Pastors Report

In data collected from over 20,000 Christians with ages ranging from 15 to 88 across 139 countries, The Obstacles to Growth Survey found that on average, more than 4 in 10 Christians around the world say they "often" or "always" rush from task to task.

Busyness proved to be the greatest challenges in Japan, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Indonesia. Christians in Uganda, Nigeria, Malaysia and Kenya were least likely to rush from task to task. But even in the less-hurried cultures, about one in three Christians report that they rush from task to task. In Japan, 57 percent agreed.

The busy life was found to be a distraction from God among Christians around the globe.

About 6 in 10 Christians say that it's "often" or "always" true that "the busyness of life gets in the way of developing my relationship with God." Christians most likely to agree were from North America, Africa and Europe. By country, Christians in South Africa, Nigeria, Canada, Singapore, Ireland, Philippines, the United States, and the United Kingdom, are more distracted from God, respectively, than those in other countries.

While across gender lines, busyness afflicts both men and women, the distraction from God was more likely to afflict men than women in every surveyed continent except North America, where 62 percent of women reported busyness interfering with their relationship with God compared to 61 percent of men.

By profession, pastors were most likely to say they rush from task to task (54 percent) which adversely also gets in the way of developing their relationship with God (65 percent).

"It's tragic and ironic. The very people who could best help us escape the bondage of busyness are themselves in chains," said Dr. Michael Zigarelli, associate professor of Management at the Charleston Southern University School of Business who conducted the study.

Managers, business owners, teachers and salespeople were among Christians most likely to say they rush from task to task. And professionals whose busyness interferes with developing their relationship with God include lawyers (72 percent), managers (67 percent), nurses (66 percent), pastors (65 percent), teachers (64 percent), salespeople (61 percent), business owners (61 percent), and housewives (57 percent).

"The accelerated pace and activity level of the modern day distracts us from God and separates us from the abundant, joyful, victorious life He desires for us," said Zigarelli.

While the study does not explain why Christians are so busy and distracted, Zigarelli described the problem among Christians as "a vicious cycle" prompted by cultural conformity.

"[I]t may be the case that (1) Christians are assimilating to a culture of busyness, hurry and overload, which leads to (2) God becoming more marginalized in Christians’ lives, which leads to (3) a deteriorating relationship with God, which leads to (4) Christians becoming even more vulnerable to adopting secular assumptions about how to live, which leads to (5) more conformity to a culture of busyness, hurry and overload. And then the cycle begins again."

Zigarelli, who believes busyness and distraction may be a global pandemic, suggested breaking the cycle by "re-ordering our thinking," including "the way we think about who God is and how He wants us to live our lives."

The Obstacles to Growth Survey was conducted on 20,009 Christians, the majority came from the United States, from December 2001 to June 2007. With small sample sizes (less than 30 people) used in Germany, Ireland, Mexico and Japan, Zigarelli urges caution when drawing conclusions about those countries.

DC Views: The Congress and Senate are trying strip the nation of religious freedom and the ability to preach the gospel from our church pulpits. The Hate Crimes Prevention bills, which are currently being put forth, can be used in the future to censor the church and its ministers. I called a press conference to enable pastors (the majority of which were black) to take a stand on this issue. Excerpts from my address follow:

We oppose HR 1592 “Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention ACT of 2007.” Our position is that this legislation is indefinable, constitutionally suspect, unfair, un-American, and unnecessary.

I represent clergymen and people of faith from the Christian community who are making a stand for religious liberty. We have called this meeting to announce a major national campaign to protect the right of the Christian church to preach the gospel.

This law is unnecessary because there is already existing legislation in every state that deals with this issue. The Hate Crimes Prevention bills will grant protected status to “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”

Similar laws have are being enforced around the world with an anti-Christian bias. Although the proponents of the bill solemnly declare that Bible believing churches are not its target, I will mention several noticeable cases.

o In Sweden, Pastor Ake Green was indicted, convicted and sentenced to 30 days because of a hate crime violation. Pastor Greens simply read from the Bible and gave the Bible’s view on homosexual practices at his Borgholm, Sweden church. No riots were incited or accounts of personal brutality towards gays occurred after his statements.

o In Australia, two evangelical pastors were charged with violating the state of Victoria’s “hate crimes” laws last year for criticizing Islam. This “offence” took place as part of a Christian conference. The judge, contrary to logic, ruled that the pastors had incited “hatred and fear” against Muslims.

o In Canada, a Catholic city councilor was fined $1,000 for simply restating the church’s teaching on homosexuality. He publicly stated that a gay couple’s lifestyle was “not normal and not natural.”

As I think about the concepts of hate crime legislation in the past, I think about a judicial system that refused to give blacks equal justice under the law. Additional legislation would have never been necessary if the existing laws of the land had been enforced fairly.

