Born-again Christians have become complacent, says survey

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Evangelical Christians worshiping THERE is a declining depth of commitment among born-again Christians to their faith over the last 20 years, according to a “State of the Church” study by the Barna Research Group released this week.

In interpreting the study, which shows a drop in church attendance, Bible reading, and priority in faith, research group founder George Barna warned that American Christians have become complacent.

The study in regards to those identified by Barna Group as born-again Christians showed that:

Attendance at weekend church services has declined among this group by seven percent since 1991, falling from 66 percent to 59 percent.

The proportion of born-again adults who read the Bible during the week, not including when they are at a church event, has decreased by nine percent since 1991. The weekly average is now at 62 percent.

Volunteering at church during the week for those identified as born-again Christians has dropped from 41 percent in 1991 to 29 percent today.

The study also found that those who self-identify as Christians are 10 percentage points more likely to be unchurched than in 1991. The 31 percent who fit this profile have not attended any church service during the past six months, excluding special services such as weddings or funerals, according to the study.

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Barna Group clarifies the “born-again” category as comprised of people whose beliefs characterize them as born-again and not based on people calling themselves “born-again.” This group is now at 41 percent of all Americans, an increase of six percent since 1991.

Even with the increase in born-again Christians over the last 20 years, what has not increased is the participation in their faith, Barna said in his analysis of the study.

“As the number of born-again adults has increased, the engagement in the Christian life seems to have waned – a common problem when a product, service, movement, or perspective gains massive numbers and velocity,” Barna stated.

Barna called the areas that dipped substantially in the last 20 years, such as church attendance and Bible reading, “critical reflections.”

“In the past decade, even the proportion of born-again adults who say their faith is vitally important to them has dipped substantially,” he noted.

Barna concluded his analysis of the born-again Christian segment of the study by saying that such a spiritual condition reflects the “pursuit of cheap grace,” described by theologian and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Barna said the condition “fits America all too snugly today.” Source: Christian Post

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