

Nominal Christians are becoming the nones and convictional Christians remain committed. It is fair to say we are now experiencing a collapse, but it's not of Christianity. Instead, the free fall we find is within nominalism.

That's the real story of this data and one that needs to be told. The nominals are becoming the nones.

Ed Stetzer is the executive director of LifeWay Research.

In addition to its own editorials, USA TODAY publishes diverse opinions from outside writers, including our Board of Contributors. To read more columns like this, go to the Opinion front page of USA TODAY.

The Real Reason the Pentecostal Movement Keeps Growing

 2/4/2015 ED STETZER charisma magazine

Here are some reasons the Pentecostal Movement continues to grow. (Lightstock)

There are parts of the globe where the greatest church growth is happening through the Pentecostal movement. One of the most frequently asked questions is: "In a world where the church seems to be declining in many areas, how they are bucking the trend?"

There is never one reason why a movement succeeds. But some factors rise to the surface. Pentecostals will say they are growing because the Spirit is moving in a powerful way. I get that, and actually would affirm that as part of the reason, but from a sociological perspective, other things are happening and worth exploring.

I was recently asked (by Pentecostal leaders) what some sociological reasons might be. So following that meeting, and in this brief post, I want to explore how the beliefs of Pentecostals actually promote and produce growth compared to other more "mainstream" groups.

Pentecostals Value Their Shared Experience

From a statistical perspective, Pentecostals tend to be less "nominal" than other believers. The reason is often obvious—the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

In almost all Pentecostalism (as contrasted to other continualist streams), speaking in tongues follows the Holy Spirit's baptism. After that experience, it's hard to say, "Oh I don't take this whole thing serious, I don't even know if it's real."

When you believe you're speaking in another language, that belief reshapes the way you think about faith!

Being a nominal Presbyterian, Methodist or Baptist is easier, though there are some outward expectations, like baptism (among credobaptists), that can mark a spiritual commitment. But Pentecostal believers and churches constantly emphasize spiritual practice and engagement.

That helps make a more robust faith.

So more often than not, stagnation is not as compatible with a real Spirit-filled experience. The end result—it's harder to be a nominal Pentecostal—the beliefs of the movement tend to weed out nominalism. Because of what is happening in church and the community of faith, people tend not to just hang around as casual observers.

Either you join in it, or you move on. Many join. Movements populated by nominals are usually in decline. Nominals don't populate Pentecostalism, so it grows.

Pentecostals Want to Share Their Values

Not only does a valued distinctive encourage participation and growth in the local body, but it also provides an imperative for growth outside of the local body. When you appreciate what you have as much as Pentecostals do, you aren't satisfied to experience it yourself. You think others should have the same opportunity to partake of the movement of the Spirit of God.

When I meet with Pentecostal leaders, they're strategizing about where to plant a church. They break out the maps and determine where they need to focus their attention.

Never mind there are already six churches in a 10-block community. To them, there's not a Spirit-filled church in that community until they plant one. So they are often avid planters, not just in their own area, but also around the world.

Worth Sharing the Spirit-Filled Experience

Pentecostals believe in their approach. Their Christian walk has benefited, and they think everyone should have access. While others are figuring out what to do now to achieve growth, Pentecostals are focusing on who they are and are achieving growth.

When you think your expression is worth sharing (be it Pentecostal, Calvinist or Anabaptist), you are more likely to share it with others and start new churches.

So What Does It Mean for the Rest of Us?

One key to growth is for you actually to believe what you have is so important that propagation to other contexts in its current version is necessary. The Vineyard Church movement exploded in growth in the 1980s for this reason. They thought that people needed to experience what the Vineyard had to offer.

Baptists thought that way in the 1950s. Methodists thought that way during the Second Great Awakening.

Pentecostals believe they have something worth propagating. And that's worth learning from.

Odd Distinctives

Of course, to non-Pentecostals, all this seems odd. Sometimes for younger or dissatisfied Pentecostals, they want to de-emphasize the supernatural.

Well, I'd have some theological nuances I'd like to bring in, but from a sociological perspective my response is: "I wouldn't downplay what is in the engine." You don't care for some of their expression? That's fine. But Pentecostals are trying to reach the lost and grow the kingdom.

Their distinctives apparently aren't hindering their growth—their distinctives are propelling growth globally.

People Want a Faith With Flavor

One of the dangers today is "bland evangelicalism." Many evangelical churches and denominations are in a state of plateau or decline. Some groups are trying to downplay their distinctives to be more acceptable. Who wants to duplicate that? Nobody.

Sometimes the difference between an expanding movement and one that is retracting is how they deal with their distinctives. Some are in protection mode. They feel like they have to preserve their specialness by locking it down and guarding it. Ironically, they end up smothering the mission by covering the light that would shine through their specially designed glass.

Others embrace and celebrate their unique values and expression. In doing so, they attract people who are seeking something more than bland.

