Barna: The Most Post-Christian Cities in America: 2019

redleghunter said:

An interesting observation. It would be interesting with regards to those studies to delve into the examples given for hypocrisy and judgmental attitudes.

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I know for me that was another reason to avoid church in my 20s, but I would like to hear from young people. I began searching up articles. Here's the first I'm reading:
The Top Reasons Young People Drop Out of Church

redleghunter said:

Here's the longer list from the link:

Post-Christian Metrics
To qualify as “post-Christian,” individuals had to meet nine or more of the following factors. “Highly post-Christian” individuals meet 13 or more of the factors (out of these 16 criteria).

• Do not believe in God
• Identify as atheist or agnostic
• Disagree that faith is important in their lives
• Have not prayed to God (in the last week)
• Have never made a commitment to Jesus
• Disagree the Bible is accurate
• Have not donated money to a church (in the last year)
• Have not attended a Christian church (in the last 6 months)
• Agree that Jesus committed sins
• Do not feel a responsibility to “share their faith”
• Have not read the Bible (in the last week)
• Have not volunteered at church (in the last week)
• Have not attended Sunday school (in the last week)
• Have not attended religious small group (in the last week)
• Bible engagement scale: low (have not read the Bible in the past week and disagree strongly or somewhat that the Bible is accurate)
• Not Born Again

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Well, don't want to take this too far... Again, my point was that with "Do not believe in God" being very low, and then a reason such as Bible accuracy, it does not address specific reasons other than a few generalities. In my interactions the reasons often fall into the realm of politics, mega-church pastors (relative to monies), anti-science, anti-intellectual, social exclusivity, a few question the Bible (the old though refuted myriad translation argument), etc. as there are, whether well thought out or not, specific reasons for rejecting Christianity/religion. Is God simply a default position, and if you believe in God why no involvement with church?

Halbhh said:

I know for me that was another reason to avoid church in my 20s, but I would like to hear from young people. I began searching up articles. Here's the first I'm reading:
The Top Reasons Young People Drop Out of Church

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As a 20-year-old man I will analyze this chart:

• Moving to college can be a big reason if you attended the same church for all your life and you don't like your new church and/or don't have a vehicle to go there. In my case, I had multiple options close to my campus but I didn't like them. My current church is kind of far but I usually get rides there.
• Church members being judgmental and hypocritical is a bigger hypocrisy and judgment that people of my age needs to understand. We are all sinners who can be hypocritical by saying "at least I am not like those other people".
• Feeling no connection with people at church is a thing that can happen a lot, especially if they don't have programs nor social events for students. That was an issue I had with former churches, and nowadays I get a connection at my current church.
• Disagreeing with church because of social or political reasons is expectable considering some students broke friendship with me because I change my political ideologies, something that can be avoided if the churches clarify by trying to get them at church.
• Work responsibilities: I don't know, I don't work. Nevertheless, it is an issue that depends on the person.

We can argue all we want about superficial reasons. The fact is most people dont believe in a guy coming back from the dead, or some person force up in the sky or in another dimension etc. It also doesnt help us that Abrahamic religions are not the flavor of the month or decade or century. People are simply sick and tired of middle eastern religions and I cant blame them.

buzuxi02 said:

We can argue all we want about superficial reasons. The fact is most people dont believe in a guy coming back from the dead, or some person force up in the sky or in another dimension etc. It also doesnt help us that Abrahamic religions are not the flavor of the month or decade or century. People are simply sick and tired of middle eastern religions and I cant blame them.

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So is it Christianity's fault?

redleghunter said:

Have not read the Bible (in the last week):

• Springfield-Holyoke, MA: 87%
• Waco-Temple-Bryan, TX: 67%
• Charleston-Huntington, WV: 58%

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While reading the Bible is good, there are many who read the Bible, but they have no understanding of it or they seek to make the Bible say what they want it to say to justify a wrong belief and or justify sin in some way. For there are Christian groups who believe they can sin and still be saved. There are Christian groups who are extremely liberal and they feel we should read the Bible as being more metaphorical than reading it in a literal way.

You said:

Have not attended a Christian church (in the last 6 months):

• Springfield-Holyoke, MA: 65%
• Waco-Temple-Bryan, TX: 45%
• Charleston-Huntington, WV: 37%

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I see most churches today as not training people to follow Jesus. Most churches I have attended are not even aware that you are there and you are just another number for them to give them money. They put on a big show and they don't truly set out to fellowship or to love you and your family as Christ and His followers did. We are told to make disciples and to teach them to obey the Lord's commands. Sadly, this is not happening in our churches today (at least that I can see). Also, most churches do not interpret God's Word correctly and they take things out of context to justify a number of odd beliefs like tithing, women teachers (or speakers) over men, the Pharisees kept the Law perfectly (or the letter of the Law), and in having worship and praise services with people who have not accepted Jesus and dedicated their life to Him yet, etc.

You said:

Have never made a commitment to Jesus:

• Springfield-Holyoke, MA: 60%
• Waco-Temple-Bryan, TX: 37%
• Charleston-Huntington, WV: 22%

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I think they need to test this. Are all those who say they made a commitment to follow Jesus truly following Him? Do they hunger and thirst for righteousness? Do they have a hunger for following the Lord and his holiness, or are they simply playing church? There is a difference.