In contrast, gays and other groups have emerged as a formidable force in the legal arena. Courts are often extremely deferential to their cases. In addition, the threat of invasive, governmental interference with the doctrines and practice of the church is a major concern. The same groups that want to remove crosses and the commandments from every public facility would undoubtedly rejoice if their influence could also be felt within the four walls of the church as well.

This legislation has the potential to criminalize the caring attempts of black clergy to maintain the tension of preaching clear traditional doctrine while reaching out to people in need of love and direction.

Isn’t freedom of speech a major value of our nation? Do we want an America in which no one can express their true religious views?

Bishop Harry R. Jackson, Jr. is chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition; and is senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in College Park, Md., a suburb of our nation’s capital. He has a vital teaching ministry via radio and television both in the U.S. and abroad.

American Individualism Shines through in People’s Self-Image

(Ventura, CA) - Sociologists have good reason to call this the era of hyper-individualism, according to data from a newly released study from The Barna Group. Based on interviews with a nationally representative sample of more than 4000 adults, the self-image of American adults came through loud and clear.

Most Americans think of themselves as leaders (71%) and believe they are well-informed about current events (81%). They almost unanimously view themselves as independent thinkers (95%), and as loyal and reliable people (98%). They also say they are able to easily adapt to changes and a whopping four out of five people believe they are making a positive difference in the world. Two out of three adults noted that they like to be in control of situations.

And while most Americans contend that they are free thinkers who are "very open" to alternative moral views (75%), a huge majority support traditional family values (92%), resulting in a large majority who claim to be concerned about the moral state of the nation (86%). Interestingly, though, only one out of four adults is concerned enough to try to convince other people to change their views on such issues.

Most Americans navigate the complexities of contemporary life by relying upon their religious beliefs and practices for strength and guidance. A large majority say that their religious faith is very important in their life today, and nearly two-thirds go so far as to describe themselves as "deeply spiritual." The Christian leanings of most Americans are emphasized by the fact that seven out of ten adults claim to have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is important to them. These religious attachments help to explain why more than four out of five adults claim to have a clear sense of the meaning and purpose of their life.

In terms of lifestyle, few adults admitted to being in serious debt (13%), to having an addiction of some type (12%), or to being stressed out (34%). A majority of adults seem to have their relational network in place, although a sizeable minority (40%) says they are still trying to develop a few good friendships.

About half of all adults admit to being "turned off by politics." Similarly, about half of the population claims to be "active in the community," ranging from participation in churches to involvement in non-profit organizations and local sports activities.

Half of the adults in the U.S. also submit that they are "very convinced" that they are right about things in life.

The different faith groups in the U.S. show evidence of their faith in their self-image.

For instance, evangelicals were notably different from non-evangelical born again Christians in various ways. Evangelicals are more likely to see themselves as fulltime servants of God; as being deeply spiritual; and more likely to seek to persuade others to adopt their views. Evangelicals were less likely than born agains who are not evangelical to have an open mind toward alternative moral views and were also less likely to admit to adapting easily to change.

The aggregate born again population - that is, both evangelicals and the non-evangelical born again segment - were substantially different in self-image from Americans who are aligned with a non-Christian faith. The born again populace was twice as likely to view themselves as fulltime servants of God, nearly twice as likely to be dealing with an addiction, but only half as likely to be in serious debt. The born again group was also significantly more likely to say they are deeply spiritual, very concerned about America’s moral condition, and to be convinced they are right about things in life. They were also 21 points more likely to see themselves as making a positive difference in the world. Born again people were less stressed, less lonely, and less flexible in the midst of change than were people of other faiths.

The gap between born again adults and people of no faith (i.e., atheists and agnostics) was equally substantial. Not surprisingly, the born again contingent was much more likely to see themselves as servants of God, deeply spiritual, supportive of traditional family values, and concerned about American morality. However, the religious segment was also distinguished by a greater likelihood of being active in their community; believing that they are making a positive difference in the world; are less likely to be turned off by politics; have greater clarity about the meaning and purpose of their life; and are much less adaptable to cultural change.

The Barna study also revealed that there are amazingly few differences between Catholics and Protestants regarding self-image. Protestants were significantly more likely to see themselves as fulltime servants of God and slightly more likely to say they are deeply spiritual. They also were a bit more likely to say they are clear about the meaning and purpose of their life. Catholics, on the other hand, were somewhat more likely to be very open to alternative moral perspectives.

According to George Barna, who directed the study, the results are consistent with past findings from his research. "We have consistently found that Americans have a hierarchy of self-perceptions," he explained. "Although more than four out of five adults say they are Christian, they do not consider their faith to be their primary defining attribute. They are more likely to see themselves as Americans, consumers, spouse and parent, and even employee than to describe themselves primarily in terms of their faith commitment."

Barna also noted that the current political debate about the changing electorate may be overstated. "Keep in mind that the survey showed 92% of adults expressed support for something called 'traditional family values.' Media reports have concluded that people have moved past 'traditional family values' to more progressive social ideas. However, the people weren’t aware of that shift," the researcher continued. "The research suggests that people are open to discussion about values and lifestyles, but they are not as open to changing what they believe to be acceptable behavior or policy. They remain worried about the moral condition of the nation precisely because they see things moving in a direction that scares them."

