“Give me that old time religion”? For a growing number of Americans, not so much. New information from the Pew Research Center reveals a spike in Americans claiming no religious connection. Meanwhile, it reports a steep decline among those who claim the name of Christ.
Phone surveys in 2018 and 2019 found that 65% of American adults describe themselves as Christians. That’s a plunge from 77% in 2009. For those who call themselves atheists, agnostics, or “nothing in particular,” it’s a different story. The portion of these so-called “nones” has risen from 17% in 2009 to 26% today.
The Pew report has more troubling news. Church attendance is on the decline. The portion of those who attend religious services regularly—at least once or twice per month—has dropped 7% over the past 10 years. The percentage of those who rarely or never attend services has increased by the same amount. In 2009, regular attenders outnumbered those who rarely attend church 52% to 47%. Now those folks who make regular church attendance their priority are in the minority. Only 45% of Americans claim to attend church more than once a month.
Generational differences may partly explain the change in America’s religious landscape. The report says three quarters of U.S. baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) call themselves Christians. Among the younger millennial generation, however, only 49% label themselves Christian.
On the surface, these stats might seem like only bad news. But numbers don’t always tell the whole story. For much of the history of the United States, many people have shared a common Judeo-Christian heritage if not an actual, life-saving faith. Christianity and church attendance were largely accepted as cultural norms. The Pew study suggests that norms have shifted. Maybe Americans today are more honest about their religious beliefs. In the past, churches may have been full because Christianity was popular, not because everyone in the seats really believed the gospel.
It is important to remember too that Jesus’ church (the whole body of believers) is not confined to any one part of the globe. While Christianity becomes less popular in one country, it may explode in others (for example: Iran, Afghanistan, and Gambia). Christians take comfort in knowing that God protects His people throughout the world. God is with the true church everywhere, whether there are many or few, in peace and in persecution. Christians pray for their communities and nations to be awakened to the gospel. And they rest secure, knowing that God is in control.
@ Emilia G
This is not rite.
Please Forgive me for offending you and saying things I should have not said about your church and others like it. You are a christian and so am I. We both know the bible and we might have different views on what if means but that won't change anything. I am truly sorry, for what I said and how I said it. Please except my apology.
@ Emilia G
You misunderstood what I said about pastors being to young or to old.
@ N A
I don't want to sound rude or anything but I'm just curious. Why do you think eating snacks in a church makes it dirty? I'm just curious because in every church I've ever been to has had teas, coffees and biscuits/cakes at the end. And then we talk to people until we go home. I'm not saying anything is right or wrong here.
@ Mirela
Oh at the end? Well I wasn't talking about that. I mean when they have them in the sanctuary through the service and people are constantly getting up to get food. And then it gets all over everything. At our old church (It was contemporary) all the kids would (after the service was over) clean up all the cups and plates from the adults that left them.
Everything I say is from experience.
@ N A
Oh. Ok thanks. I get it now.
Elsie (Emelias sister)
@Nadia
Yes well I wasnt trying to offend you either. I belive that if a person wants to spread Gods word they should. No matter how "deep" the massage may be. Or how old the person spreading it is.
We dont have a church building, we're currently meeting in a movie theater for church and getting ready to buy a new building. But I love my church and we've done many outreaches and done good things for many poeple.
CORRECTION
CRAP! I meant MESSAGE! NOT MASSAGE!
Tolerance...to a degree
My church (Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Delmar, NY blcdelmar.com) has two services each Sunday: Traditional and Contemporary. I personally prefer the Traditional service, but the real test is whether everything the pastor says is actually biblical. If a pastor is teaching, for example, that there are more than one way to heaven, etc. then you have a problem. A funny story: My dad's friend, who is a homeland security, hummer driving, total conservative, (before he found our church) went around to some of the churches in our area, that didn't have bibilical beliefs, and would paste fact sheets onto their bulletin boards and door. He has pictures of several. Anyway, my point is that I don't think that the manner of worship matters TOO much, but it's really the content of the teaching. ~ Josh M
OWEN@J A
i dont want to bud in or be rude but when you said massage instead of message i thought that really funny pls dont take it the wrong way though i read and under stood the full thing
oooppps i ment@ EMELIA G
ooooooooooooooooooopppppppppsssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ EVERYONE
Ok. everyone has their own opinion.
Glad this discourse is O-V-E-R.................
@JA
Are you a Lutheran or do you just go to a church that is Lutheran?
DENOMINATIONS
Who here is Pentecostal? or Baptist?
Owen
No offense taken : )
I was laughing myself.
Nadia A
I'm Babtist. What are you?