You said:

Have not prayed to God (in the last week):

• Springfield-Holyoke, MA: 47%
• Waco-Temple-Bryan, TX: 27%
• Charleston-Huntington, WV: 25%

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Again, this is not a good indication that they are Christian. Yes, Christians should be marked by a life of prayer, but other folks of other religions pray. They should profess that they pray to the God of the Bible (Who exists as a Trinity). Their prayers should be about remaining pure and holy for the Lord and in reaching the lost, and their prayers should not always be about how they can attain physical things always.

You said:

Disagree that faith is important in their lives:

• Springfield-Holyoke, MA: 41%
• Waco-Temple-Bryan, TX: 25%
• Charleston-Huntington, WV: 13%

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Again, there are many who have the wrong kind of faith in the Bible. So this number is not accurate.

You said:

Do not believe in God:

• Springfield-Holyoke, MA: 11%
• Waco-Temple-Bryan, TX: 6%
• Charleston-Huntington, WV: 6%

• 
  More at link: https://www.barna.com/research/post-christian-cities-2019/?mc_cid=27d825c292&mc_eid=04180cc2e2

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This is good that the numbers in this poll is low. But a belief alone in God is not enough. We have to also show that we love Jesus by keeping His commandments (John 14:15) (John 15:10). This to me is the true test if they really believe in God. For the devils believe and tremble. All people believe God exists deep down (even though many try to suppress that truth). For they are without excuse that there is a God because of the things which are made.

Sorry, I do not mean to be pessimistic or negative to their poll taking. I know they probably mean well, but I think there are a lot of factors that they are not taking into account in their criteria in light of the truth of God's Word.

In any event, may God bless you, and may you please be well in the Lord.

David Cabrera said:

So is it Christianity's fault?

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Yes. The wierd cultural wars is not originating in non-Christian regions. It's being exported there by us. Whether the silly Zionist-protestant alliance or the liberal and liberation christianity which has endorsed all sorts of sexual perversions (the majority of western society approves this version). Whether our alliance with Sunni Islam politics (Saudi=good) over Shiite (Iran=bad). Why should anyone respect christianity when it either endorses a free for all cultural heritage, it worships secular education which disparages their beliefs as fables; (the guy in the sky", act as if we are a bunch of gutless cucks, or bends over backwards to the altar of secular democracy?

very interesting study..

Cimorene said:

I think the way that Christianity in American in particular is viewed has dramatically changed. It's become more about tribalism than faith. This forum def. doesn't help with that perception!

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You sure did hit the nail square on the head!

@redleghunter

Thanks for the like on my post.

That was very kind of you. I was not trying to be critical, but only wanted to speak what I believed to be true in love.

redleghunter said:

Here's the longer list from the link:

Post-Christian Metrics
To qualify as “post-Christian,” individuals had to meet nine or more of the following factors. “Highly post-Christian” individuals meet 13 or more of the factors (out of these 16 criteria).

• Do not believe in God
• Identify as atheist or agnostic
• Disagree that faith is important in their lives
• Have not prayed to God (in the last week)
• Have never made a commitment to Jesus
• Disagree the Bible is accurate
• Have not donated money to a church (in the last year)
• Have not attended a Christian church (in the last 6 months)
• Agree that Jesus committed sins
• Do not feel a responsibility to “share their faith”
• Have not read the Bible (in the last week)
• Have not volunteered at church (in the last week)
• Have not attended Sunday school (in the last week)
• Have not attended religious small group (in the last week)
• Bible engagement scale: low (have not read the Bible in the past week and disagree strongly or somewhat that the Bible is accurate)
• Not Born Again

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If those are the metrics, perhaps it is the churches that have become post-christian?

We probably need a new model that doesn't rely on expensive seminary education and an individual who is paid to be a motivational speaker. When you have someone whose livelihood is on the line, and there is a decreasing interest in anything Christian, it's a no-brainer they will bank on the church kids, whether they're born again or not - afterall, it's money in the bank.

redleghunter said:

An interesting observation. It would be interesting with regards to those studies to delve into the examples given for hypocrisy and judgmental attitudes.

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Among those who say church is not important, most are split between two reasons: two in five say church is not important because they can find God elsewhere (39%), and one-third say it’s because church is not personally relevant to them (35%). One in three simply find church boring (31%) and one in five say it feels like God is missing from church (20%). Only 8% say they don’t attend because church is “out of date,” undercutting the notion that all churches need to do for Millennials is to make worship “cooler.”

A significant number of young adults have deeper complaints about church. More than one-third say their negative perceptions are a result of moral failures in church leadership (35%). And substantial majorities of Millennials who don’t go to church say they see Christians as judgmental (87%), hypocritical (85%), anti-homosexual (91%) and insensitive to others (70%).
https://www.barna.com/research/what-millennials-want-when-they-visit-church/

Overall, the 2nd paragraph is saying they don't want to be with those who hypocritically judge the sins of others instead of working on searching for the logs in their own eyes.

They may want a church of authentic believers that actually are humble (fear God), and seek salvation, striving to make it themselves, like Paul himself in Philippians chapter 3.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.