The differences among faith segments also caught Barna’s attention. "There are important distinctions between evangelical Christians and other segments within the Christian community," he stated. "That small 8% segment of the public is substantially different from others in how they apply their faith principles to every dimension of their life. The only other faith group demonstrating similar consistency between faith and practice were atheists, whose fundamental dismissal of social conventions and participation in favor of more self-centered views and behaviors helped them to stand out from the crowd in a different way."

This report is based upon a series of four nationwide telephone surveys conducted by The Barna Group from January through September 2006. Each survey included 1003-1005 adults, age 18 and older, randomly sampled and distributed in proportion to the population of the 48 contiguous states. In total, 4014 adults were interviewed, allowing for a maximum margin of sampling error of ±1.7 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Within that aggregate, the report examined subgroups of evangelicals (n=333); non-evangelical born again Christians (n=1523); notional Christians (n=1391); adults associated with non-Christian faith groups (n=229); and atheists and agnostics (n=398). There were 847 people who identified themselves as Catholics and 2200 adults associated with Protestant churches. Statistical weighting was used to calibrate the aggregate sample to known population percentages in relation to several demographic variables.

"Evangelicals" are people who meet the born again criteria (described below) plus seven other conditions. Those include saying their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today. Being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church attended. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as "evangelical."

"Born again Christians" are defined as people who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and who also indicated they believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they had confessed their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Respondents are not asked to describe themselves as "born again."

Notional Christians are those who describe themselves as “Christian” but do not meet the born again criteria.

The "other faith" segment includes all people who did not describe themselves as Christian, but did indicate they are associated with a religious faith. The most common of those associations were Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Scientology, and "new age."

Atheists are people who say they do not believe that God exists. Agnostics are those who say they are not sure whether or not God exists, or that humankind can never know if God exists.

The Barna Group, Ltd. (which includes its research division, The Barna Research Group) conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries. Located in Ventura, California, Barna has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984. If you would like to receive free e-mail notification of the release of each new, bi-monthly update on the latest research findings from The Barna Group, you may subscribe to this free service at the Barna website www.barna.org.

New Research Explores Teenage Views and Behavior Regarding the Supernatural

(Ventura, CA) - If the spiritual world is elusive and controversial, one certainty is the prevalence of the supernatural dimension in mass media. Supernatural beings, stories, and themes have invaded America’s entertainment choices - from movies (such as Underworld, The Sixth Sense, The Exorcism of Emily Rose ), to television programs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ghost Whisperer ), to books (Harry Potter, Goosebumps ), and video games (Doom, The Darkness ).

The nation’s most media-drenched consumers are well aware of these portrayals of the supernatural: more than four out five teenagers say they have witnessed supernatural themes in media during the last three months. This insight comes from a new report issued by The Barna Group that examines teens’ media exposure to the supernatural world, as well as a variety of other aspects of teens’ experiences and perceptions of the immaterial realm, including their participation in psychic and witchcraft activities, their beliefs, and their influencers.

The report, called Ministry to Mosaics: Teens and the Supernatural , is based upon three nationwide studies conducted among more than 4,000 teens by The Barna Group. The new resource - available only through the company’s website - is designed to help youth workers, pastors, and parents understand and respond to the spiritual needs of America’s youth when it comes to this significant ministry subject. The research was co-sponsored by Mark Matlock of WisdomWorks Ministries.

Teenagers relish experiences and the supernatural world provides fertile ground for their explorations. In fact, three-quarters of America’s youth (73%) have engaged in at least one type of psychic or witchcraft-related activity, beyond mere media exposure or horoscope usage.

The most common types of witchcraft behaviors were using a Ouija board and reading a book about witchcraft or Wicca, each of which had been done by more than one-third of teenagers. More than one-quarter of teens have played a game featuring sorcery or witchcraft elements. One-tenth of teens had participated in a séance and 1 out of 12 had tried to cast a spell or mix a magic potion.

As for psychic activities, more than one-fourth of teens have had their palm read (30%) or their fortune told (27%). Other psychic deeds included being physically present when someone else used psychic powers (14%), visiting a medium or spiritual guide (9%), and consulting a psychic (9%).

Walking the line between entertainment and spiritual experimentation, 4 out of every 5 teens have read their horoscope before - and say they do so "just for fun." The new resource points out that while most teens are not convinced that horoscopes are always accurate, more than one-quarter believes they are always or usually true. Only a minority of teens believes that horoscopes are not at all accurate and should be avoided.

The Barna report also explores many dimensions of teens’ interactions with unexplainable events. It is no wonder most teens believe in the supernatural realm: many have had experiences that could only be described as supernatural or spiritual. For instance, seven million teens have encountered an angel, demon, or some other supernatural being. More than two million teens say they have communicated with a dead person (10%). Nearly two million youth claim they have psychic powers.

