It is important that I make corrections from time to time. Sunday in the sermon, I said that only 40% of Americans professed faith in God. Someone thought that this did not sound quite right, so they checked some sources and sent me a note.
I returned to my source to verify what I was talking about. I am reading the book “on the verge” by Alan Rausch and Lance Ford.
There is a chapter where they talk about the red zone and the blue zone in America. They postulate that the red zone is the 40% of Americans that have some interest in attending church. And the churches, by and large, spend their time and effort to win folks within the 40%. It is called the red zone because it is like a bunch of sharks [churches] feeding for the same people over and over.
The blue zone represents those who may or may not believe or have an affinity to God, but are completely unchurched and are not likely to be won by the current efforts of our churches.
The point of the chapter is that churches need to get out in the mission field and figure out how to reach the 60% that we are currently not reaching in the blue zone.
Some internet research reveals that 76% of Americans profess to be Christians, but only 40% attend church [even a little bit.]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_States
So my numbers were off, but I think the point still stands. We need to get out after the 60% that have little interest in being a part of the living body of Christ.
I am always glad to stand corrected.
It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
2 comments:
And then there's the decision of how to reach those people . . . some go door-to-door, some talk-the-talk, and then there are those people that we know or meet (and there aren't many of them) who we can tell by what they say, how they talk, act, and live that really do have Jesus in their heart . . . and they are the amazing ones to me. And God forgives the rest of us (I know) for our many shortfalls and efforts . . . but those few are so refreshing to me.
I am one of those people who are a Christian but do not go to Church. There are millions of us and we all have a different story I am sure. With me, it's not that I don't want to go to church. It's that the churches really don't want me or accept me. I have nuerological and mental differences. I am completely harmless but I can be exceptionally odd at times. People don't want to deal with me. It's not lack of trying, I have 2o some years of effort. The churches can claim they are accepting and that they want you, but their actions are louder. If you can't fit the mold, there's the door. Sorry if it hurts your christian ears but its true. Feel free to take a walk in my shoes.
Post a Comment