Correction
Baptist*
Also I'm actually not very sure. I'm pretty sure I'm Baptist but I don't really know any of the different denominations.
@ Emilia. G
I am Pentecostal. So do believed that you can never walk away from the Lord? And that speaking in tongues is not real anymore? I say that because that's what most baptists belive. That's what all baptists believe. But I am just wondering your opinion.:-)
Experience
I go to a Baptist church so I know what Baptist denominations believe. I was just wondering your opinion in those things.
@ Emilia. G and everyone else
What is your opinion on speaking in tongues as the spirit of God gives the utterance? And what are you alls opinion on salvation? As in internal security and you can never stop being a Christian.
@J&O S
Haha no I didn't take offense at all I laughed at myself too. But btw I'm Elsie not Emelia!! :)
Elsie (Emelias sister)
I don't speak in tounges and do not think you must, or must undertsand it, in order to be Christan but I am not against it. I also believe that once you truly become a christan you always are. Even if you lose faith at one point I think in the end, if you ever were a TRUE christan you'll be one again.
To Above
So you believe that a born again believer can stop being a born again believer.
If they want
If they want
Elsie (Emelias sister)
No. I think if someone was every REALLY a christan they wouldnt stop being a christan.
Nadia A
I was talking to my mom and we're actually non-denominational. Our church is Southern Baptist though.
@NA
I would rather if we didn't get into denominational differences. Conversations about small differences that don't matter much in the grand scheme of things can get really ugly.
To Above
BethSarah, with I respect the fact you don't think we should debate about things like this, I see no harm that can come from it. Nadia answered a question and we answered.
-Elsie
@ Beth G
I was asking for opinions.
@ Elise
OK. But it does happen sometimes. Sadly...
Especially when people are going through hard times.
The Bible has examples but I just wanted your opinion. :-)
Janna (Daniel's sister)
I think it's interesting how much Christians don't get along. If you believe in the one true God and the Bible, then why don't we get along?
To Above
???Because we're all in different places in our walk with the Lord, and some of us have been worked on more that others I guess..
@Elsie G
I don't mean we never should talk about denominational differences, we just need to be really cautious.
@ Beth G
I am sorry, did I offend you? I did not mean to offend any body.
Hey guys can you please pray
Hey guys can you please pray for a friend of mine his name his Daniel his coat caught on fire while at work and has 1st 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 36 percent of his body. He is going into surgery on Friday. Surgery meaning a skin graft.
Elsie (Emelias sister)
Nadia, I know, but if someone ever TRULY accepts the Lord I don't think he'd leave them.
Elsie (Emelias sister)
Jenna, I think it's because Christan opinions vary a lot. Like some are more legalistic and think that things like drinking is UNDOUBTEDLY wrong, even though Jesus drank, and they all have different opinions on modesty, music, movies, games, things like that. Not saying any opinions are wrong, but people just believe different things.
Elsie (Emelias sister)
Correction, the above comment was to Janna not Jenna
@NA
I wasn't offended, I just want to make sure no one else is.
@ Beth G
Oh. ok. : )
@ Emilia G
By the way Christ did NOT drink.
@ Emilia G
Don't take it personal. : )
Beth H
That's really sad! I'm praying for him!
Could you also pray for my grandpa? His health has been very bad recently and hes been in and out of the hospital.
Janna (Daniel's sister) @NA
Yes, Jesus never drank, but He never said drinking was wrong (He changed water to wine), He just said it was wrong to get drunk. And do you believe people can be raised from the dead, and that you can speak in tongues? (Just wondering)
To Above
Yes. I speak in tongues and I believe that the Lord can and dose raise people from the dead. What do you think?
@ Janna
I disagree with you. Jesus did not turn water into intoxicating fermented wine. Because it says that when they ran out of 'wine' the new 'wine' that Jesus made tasted better to the men that had 'drunk a lot' than the 'wine' that was served first. we all know that aucahol kills the taste buds, and so If the wine was fermented how would the men know that it tasted better than the first wine because they had already 'drunk a lot' as it says in the text. Also it says that it was 'good', in the Greek that means 'that witch is good for the body' ans the holy spirit would not call something that can make you drunk 'good'. Wine is not good. And so I think that all this should tell you that Jesus made water into grape juice not fermented wine. You disagree?
Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a
Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is enraging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise
@ Janna
Do you think speaking in tongues is scriptural and for today? I do. I am Pentecostal, I speak in tongues. It's a free gift open to any believer who wants it.
Elsie (Emelias sister)
But in the Bible it said he drank wine and ate bread.....
Elsie (Emelias sister)
Nadia, I think that verse means you shouldn't get drunk and getting drunk is tempting.
@NA
I heard that wine might not have been as strong back then.
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