David Kinnaman, the author of the report, pointed out that teenagers are members of the Mosaic generation, those Americans currently age three to 21. "The term ‘Mosaic’ is a great way to describe teens’ patchwork of values and lifestyles: they are the ultimate collage artists, pulling ideas and input from a variety of sources that consist of a great diversity of flavors."

The Vice President of The Barna Group explained that, "Teens give the supernatural world the same treatment as any other aspect of their lives. They cut and paste supernatural experiences and perspectives from a variety of sources - from the movies and books they read, from their experiences, from the Internet, from their peers and families, from any place they’re comfortable with. Most of all, they are motivated by their desire to find out what works for them and what feels right. This makes it difficult to minister to them, because most teens today do not process or interpret input in the same way adults do."

The research revealed that many churches fail to address the subject of the supernatural with sufficient frequency or relevance. One of the report’s most sobering findings is that only one-quarter of churched teenagers (28%) recall receiving any teaching at their church in the last year that helped to shape their views on the supernatural world! Teens and the Supernatural takes an in-depth look at what influences teens on the topic of the spiritual world, touching on the roles of peers, families, churches, and media.

Certain types of teenagers are more likely to engage in dangerous spiritual experimentation, while other groups are less inclined to do so. Among the most likely to experiment were relationally isolated teenagers and those who were experiencing a significant amount of stress and frustration. Many teens try witchcraft or psychic activities based on a desire to control or influence their circumstances. Teens with few friends or undergoing intense stress were more likely than average to turn to witchcraft or to psychic power to cope with their feelings of vulnerability and insignificance.

On the other hand, possessing an evangelical faith perspective was by far the most significant factor insulating teenagers from unwanted exploration of the supernatural. Evangelical teens were nearly three times less likely than the norm to have engaged in witchcraft or psychic activities. For context, while only 26% of evangelicals had experimented, the next least-likely segment of teens - those who read the Bible at least weekly - showed an engagement rate of 54%.

Evangelicals were also significantly less likely to experiment with supernatural powers and activities than were non-evangelical born again teens (69%) or youth group attenders (66%). Denominationally, Catholics (77%) and mainline Protestants (81%) were slightly more likely to experiment than were Baptists (60%) or non-mainline Protestants (62%).

Teens and the Supernatural includes an analysis of teen beliefs on the supernatural dimension. For instance, although three-quarters believe in the existence of an immaterial, spiritual world, there is little agreement about the shape of that arena: almost half think there are good and evil powers in the supernatural world; one-fifth says there is no such thing as good versus evil; one out of 10 offered some other opinion on the matter; and one-quarter said they have no idea.

Teens’ ideas about the supernatural are soft and unpredictable, as reflected in these highlights from the report:

 Most teens embraced the biblical position on life after death: "every person has a soul that will live forever, either God’s presence or absence" (82%). However, a smaller proportion (61%) believes Heaven is a real place or paradise where people go when they die.

 Most teenagers - 71% - embrace the orthodox Christian view of God (the all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect creator of the world). A slight majority (58%) say that Satan is a real spiritual being and the enemy of God.

 Teens have mixed perspectives on other supernatural beings, such as angels, ghosts, demons, witches and vampires. When pressed on the matter, large proportions of teens say they are not very certain of their views on these subjects - even among the 89% who believe in the existence of angels.

The 47-page report includes a final chapter filled with recommendations and suggestions for parents and youth workers.

"Everyone wants a simple solution," the 32-year-old Kinnaman explained. "Unfortunately, we discovered the answers are quite complex. Teens need help becoming wiser consumers of media, but that takes a long-term, intensive process of coaching. They would also benefit from more integration of Scriptural perspectives into their decision-making - that is, they need to operate on the basis of a biblical worldview. But that takes years to develop, immense effort, and close cooperation between church and home. Youth ministries need to address the supernatural more frequently as well as customize their ministry to each student by providing mentoring and personalized development opportunities, but most youth groups would have to be restructured to accomplish these goals. These types of strategies yield deep, whole-life results. But it is difficult to adopt these alternatives because they take patience, prayer and an intense focus on transformed lives rather than mere program attendance."

The Supernatural report is the first in a series of Barna reports on the Mosaic generation. When Kinnaman was asked to explain the focus on Mosaics, the 11-year Barna Group veteran pointed to unprecedented opportunities among the age group.

"The Mosaic generation is in a state of spiritual turmoil. They long for personal meaning and they are comfortable with incredible technological and media-driven tools that would enable them to accomplish whatever spiritual goals they choose. But millions of teens are precariously close to simply shelving the Christian faith as irrelevant, uninspiring, and ‘just a phase.’ Millions of previously churched Busters ended up rejecting Christian spirituality after high school. Mosaics are in even greater danger of making that leap from faith to doubt."

