Have Barna’s Have Barna’s Revolutionaries Revolutionaries

come to your come to your town?town?

By Jim L. Wilson

Have Barna’s Revolutionaries come to your town?

• The following findings come from an interactive article published in Leadership Network Advance (Issue #22 Mar. 30, 2006)

• The first 459 responses from 10,000 subscribers were tallied.

• Readers’ opinions were split on many of the issues.

• Only a small fraction of comments have been included in this summary.

Majority of Advance readers are pastorsWhen Leadership Network asked: How do you describe yourself?

4%

11%

57%

31%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

viewed as a pastor or ministerin a local church

viewed mostly as a memberor lay leader in a local church

a devout follower of Christ, butnot aligned with a local church

in any way

other

The sum of all categories equals more than 100% because respondents could check more than one category

Included answers such as church staff, multiple roles, denominational or regional ministers, para-church leaders, retired, etc.

Advance readers are divided on whether there is an increase in the attitude that church is "optional"

36%

9%

33%

14%

9%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Strongly Agree

Agree

Not Sure

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Percentage of Responses

Tenet 1 from Barna's Revolution: RELATING TO A LOCAL CHURCH IS OPTIONAL FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRISTWhen asked: In my community, I am seeing an increase in the number of devout followers of Christ who believe that relating to a local church is optional.

Advance readers lean only slightly toward seeing broadened definition of worship

11%

37%

11%

31%

9%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Strongly Agree

Agree

Not Sure

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Percentage of Responses

Tenet 2 from Barna's Revolution: ATTENDING A WORSHIP SERVICE IS OPTIONAL FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.When asked: In my community, I am seeing an increase in the number of devout followers of Christ who view worship more as a lifestyle to live than a gathering to attend.

4%

14%

40%

33%

9%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Strongly Agree

Agree

Not Sure

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Percentage of Responses

Less than 3/4 of Advance readers observe a growing rejection of worship services

Tenet 3 from Barna's Revolution : ATTENDING A WORSHIP SERVICE WILL LIKELY BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.When asked: In my community, I am seeing an increase in the number of devout followers of Christ who view attendance at a worship service as detrimental to their walk as a follower of Christ.

Majority of Advance readers agree that churches have lost influence

22%

38%

8%

23%

10%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Strongly Agree

Agree

Not Sure

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Percentage of Responses

Tenet 4 of Barna's Revolution : LOCAL CHURCHES ARE INEFFECTIVE NOW AND WILL HAVE LESS INFLUENCE IN THE FUTURE.When asked: In my community, local churches appear to have less and less influence on our culture.

Advance readers are split over whether or not churches will be effective in the future

14%

25%

23%

27%

12%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Strongly Agree

Agree

Not Sure

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Percentage of Responses

Tenet 4 from Barna's Revolution: LOCAL CHURCHES ARE INEFFECTIVE NOW AND WILL HAVE LESS INFLUENCE IN THE FUTURE.

When asked: Local churches are likely to be less effective in the future than they are today.

• My faith is real, relevant and life-changing; but the church -- as of late -- is not. However, I believe community -- the real church -- is more important than ever.

• I am discovering a host of pastor/staff people in local churches who are re-careering and moving from the ''gathered church'' to the ''scattered church'' . . . due to apathy and unwillingness of existing members to change. I think the Revolution is already here!

Some Comments From Readers** Over 200 Advance readers offered comments; these represent only a fraction of readers’ opinions.

• A somewhat independent approach [to church] is surfacing. . . In today’s consumer culture . . . people want community, but on “my” terms.

• With the growth of house churches and cell churches, there is already a growing number of disciples outside of our building-centered institutions.

Some Comments From Readers** Over 200 Advance readers offered comments; these represent only a fraction of readers’ opinions.

• Too many churches are run poorly with little or no leadership, a lot of laziness, and hardly any strategy at all for reaching & teaching people. The local church will change into what it needs to be -- it will not, however, go away.

• I am seeing an increase in people who believe their "spirituality" does not need to relate to a church. But I would not, nor would they, define their "spirituality" as Christian.

Some Comments From Readers** Over 200 Advance readers offered comments; these represent only a fraction of readers’ opinions.

• If people are discontent with the way church is done then why not begin renewal within the local body. . . . Why not challenge the American Christian to be an instrument of ministry within the local body, instead of encouraging them to quit?

• The church has become more concerned with maintaining its machinery than its God-given birthright to change culture. The church has become irrelevant due to its inward focus and selfishness, and a failure of pastoral leadership to equip the saints . . . I welcome the Revolution -- where do I sign up?

Some Comments From Readers** Over 200 Advance readers offered comments; these represent only a fraction of readers’ opinions.