A new study shows “22 percent of Americans say they NEVER (emphasis mine) go to church, the highest percentage ever recorded by the General Social Survey, conducted every two years by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago” - and that is up from 17 percent in 2004.
A recent cover of Rev! magazine stated that, “only 52 million people, or 17.3 percent of the U.S. population, are in church - that’s down from the traditionally recognized 40 percent participation rated suggested by the Gallup Organization and The Barna Group.
Quotes taken from the Christian Standard, Special Annual Report Issue, April 13, 2008, pg. 7.
These stats are extremely disturbing to me. They disturb me because somehow Churches are loosing the battle. Alan Hirsch has said that the American Church must move from a church that is attractional based (meaning “you come to us to find out what we know”) to missional based (meaning missionaries who go out and try and share what they know in the context of relationships). I think he is right. The time has come to GO, the time has come in our society to be in our communities making a difference. To let our conversations be seasoned with the salt of the Gospel. To serve the poor!
I personally am praying for a revolution to take place in the Church - the declining American Church. A revolution of love & service, one that lets go of power and manipulation. One that feeds the Gospels burning fire!