“The supernatural world represents the epicenter of the spiritual struggle for their hearts and minds," Kinnaman continued. "When teenagers settle for cheap alternatives instead of choosing intimacy with God - and relying upon His care and His power - it can lead to years, even decades, of spiritual entrapment in their lives. But with appropriate choices come spiritual rewards. After Jesus rejected Satan’s temptations, His ministry flourished. If Mosaics reject spiritual deception and stop tinkering with contemptible imitations of God’s power, it could spell the difference between a generation fulfilling its spiritual destiny and one that turns from God during adulthood."

Research Details The data described in this article are based on three national surveys of teenagers (ages 13 to 18). The studies were conducted in 2002 (612 interviews), 2004 (1448 interviews), and 2005 (2280 interviews). The 2002 research was conducted by telephone, while the two recent surveys were completed online. The maximum margin of sampling error associated with the 2002 sample is ±4.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level; the 2004 and 2005 studies have sampling error rates of ±2.6 and ±2.2 percentage points, respectively, at the 95% confidence level. All teenagers in the 48 contiguous states were eligible to be interviewed and the distribution of respondents in the survey sample corresponds to the geographic dispersion of the U.S. teen population. The data were subjected to slight statistical weighting procedures to calibrate the survey base to national demographic proportions.

Mark Matlock of WisdomWorks Ministries co-sponsored the project and provided significant input on the research. Information about his ministry can be found at www.planetwisdom.com

The Barna Group, Ltd. (which includes its research division, The Barna Research Group) is a privately held, for-profit corporation that conducts primary research, produces audio, visual and print media, and facilitates the healthy development of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries. Located in Ventura, California, Barna has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984. If you would like to receive free e-mail notification of the release of each new, bi-weekly update on the latest research findings from The Barna Group, you may subscribe to this free service at the Barna web site www.barna.org.

Non-evangelical born again Christians are defined as people who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and who also indicated they believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they had confessed their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as "born again."

“Evangelicals" meet the born again criteria (described above) plus seven other conditions. Those include saying their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today. Being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church they attend. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as "evangelical."

Mainline Protestant denominations include the Episcopal, American Baptist, Presbyterian (USA), Lutheran, United Methodist and United Church of Christ congregations. Teens who attend a church in one of these denominations are labeled as mainline attenders.

Non-mainline denominations include all other Protestant denominations, as well as independent and non-denominational Christian churches. © The Barna Group, Ltd, 2006.

(Ventura, CA) - Life in America has changed greatly since 1994, with massive changes in technology, global politics, lifestyle choices and family dynamics. But one constant has been the proportion of adults in the population who are unchurched. During that period there have been noteworthy shifts in religious behavior, but the percentage of adults who have steered clear of churches for at least the past six months has remained stable since 1994.

A new survey released by The Barna Group, which has been tracking America’s religious behavior and beliefs since 1984, reveals that one out of every three adults (33%) is classified as unchurched - meaning they have not attended a religious service of any type during the past six months. While that figure is considerably higher than the one out of five who qualified as unchurched in the early Nineties, it is statistically unchanged since 36% were recorded as having avoided religious services in the company’s 1994 study.

Some population segments are notorious church avoiders. For instance, 47% of political liberals are unchurched, more than twice the percentage found among political conservatives (19%). African Americans were less likely to be unchurched (25%) than were whites (32%) or Hispanics (34%). Asians, however, doubled the national average: 63% were unchurched! Single adults continued a historic pattern of being more likely than married adults to stay away from religious services (37% versus 29%, respectively).

Residents of the West (42%) and Northeast (39%) remain the most church resistant, while those in the South are the least prone to avoid religious services (26%). Sexual orientation is closely related to church status, too: while about one-third of heterosexuals are unchurched (31%), half of the homosexual public (49%) met the unchurched criteria.

Within the various faith communities residing in the U.S., Christians are the most consistent church goers. A majority of the adults (61%) who are associated with a faith other than Christianity had not attended any type of religious service in the past half-year. In fact, people aligned with a faith other than Christianity are two-and-a-half times as likely as self-designated Christians to be unchurched (61% versus 24%, respectively).

Looking at the distinctions within the Christian population, evangelicals are the most reliable church goers: just 1% is unchurched. Born again Christians who are not evangelical also had a pretty formidable attendance record: only one out of every six (16%) were unchurched. However, adults who call themselves Christian but are not born again were by far the least reliable church goers within the Christian realm (32% were unchurched).

Catholics have traditionally been more consistent in church attendance than Protestants. However, in the mid-nineties that trend reversed course, and Catholics have been more likely than Protestants to earn the unchurched label throughout the past decade. Currently the gap between the two segments of Christians is five percentage points, with a higher percentage among Catholics (25% are unchurched) than Protestants (20% are unchurched).

