Daily Archives: November 5, 2015

Pew Research: Decline in “Christian” Population

Pew Research released its 2014 Religious Landscape Study recently. This survey was “based on telephone interviews with more than 35,000 Americans from all 50 states.” This is the second study of its kind, the first being conducted in 2007 with the same number of respondents. As with many of these kinds of surveys, this most recent study has some warning signs for those interested in the future of the Lord’s church in America and even the future of America itself.

According to this survey, the muslim population in this country is less than 1 percent while the number of “Christians” make up over 70 percent of the U.S. population. The term “Christian” here includes, of course, not just New Testament Christians but all those who profess Christianity, including Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and other groups. Nevertheless, isn’t it strange that while muslims make up less than one percent of the population–a very tiny minority–they have succeeded in pushing their agenda on the rest of society, even after the tragedy of 9-11 and after news of the terror ISIS is spreading around the world! This speaks to the lack of militancy in those professing to follow Christ.

Overall, according to the Pew study, America has become slightly less religious since 2007. In 2007, 92% believed in God, while in 2014 only 89% believed in God. Daily prayer decreased from 58% in 2007 to 55% in 2014. In 2007 56% held religion as very important to them while that number was only 53% in 2014. Attending a religious service at least once a month declined four percent, from 54 to 50 percent. The number of those who are religiously unaffiliated grew from 16% in 2007 to23% in 2014. The number of those professing Christianity fell from 78% in 2007 to just under 71% in 2014. Those two final statistics are particularly troubling.

The good news is that the number of those professing New Testament Christianity, along with those in the “evangelical Protestant tradition,” has either increased or stayed the same, except for those in the 30 to 49 year age bracket. This is different from the Barna study conducted in 2014 but which used a far smaller sample. In that study, the Millennials, those from age 18-29 were the ones causing a decline in the number of Christians in America. But both surveys bear out that the younger you are in modern America, the less likely you are to be a Christian.

This is disturbing. As the younger generation ages, the more the population will leave Christ behind. This must mean God’s people are not doing enough to instill in the younger generation the knowledge of God’s word and how to defend it. And perhaps the reason for this is the older generation doesn’t have that knowledge themselves. It also means the Lord’s people are not doing enough to defeat erroneous religious systems being advocated by the small but vocal minorities.

Another disturbing finding of this survey is that people no longer have a clear sense of right and wrong, or the standard by which to determine right from wrong. When asked about whether there were absolute standards for right and wrong, only 33% affirmed that there were “clear standards for what is right and wrong” while 64% affirm that right and wrong depend on the situation. When belief in God is present, there is a firm belief in right and wrong. According to the survey, ninety percent of those who believe in God affirm there are clear standards for what is right and wrong. But the further our society moves away from God, the weaker the belief in absolute standards becomes and the greater moral confusion prevails.

The Lord’s people need to work harder at teaching the truth, work harder at understanding the issues and be less timid and afraid to take a stand. We need to work harder at drawing people back to the Bible as the standard for right and wrong. Maybe there is nothing we can do to stem the tide away from the truth of the gospel or the traditional moral values that have guided this nation. Paul said evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse (II Tim. 3:13). But as Christians we have the obligation to fearlessly take the gospel to the world and to be lights in the darkness (Matt. 5:23). We need to be able to give a sound defense for the hope that lies within us, and maybe in the process we can influence our culture at the same time.

Eric L. Padgett