Statistics 101
Description
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full
(John 10:10 NIV).
How are you at statistical analysis? If you’re like me, you might not be very good. But I have a copy of the results of a survey conducted by LifeWay Research. They polled 1,402 unchurched adults (defined as people not going to church in the last six months) and found some interesting responses:
- 71% think believing in Jesus makes a positive difference in a person’s life
- 72% believe that God actually exists
- 72% say the church is full of hypocrites
- 78% say, “I would be willing to listen to somebody tell me about Christianity”
- 79% say Christianity today is more about organized religion than about loving people
- 86% say, “I believe I can have a good relationship with God without belonging to a church”
What conclusions do you draw from these responses?
Arthur Farnsley, administrator of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, interprets it this way: “Is there a workshop for churches in being less annoying, less hypocritical?”
Key thought: if Jesus is so attractive to the majority of the unchurched, couldn't the church become more attractive by becoming more and more like Jesus?
Hint: it begins with you and me.