Within the Protestant community, people who typically attend a mainline church were nearly twice as likely as those who attend non-mainline Protestant congregations to be unchurched (26% versus 16%, respectively). Also, church size was related to attendance patterns: 24% of the people who attend small churches were unchurched, compared to 15% who usually go to a mid-sized congregation, and just 5% of those who affiliate with a large church (defined as attracting 500 or more adults on an average weekend).

When these statistics are projected across the aggregate adult population, the numbers are staggering. An estimated 73 million adults are presently unchurched. When teens and children are added, the total swells to roughly 100 million Americans.

To put that figure in context, if the unchurched population of the United States were a nation of its own, that group would be the eleventh most populated nation on earth (trailing only China, India, the churched portion of the United States, Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Russia, Japan and Mexico).

Included among the unchurched is an estimated 13 to 15 million born again adults and children.

These results coincide with a unique book released this week by Tyndale House Publishers, entitled Jim and Casper Go to Church. That book describes the experience of a former pastor and an avowed atheist who together visited a dozen significant churches across the nation. Jim Henderson, who has been a pastor of small and large churches, interviewed the atheist (Matt Casper) during and after each church service they attended to gain insights into what it’s like for an outsider to attend such churches. Among the congregations visited were well-known ministries such as Willow Creek (pastored by Bill Hybels), Saddleback (led by Rick Warren), Lakewood (featuring Joel Osteen), and The Potter’s House (home of T.D. Jakes).

Many of the insights drawn from the experiences of "Jim and Casper" parallel the findings of Barna Group studies among the unchurched. Some of the critical discoveries were the relative indifference of most churched Christians to unchurched people; the overt emphasis upon a personal rather than communal faith journey; the tendency of congregations to perform rituals and exercise talents rather than invite and experience the presence of God; the absence of a compelling call to action given to those who attend; and the failure to listen to dissident voices and spiritual guidance to dig deeper in one’s faith.

For more information about the new book, Jim & Casper Go To Church, by Jim Henderson and Matt Casper, or to purchase a copy click here

This report is based upon telephone interviews with a nationwide survey by The Barna Group with a random sample of 2006 adults, age 18 and older, conducted in January 2007. The maximum margin of sampling error associated with the aggregate sample is ±2.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The total number of unchurched adults interviewed was 661, which has a maximum sampling error of ±3.9 percentage points at the 95% confidence interval. Statistical weighting was used to calibrate the sample to known population percentages in relation to demographic variables.

"Evangelicals" are people who meet the born again criteria (described above) plus seven other conditions. Those include saying their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today. Being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church attended. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as "evangelical."

Parents Television Council 'Religious Content on TV' Study

PTC Study Finds Religious Content on TV Shown Less Frequently and More Negatively

The Parents Television Council revealed in a new study that religious content on television is shown less frequently and more negatively on television. The new study, "Faith in a Box 2005-2006," is a review of how religion is portrayed on prime time broadcast television.

"The results of this study clearly show that the entertainment industry is not reflecting the strong religious beliefs of Americans in its television programming. The industry is in fact hostile to people of faith -- no matter if the person is Christian, Jewish, or Muslim," said L. Brent Bozell, president of the PTC.

"The evidence is clear: On CBS' Two and a Half Men, Charlie Sheen's character uses the melody of 'Joy to the World' to sing 'Joy to the Word, I'm getting laid.' Fox's The Family Guy proved to be especially sacrilegious and vile when it showed God in bed with a woman. These examples, and others, show that Hollywood has a clear distaste for religion."

According to a recent Zogby/American Bible Society poll, 84% of adults are not offended when they hear references to God or the Bible on network television shows, and 51% say entertainment networks should develop shows with positive messages -- and even specifically refer to God and the Bible.

"The irony is that reality shows such as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and The Amazing Race, where real characters freely express themselves, faith and religion are positively portrayed. But in scripted shows, where Hollywood writers express their worldviews, faith and religion become four letter words -- to the tune of 95.5% negative portrayals. This is an industry that is completely out of touch with reality," Bozell continued.

In this seventh PTC study examining the treatment of religious content on television, an entire year of prime-time broadcast programming was analyzed. The PTC examined a total of 2,271.5 hours of programming containing 1,425 treatments of religion.

Major findings:

Religion is shown less than in past years - There were half as many portrayals of religion in 2005-2006 (1,425) as in 2003-2004 (2,344).

Religion is portrayed more negatively - In 2005-2006, there were more negative depictions of religion than positive ones (35% to 34%). Depictions of aspects affiliated with organized religion (clergy, doctrine or laity) were mostly negative.

Reality shows are more positive towards religion - The format of the program was a significant factor in the portrayal which religion received. A majority (57.8%) of the positive portrayals of religion were to be found on reality programs. By contrast, an overwhelming percentage (95.5%) of the negative portrayals of religion came from such Hollywood-scripted drama and comedy programs; only 4.5% of negative portrayals of religion were found on reality shows.

