Exegeting The Culture: Preaching for Conversion

The Church is Negative, Judgmental, and Political The Church Restricts and Oppresses Women The Church is Homophobic Christians Arrogantly Think All Other Religions Are Wrong The Church is Full of Christian Fundamentalists Who Take the Whole Bible Literally Dan Kimball – The Like Jesus But Not the Church

Formerly Unchurched Views 353 Persons Interviewed – defined as persons who for all or larger portion of their lives were not in a church but became active in within the last 2 years. “Effective” vs. “Comparison” churches: At least 26 conversion per year, and membership/conversion ratio of 20:1 (only 4% of U.S. churches); national norm 85:1. Surprising Insights From The Unchurched, Tom Rainer, Zondervan, 2001.

Formerly Unchurched Views

Percent Rating “Extremely Important”

Formerly Unchurched Views

“If there was a single characteristic that separated the pastors of effective churches from other pastors, it was the issue of accountability in personal evangelism” Rainer, p. 162

The Unchurched Next Door – Thomas Rainer 306 Interviews across wide spectrum

U5Antagonistic 5% U4Resistant21% U3Neutral36% U2Friendly27% U1Very Friendly11% Rainer Unchurched Scale From Unchurched Next Door

Belief among the Unchurched in the Existence of Heaven Believe heaven exists 79% Do not believe heaven exists13% Don’t know/other8%

Do You Believe in the Existence of Hell? YesNoDon’t Know/Other U196%4% 0% U282%6%12% U370%21% 9% U451%41% 8% U520%67%13% All 70%21% 9% UnChurched

What Is Your View of the Bible? God’s Word/ Totally TruthfulSome Truth Myth Don’t Know U1 55% 33% 0% 12% U2 43% 41% 2% 14% U3 24% 55% 1% 20% U4 10% 51% 14% 25% U5 0% 40% 33% 27% All 30% 46% 5% 19% Unchurched – 9 out of 10 U1 & U2’s would attend a Bible study if someone invited them.

Percentage Would Come To Church If Invited Very Likely Somewhat Likely Total U156%45% 97% U246%51% 97% U323%63% 86% U417%45% 62% U50%20% 20% More than 8 out of 10 of All Unchurched said they would come if someone invited them.

Percentage Would Come To Church If Invited Very Likely Somewhat Likely Total U156%45% 97% U246%51% 97% U323%63% 86% U417%45% 62% U50%20% 20% More than 8 out of 10 of All Unchurched said they would come if someone invited them.

“We talk about a bunch of stuff. But I have never heard them say anything about their church, God, or anything religious. Why is that? If church matters so much to them, why don’t they ever say it?”

What words are used of Christians in our culture? What words are used of Christians in our culture?

What words are used of Christians in our culture?

Generation Age in 2007 Percent of generation who are outsiders to Christianity Size of this segment in the United States Adults Mosaics & Busters Ages %34 million Older Mosaics & Young Busters* Ages %24 million BoomerAges %21 million EldersAges %12 million The Outsiders - A Growing Part of Our Society *This book focuses on the sixteen- to twenty-nine-year- old segment, that is, the leading edge of the Mosaic generation and the trailing half of the Buster cohort.

How Outsiders Perceive Evangelicals and Born-Again Christians Percent of outsiders, ages (N* = 440) ChristianityEvangelical Christians Born-Again Christians Know of/Aware ofNA57%86% Have a bad impression**38%49%35% Have a neutral impression** 45%48%55% Have a good impression**16%3%10% * Sample size **percent of those aware of each group

Favorable ImageA lotA lot or some Teaches same basic idea as other religions28%82% Has good values and principles26%76% Friendly18%71% A faith you respect16%55% Consistently shows love for other people16%55% Offers hope for the future19%54% People you trust9%52% Seems genuine and real11%41% Something that makes sense9%41% Relevant to your life10%30% Survey of outsiders, ages 16-29

Few Young Outsiders See a Difference in Christian Lifestyles

The Priority of Being a Good Person Question: What would you say are the two or three most important priorities for Christians to pursue in terms of their faith? Born- again Christians Lifestyle - doing the right thing, being good, not sinning 37% Discipleship - learning about Christ, learning about the Bible 31% Evangelism - explaining/ sharing your faith, leading people to Christ 25% Worship - worshiping God, singing 25% Relationships - loving others, making and keeping friends 23% Service - helping others, helping the poor, serving people 18% Stewardship -giving money, time or resources to others 4% Family faith - discipling your children, shaping family faith 1% other 2% not sure 10%

Young Christians Do Things Their Way Born- again Busters (23-41) Born- again older adults (42+) Percent who believe each is morally acceptable Cohabitation59%33% Gambling58%38% Sexual thoughts of fantasies about someone57%35% Sex outside of marriage44%23% Using profanity37%17% Getting drunk35%13% Looking at pictures of nudity or explicit sexual behavior33%19% Having an abortion32%27% Having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex28%13% Using drugs not prescribed for you16%8% Allowing the “f-word” on broadcast television7%6%

Wide but Not Deep - Americans’ Commitment to Christianity

A Loving Church? Christian churches accept and love people unconditionally, regardless of how people look or what they do (pastors, N = 613; adults, N = 1007). Percent who strongly agree Pastors76% Born-again Christians47% Christian churchgoers41% Outsiders (all ages)20%

Mosaics and Busters- More Skeptical That Churches Are Loving Environments Percent who disagree

Why do you think this is so?

More Advice from the Unchurched

In light of this information: What are some of the “threats” Christianity faces today? What are some of the opportunities God is affording us as well?