Yesterday I posted these results from a study conducted by the Barna Group of 15,000 Americans, asking about their spiritual development. These people were asked where they would place themselves on the following spectrum:
- Unaware of Sin 1%
- Indifferent to Sin 16%
- Worried about Sin 39%
- Forgiven for Sin 9%
- Busy in Church Activities 24%
- Holy Discontent 6%
- Broken by God 3%
- Surrender & Submission 1%
- Profound Love of God 0.5%
- Profound Love of People 0.5%
If we agree that the whole point of the Christian faith is to love God and to love others, then why are only 1% of respondents reporting that this is where they are in life? Where is the breakdown?
In a sermon entitled Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity, John Wesley was tackling the same sort of question in his day: "What a mystery is this, that Christianity should have done so little good in the world! Can any account of this be given? Can any reasons be assigned for it?"
His conclusion was this:
"What do the hulk of [professing Christians] know of scriptural Christianity? Having had frequent opportunity of conversing with many of these, both at home and abroad, I am bold to affirm, that they are in general totally ignorant, both as to the theory and practice of Christianity; so that they are "perishing" by thousands "for lack of knowledge," -- for want of knowing the very first principles of Christianity."
I think he is right, but how is it that so many people commit their time, their money, and their very selves to something they really don't understand?
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