For example, I recently reviewed the stats for the 25 largest faith groups in the United States. In the year I reviewed, the only two orthodox Christian groups growing on the list were the Assemblies of God and Church of God (Cleveland). So what do all of the declining denominations have in common?

Most are mainline, a few are evangelical, but most simply are not as excited about what they believe—and don't think it needs to be propagated as much—as the Pentecostals do.

Ed Stetzer is the executive director of LifeWay Research. For the original article, visit churchleaders.com.

Unless otherwise specified, the opinions expressed are solely the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Charisma Media.

- See more at: http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/48148-the-real-reason-the-pentecostal-movement-keeps-growing#sthash.gWsXe9aM.dpuf

Is the Church Dying or Are Christians Just Falling Away?

Want to receive Watchman on the Wall by email? Sign up here

Is the Church Dying 

or Are Christians Just 

Falling Away?

 10/18/2013 JENNIFER LECLAIRE, Charismanews

 

164

 

13

 

0

 

32

 

Is the Great Physician unable to heal rifts in His church? (Stock.xchng)

Is the church dying? 

Apparently, that depends on whom you ask. Indeed, the life or 

death of the church of Jesus Christ that was founded more than 

2,000 years ago on the Day of Pentecost is a topic of debate in

 some evangelical circles.

Ed Stetzer, the president of LifeWay Research, author, speaker, 

pastor, church planter and missiologist, recently penned an article

 in Christianity Today entitled, “The State of the Church In America: 

Hint: It’s Not Dying.” His opening sentence makes it abundantly 

clear where he stands. There’s no tip toeing around the issue or 

trying to avoid offending anyone who disagrees.

He says, in five words: “The church is not dying.”

“Yes, the church in the West—the United States included—is in 

transition right now. But transitioning is not the same as dying, 

particularly if you hold the belief that Christianity is represented

 by people who live for Christ, not check ‘Christian’ on a survey

 form,” Stetzer writes.

“While I believe we need to understand reality inside our ranks,

 I don’t believe the situation is quite as dire as many are making

 it out to be. Actually, no serious researcher believes Christianity 

in America is dying. Not one.”

Steve McSwain begs to differ. McSwain, who describes himself 

as an award-winning author, speaker, thought leader and spiritual 

teacher, responded to Stetzer’s article with a snarky question: 

“Really? What cartoons have you been watching?”

McSwain then points to information from the Hartford Institute 

of Religion Research citing that more than 40 percent of 

Americans “say” they go to church weekly. As it turns out,

 however, he points out, less than 20 percent are actually in 

church. In other words, he notes, more than 80 percent of 

Americans are finding more fulfilling things to do on weekends.

“Furthermore, somewhere between 4,000 and 7,000 churches 

close their doors every year. Southern Baptist researcher, 

Thom Rainer, in a recent article entitled ‘13 Issues for Churches in 2013’

 puts the estimate higher. He says between 8,000 and 10,000 

churches will likely close this year,” he continues. “Between the 

years 2010 and 2012, more than half of all churches in America 

added not one new member. Each year, nearly 3 million more 

previous churchgoers enter the ranks of the ‘religiously unaffiliated’.”

OK, so fewer people are going to church. That’s a sign of the 

times, if you ask me. But how does that prove that the church 

is dying? Saying the church is dying—DYING—seems like an 

anti-biblical perspective. I mean, correct me I have misinterpreted

 the holy Scriptures, but wasn’t it Jesus who said, “I will build 

My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it”?

 (Matt. 16:18).

I suppose one could argue that the church that’s dying is not 

the church Christ is building. But, from my perspective, it seems

 like the church that Christ is not building—that false church 

that endorses homosexual lifestyles and refuses to otherwise

 call sin a sin—is thriving in the age of humanism.

There are many reasons why people don’t go to church. 

Pharaoh is working some of them to near death. Others have 

been spiritually abused by pastors and don’t want anything to

 do with the church. Still others are watching televangelists on 

Sunday mornings because they don’t feel like getting gussied 

up and driving across town. Yes, sometimes it’s just that simple.

The reasons why people aren’t going to church—or why people 

are leaving the church—go on and on. But make no mistake. 

The church of Jesus Christ is not dying. Jesus is still building

 His true church. That may mean in these last days that there 

are fewer believers flocking to organized religious buildings, 

but that doesn’t mean the church is dying. It may mean more 

are opting for home church or some other alternate form of 

fellowship in the name of Jesus. And it absolutely means 

we need to get out on the American mission field and

preach the gospel.

“Bad stats and hyperbole do just that—demoralize God's 

people,” Stetzer concluded. “Today, we need a mobilized 

mission force in the midst of this mission field. So, it's time 

to time to work for the sake of the gospel, and to live for 

the cause of the gospel, not run around proclaiming the 

sky is falling.”

What's your take? Sound off in the comment box below.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is

also the author of several books, including 

The Spiritual Warrior's Guide to Defeating Jezebel. 

You can email Jennifer at jennifer.leclaire@charismamedia.com 

or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on 

Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

From: Charismanews.com/opinion/watchman-on-the-wall