Fox was by far the most anti-religious network - One in every two (49.3%) portrayals of religion on the Fox network was negative. Long-time champion NBC came in second in negative depictions of religion, with well over a third (39.3%) of such portrayals being negative. Among other networks, over a third (35.4%) of depictions of religion on UPN was also negative. ABC registered 30.4% and CBS 29% negative portrayals. The WB network featured the fewest negative depictions of religion (21%).

Later hours of prime time are more negative towards religion - The number of negative portrayals increased steadily with each hour of prime-time. Negative treatments constituted 31.9 % of all treatments in the 8 pm hour, 33.9 % in the 9 pm hour and 44.4% in the 10 pm hour. At no time during prime time, and on no network did the positive portrayal of religion even hit the 50% mark.

Laypersons -- non-clerical individuals who profess religious faith -- were treated most negatively by entertainment programs - Over half (50.8%) of all entertainment television's depictions of laity were negative. Only 26% were positive.

Portrayal of religious institutions were critical - Close behind in negative portrayal were religious institutions (such as particular denominations, specific religious beliefs or direct references to Scripture), nearly half (47.6%) of which were negative. By contrast, only 18% of depictions of religious institutions were positive.

Clergy shown in a negative light - Prime-time television's portrayal of clergy was also heavily weighted, with less than a third (30.4%) of depictions of and references to clergy being positive, and another two-thirds being negative or ambiguous.

Simple religious faith shown positively - Only in depictions of religious faith -- showing individuals making a simple declaration of belief in God or a higher power, or praying -- was television's portrayal of religion largely positive. Over two-thirds (69.6%) of such portrayals were positive, with less than one-sixth (14.7%) being negative.

"This study clearly documents the complete disconnect between Hollywood's attitude toward religion and that of the American public," Bozell concluded.

Barna Survey Offers a Profile of How Americans See Themselves

(Ventura, CA) – An analysis of how Americans perceive themselves in relation to 33 different descriptions studied in research conducted by The Barna Group, of Ventura, California, reveals that adults generally see themselves as good people, spiritually stable, and living a good and honorable life. Yet, despite the spiritual focus people claim, the study found that people’s lifestyles, attitudes and self-perceptions are more likely to be affected by their life-stage and ethnic culture than by their faith commitments.

Most adults hold a generally favorable impression of themselves. At least nine out of ten said they are “a good citizen” (97%), “friendly” (94%) and “generous” (90%). At least eight out of ten claimed to “feel at peace” (83%), to be “clear about the meaning and purpose of your life” (81%), and to be “making a positive difference in the world” (80%). Nearly seven out of ten who have children in their home said they are “an effective parent” (69%).

When posed with descriptions that were not flattering, most adults rejected those adjectives. For instance, only 13% said they are “in serious debt” and only one out of every five (21%) are “feeling unfulfilled.” One out of three (34%) admitted to feeling stressed out – the highest level recorded for that descriptor in the past five years. And four out of every ten adults (40%) admitted to being overweight.

Americans carry some anxiety about the state of the world. Most of them (81%) say that they are “well-informed about current events,” leading a large majority (86%) to state that they are “concerned about the nation’s moral condition” and nearly two-thirds (63%) to say they are “concerned about terrorist attacks.”

Amazingly, more than eight out of ten Americans (82%) believe that they “live a simple life.” A slight majority claims to be “into new technology” (58%) and to be “active in the community” (53%). Four out of ten adults acknowledge that they are still “trying to find a few good friends” (40%). Roughly one-quarter admit to an aggressiveness in their lifestyle, as 29% described themselves as a “social activist” and 25% said they are “often trying to persuade others to change their views.” One out of every eight (12%) also noted that they are “dealing with an addiction” that personally haunts them.

One of the more surprising – and, perhaps, challenging – points of view reflected in the survey was the three-quarters of adults (75%) who said they are “very open to moral views that differ from yours.” In some ways, that conflicted with the fact that two out of three people (66%) admit that they “like to be in control” and the slight majority (52%) who indicated that they are “very convinced that I am right about things in life.”

Half of all Americans (50%) said they are “turned off by politics” and a mere 6% consider themselves to be rich.

Often described as “the most religious people on earth,” most Americans “feel accepted by God” (88%), see themselves as “deeply spiritual” (62%) and believe they can be accurately described as “a fulltime servant of God” (59%).

Americans describe their personal faith in various ways. While more than eight out of ten (84%) view themselves as Christian, a lesser but significant majority label themselves as a “committed Christian” (60%). Within that framework, people’s self-identity includes 45% who call themselves a “born again Christian,” 42% who claim to be an “evangelical Christian” and one out of four who adopt the label “charismatic or Pentecostal Christian” (26%).

The survey also highlighted the fact that people who are in the born again constituency (based upon their beliefs, rather than their self-identification) are less likely than atheists to be social activists (42% of atheists claimed that label, compared to just 29% of born again adults and only 20% of evangelicals). Despite their activism, though, atheists emerged as being less clear about their purpose in life and less likely to feel at peace. Not surprisingly, they were also considerably less concerned about the moral condition of the country.

