2011 Gallup Poll - 78% "identify with Christianity," 82% "have a religious identity," 92% "say they believe in God."
- 2010 Barna Poll - 43% attend church weekly or "almost weekly," 11% attend about once a month, 25% attend seldom, and 20% never attend.
- 2007 Pew Report - In church attendance by state, NH & VT ranked last, at 24% each.
- What does the data imply?
23 - "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified."
- Up to this point in history, God's covenant had been exclusive to Israel. Here, however, Jesus delivered the one of the central elements of the Good News -- that "God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)." The New Covenant between God and man, which would soon be sealed by the blood of Christ, extended beyond Jerusalem "to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)."
- The church must not show favoritism.
- Romans 2:11 For God does not show favoritism.
- James 2:1-4, 8-9, 14-17 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? … Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. … So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you. … What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
- Galatians 5:6 What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
- Jesus' impending death and subsequent resurrection would produce everlasting life for all who believe and trust in Him.
- 1 Corinthians 15:20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
- The church must be self-sacrificing.
- Romans 12:1-2 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
- John 15:12-13 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
- Philippians 2:3-4 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
- Everything that Jesus said and did was for the sake of the Kingdom of God. "Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame (Hebrews 12:2b)."
- The church must be consistent in vision and purpose, driven by eternity, not the world.
- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
- Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
- The church must be comprised of authentic believers following Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 11:1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
- Ephesians 5:1-2 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
- Colossians 2:6-7 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
- 1 Peter 2:21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered[k] for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
- Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me."
- John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
The world needs to see Jesus. This includes (but is not limited to):
- No favoritism, but faith expressing itself in love to ALL.
- Sacrificing self for the benefit and well-being of others.
- Consistent and unwavering in vision and purpose.
- Authentic in word and action, representing the Father in word and deed.
Colossians 2:15-20 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
People are waiting to see Jesus. Do they see Him in you?
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References:
- http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Poll-Nearly-80-percent-of-Americans-say-they-are-2444092.php
- http://www.gallup.com/poll/141044/americans-church-attendance-inches-2010.aspx
- http://www.religionfacts.com/religion_statistics/church_attendance_by_state.htm
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