Gospel openness heading opposite directions

By Steve DeVane

BR Managing Editor

Thom Rainer talks to a participant during a break at the statewide evangelism conference in Greensboro.

BR photo by Steve DeVane

BR

GREENSBORO - Non-Christians are becoming more open to the gospel just as Christians are isolating themselves, the head of the Southern Baptist publishing arm said.

Thom Rainer, the president of LifeWay Christian Resources, presented 12 trends in the growth and health of churches at the Baptist State Convention's annual Evangelism and Church Growth Conference on Feb. 26. He also answered questions during two dialogue sessions.

One of the trends shows that Christians are more isolated from non-Christians than at any point in recent American history, Rainer said. Christians are tending to associate mostly with other Christians, forming what he called "gospel ghettoes" and "holy huddles."

Some wonder why more people aren't being won to Christ, he said.

One reason more people are not being won to Christ is because "we as Christians are not getting our hands dirty with non-Christians," Rainer said.

At the same time, non-Christians are more receptive to the gospel than at any point in recent American history, he said. Recent research divided unchurched people into five categories: antagonistic, resistant, neutral, receptive and highly receptive to the gospel.

Rainer said that while many Christians have the perception that most non-Christians are antagonistic toward the gospel, that group represented only 5 percent of non-Christians. Those resistant to the gospel totaled 21 percent, while 36 percent were neutral.

About 27 percent were receptive to the gospel, and 11 percent were highly receptive, Rainer said.

"Even though our nation has become more non-Christian, the receptivity has increased," he said.

Rainer discussed 10 other trends in churches.

- Church involvement differs between generations. Older members born before 1946 tend to view church as spectators. Those born from 1946 and 1964 are demonstrators wanting to be shown the value in participating. Those born from 1965 to 1976 are collaborators, wanting to get their hands dirty. Those born from 1977 to 1994 want to invest their lives with long-term involvement.

"Many churches are having difficulty aligning their ministries with the generational differences," Rainer said.

- Only one in 14 Southern Baptist churches has an evangelistic strategy.

- The healthiest churches have both a high view of scripture and a clear process of discipleship.

- There is a direct correlation between evangelistic decline and the decline of open Bible study groups.

"Don't presume because you have Sunday School you have open Bible study groups," Rainer said. "As a matter of fact, many Sunday School classes are the most closed groups I've seen."

- The dropout rate of 18-22 year olds from churches has hit an all-time high of 70 percent.

The good news is about half return before they turn 30, Rainer said. The bad news is about half do not return by then.

"The number one reason for dropping out is they simply wanted a break from church," he said. "The church was not essential to them."

- An increasing number of churches with high baptisms are matching their Bible study with their preaching.

Some larger churches are writing their own Bible study curriculum to match the sermons, Rainer said.

- The younger generation is seeking three major connection points - relevant worship; deeper Bible study and preaching; and "third place relational areas."

Relationships are formed first at home and second at work or school, Rainer said. The third place relational areas are the other places.

The most common third place relational area is Starbucks, which invites people to stay and connect, he said.

"More churches are understanding this," Rainer said.

- The multi-venue trend shows no sign of slowing.

Rainer said this has moved beyond churches with multiple campuses to churches with multiple places of worship at one site.

- Sunday evening is becoming the second choice for a primary worship time.

These services are often identical or very similar to services held that morning, Rainer said. Many churches having success with this approach are located at or near college campuses, where some students like to sleep in on Sunday mornings and others go home for the weekends.

The trend was an "absolute surprise," he said.

"I did not see it coming," he said.

- The best description for a healthy church in the 21st century is an "essential church."

Rainer said essential churches simplify their structure, deepen their content, expect much from their members and multiply themselves and their members.