Individuals whose beliefs (as opposed to their self-description) classify them as born again Christians differed significantly from other adults on all seven of the religious categories evaluated, but were less distinct from the population on the self-perception adjectives (just three distinctions across the 12 measures), related to their views about the world (only one perspective differed among the four tested), and attitudes (two notable differences among the five elements assessed). There were no significant differences between born again and non-born again adults in the seven lifestyle dimensions examined. Overall, then born again adults were similar in their self-descriptions to non-born again individuals in relation to 20 of the 26 dimensions examined, apart from the religious self-descriptions.

In each of its surveys, The Barna Group defines a person as being born again if they indicate they have “made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ” that is important in their life today, and who believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Based on that definition, rather than people calling themselves “born again,” the study found that adults who fit the more detailed definition of born again differed from non-born again adults on various self-perceptions.

Perception	born again	non-born again
Deeply Spiritual	79%	47%
A fulltime servant of God	79%	43%
Born again Christian	77%	20%
Committed Christian	86%	45%
Evangelical Christian	68%	22%
Feel accepted by God	98%	79%
An effective parent	76%	64%
Clear about the meaning and purpose of their life	86%	78%
Making a positive difference in the world	88%	75%
Concerned about the nation’s moral condition	94%	80%
Very convinced they are right about things in life	58%	47%

Overall, the data were described by George Barna, the survey’s director, as showing that Americans have a generally positive and secure view of themselves. However, he also noted that the information shows some conflicting elements in their self-view (e.g., most people claiming to lead a simple life yet a majority noting that they are either in serious debt, are stressed out or are into the latest technologies).

Barna also pointed out that while most people claim that their faith is one of the fundamental self-defining elements of their life, the data indicate that people’s perspectives are more likely to be influenced by their age and ethnicity than anything else.

The survey also underscored the difference between those who are born again based on their beliefs about salvation and those who simply embrace the label without trusting Jesus Christ for their salvation. In total, one out of every five adults who claims to be “born again” does not believe that their salvation is based on their confession of sins and reliance upon Christ. Barna also pointed out that nearly one-quarter of the people who are born again, based on that criteria, reject the “born again” label.

The data in this report are based on interviews drawn from nine national telephone surveys conducted by The Barna Group with random samples of adults, with each survey involving between 1002 and 1015 individuals. Each sample included people 18 years of age and older living within the 48 continental states. The maximum margin of sampling error associated with the aggregate sample of adults within each survey is ±3.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The distribution of survey respondents corresponded to the geographic dispersion of the U.S. population. Multiple callbacks were used to increase the probability of including a reliable distribution of qualified individuals. Statistical weighting was used to calibrate the aggregate sample to known population percentages in relation to demographic variables.

“Born again Christians” are defined as people who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and who also indicated they believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they had confessed their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Respondents are not asked to describe themselves as “born again.”

“Evangelicals” meet the born again criteria (described above) plus seven other conditions. Those include saying their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today. Being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church attended. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as “evangelical.”

The Barna Group, Ltd. (which includes its research division, The Barna Research Group) is a privately held, for-profit corporation that conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries. Located in Ventura, California, Barna has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984. If you would like to receive free e-mail notification of the release of each new, bi-monthly update on the latest research findings from The Barna Group, you may subscribe to this free service at the Barna website www.barna.org

Moral Issues
Gallup Poll May 24, 2006

How would you rate the overall state of moral values in this country today -- as excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

	Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2006 May 8-11	1	13	43	42	2
2005 May 2-5	2	17	40	39	2
2004 Nov 19-21	4	22	41	32	1
2004 May 2-4	1	18	40	40	1
2003 May 5-7	2	20	42	35	1
2002 May 6-9	1	17	41	40	1

Right now, do you think the state of moral values in the country as a whole is getting better or getting worse?

	Getting better	Getting worse	Same (vol.)	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2006 May 8-11	11	81	6	3
2005 May 2-5	16	77	5	2
2004 Nov 19-21	27	64	7	2
2004 May 2-4	16	77	5	2
2003 May 5-7	24	67	7	2
2002 May 6-9	24	67	7	2

MORAL VALUES OUTLOOK GROUPS

	Positive	Mixed	Negative	Undesignated
	%	%	%	%
2006 May 8-11	7	12	77	4
2005 May 2-5	9	18	70	3
2004 Nov 19-21	16	24	57	3
2004 May 2-4	9	19	70	2
2003 May 5-7	13	22

Pastors Report

American Individualism Shines through in People’s Self-Image

New Research Explores Teenage Views and Behavior Regarding the Supernatural

Parents Television Council 'Religious Content on TV' Study

PTC Study Finds Religious Content on TV Shown Less Frequently and More Negatively

Major findings:

Barna Survey Offers a Profile of How Americans See Themselves

Moral Issues Gallup Poll May 24, 2006

Moral Issues
Gallup Poll May 24, 2006