The coming evangelical collapse?
|
Greetings!... The evangelical world is a-buzz about blogger Michael Spencer's provocative op-ed in the Christian Science Monitor.
Spencer reviews the statistical reality we've been taking about in GRTL for three years now and concludes that we are on the verge--in about ten years--of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity.
It has been said that apart from discipleship, Christianity is just a one generation movement. The statistical realities are these:
- A smaller percentage of the Millennial generation (those age 24 and under) attend church than any generation in American history. Of those who grow up in church, 70% no longer attend by the time they're in their 20s.
- American Christians are having an average of 1.9 children per family (not enough to replace themselves) while Muslims are having an average of 3.5. Christianity will be easily outpaced by Islam unless American Christians have more babies AND bring more non-believing young people into the faith.
- The American family is hurting. One-third of young adults will spend tonight in a home where their biological father is not present and the National Research Council says that one out of four American youth is at "serious risk of not achieving productive adulthood."
This isn't just "interesting" or "another view." The future is at stake here. Every one of us is called to act.
Here's a link to Spencer's column in the Christian Science Monitor. I'll be traveling but would love to hear your response. My e-mail and facebook links are below.
Make it a great week,
--Jeff
Jeff Myers, Ph.D., President (email me)
(website) (Facebook) (Twitter)
|
