As European nations celebrate the victory of secularism at the expense of their Christian heritage, Americans—at least a substantial number of them, cling to the belief that we remain a Christian nation. To validate this assertion, they point to statistics, which show that 55 percent of Americans are church members. To them, this proves we are still a Christian nation.
There’s only one problem with this: It isn’t true—not even close. These statistics count people who should not be counted—millions of them. For example, the largest church in America isn’t Roman Catholicism; it’s lapsed Catholics—those who were born in the Church but have abandoned it as adults. The largest Protestant church isn’t Southern Baptist; it’s disenfranchised evangelicals. There may be anywhere from 20-to-30 million of them—people with a Christian heritage who no longer find the church relevant.
Within this group are those who have been abused by the church–spiritually, financially, socially, or morally. It’s a huge subset–people who know the Lord but remain at arms length, fearful of further abuse.
In my opinion, this group of disenfranchised evangelicals and lapsed Catholics has strategic importance for the Kingdom of God. Most of them know the Lord as their Savior or at least have substantial “God awareness.” Instead of being an asset, however, these multiplied millions are a liability to themselves and others, as they lead angry, bitter, lives, estranged from God and fellow believers.
(Continued tomorrow.)
Jack I am enjoying the truth without apology you incorporate in these excerpts.
Being widowed when my companion went to the portals of glory I personally see even more clearly how fragmented society of the church world has become.
This time of year, my favorite, Christmas we often her more “pushing Jesus” only soon the neglect is seen developing again.