Barna: 5 trends driving Americans' perception of church relevance, influence
New research by the evangelical Christian polling firm Barna Group, which looked at how Americans relate with the churches they attend, reveals five notable trends affecting pastors and Christian leaders.Here are the five trends that Barna discovered:
- Declining church loyalty, ‘church hopping’
- Churchgoers on the value of church
- Churchgoers largely experience or expect positive emotions and outcomes by going to church.
- Church membership is still a common practice and is correlated with positive outcomes — but its importance is declining among younger churchgoers.
- The perception of the Church’s relevance to the community is under question — especially among non-Christians.
Pastors don't link world events to speeding up return of Christ
The Doctrine of Eschatology is falling on hard times in this age of the church. Mention the Study of Last Things or Bible Prophecy today and most evangelical pastors will look at you with either a blank stare (because they haven't a clue what you are talking about) or they will think to themselves, "this guy is a kook."Some of this, unfortunately, is well-earned. Rather than look to the Bible and read what the Bible says about prophecy many Christians let the world define what prophecy is and is not, and, too often, the world highlights genuine false prophets like Harold Camping or Edgar Whisenant. Add to this the reality that there are pastors and churches who have made the study of prophecy their entire focus, disregarding nearly everything else the Bible has to say, and you can see how quickly the church can become unbalanced.Where do you fall when it comes to teaching eschatology? Do you avoid the topic altogether or do you spend weeks and months preaching on the meaning of the first seal from Revelation?I like how Millard Erickson presents a balanced view of eschatology:
Somewhere between the two extremes of preoccupation with and avoidance of eschatology, we must take our stance. For eschatology is neither an unimportant and optional topic nor the sole subject of significance and interest to the Christian. We will find an appropriate mediating position if we keep in mind the true purpose of eschatology. At times eschatology has become a topic of debate, resulting in accusations and acrimony among Christians. This is not the purpose for which God revealed eschatological truths. Paul indicates in 1 Thessalonians 4 his reason for writing about the second coming. Some believers whose loved ones had died were experiencing a grief that was, at least to a degree, unhealthy and unnecessary. Paul did not want them to sorrow like unbelievers, who have no hope for their departed loved ones (v. 13). After describing the second coming and assuring his readers of its certainty, he counsels, “Therefore encourage each other with these words” (v. 18). It is sometimes easy to forget that the eschatological truths in God’s Word, like the rest of his revelation, are intended to comfort and assure us. [Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology., 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1998), 1159–1160.]
For a current view on how pastors view the return of Christ, LifeWay recently conducted a survey on the topic. Here are some of the findings:
- Pastors are three times more likely to believe Christians can speed up the return of Christ by the spread of their faith than by backing certain geopolitical changes, according to a new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research.
- Around 1 in 8 Protestant pastors (12 percent) believe Christians can speed up the second coming of Jesus by supporting geo-political changes mentioned in the Bible, with 5 percent strongly agreeing.
- Four in 5 pastors (80 percent) don't believe their support will have an impact on the timetable of Christ's return, including 61 percent who strongly disagree.
- During heighted conflicts with Syria, a 2013 LifeWay Research study found many Americans were likely to link global conflict with end times.
- Almost 1 in 3 saw the conflict as part of the Bible's plan for the end times. One in 4 thought a U.S. military strike in Syria could lead to Armageddon. And 1 in 5 believed the world would end in their lifetime, including 32 percent of evangelicals.
- White pastors (11 percent) are less likely to believe backing geo-political events will hasten Jesus' second coming than African American pastors (20 percent) or pastors of other ethnicities (22 percent).
- Pastors 65 and older (16 percent) are more likely to agree than those 18 to 44 (9 percent).
- Close to 2 in 5 (41 percent) believe Christians can hasten Jesus' second coming through world evangelism, while around half (54 percent) disagree.
- Denominationally, Pentecostal pastors (66 percent) are the most likely to agree Christians can speed up Jesus' return by sharing the Gospel with all people groups.
- Those with no college degree (56 percent) are more likely to agree than those with a degree.
- Whenever the second coming of Christ may be, most Protestant pastors believe immorality will be more common until Jesus returns.
- Almost 7 in 10 (68 percent) agree "culture will increasingly get less moral until Jesus Christ returns." Around a quarter (26 percent) disagree.
Arkansas Baptist State Convention failed to report abuse allegations against pastor, lawsuit claims
CE Comment: Failure to report sexual abuse is going to become a much more costly legal problem for churches and pastors moving forward. Much of the pain and hurt connected to sexual abuse in the church in general and the SBC, in particular, is rooted in a failure to report. If there is one lesson we must apply from 2019, it is this: when in doubt, report allegations to law enforcement and let them sort out whether or not the allegation is true or false.
A Southern Baptist leader in Arkansas has been accused of violating state law by failing to report allegations that a Hot Springs pastor sexually abused a minor on church property, according to a lawsuit filed in December.The civil lawsuit filed Dec. 16 accuses Arkansas Baptist State Convention Executive Director Sonny Tucker of failing to report suspected child sexual abuse to authorities after he was contacted by the ex-wife of Millcreek Baptist Church pastor Teddy Leon Hill about concerns that Hill might've been abusing minors.Attorney’s representing an unnamed plaintiff referred to as "John Doe" claim Hill met Doe when Doe came to the church at 13 years old seeking refuge from a troubled home. The lawsuit accuses Hill of sexually molesting and abusing Doe starting in 2014."Such abuse was perpetrated by Hill in his role as guardian, mentor, counselor and Pastor to Doe and occurred on the church property of Millcreek," the lawsuit alleges. "The abuse perpetrated included multiple acts of sexual battery with Doe and involved deviate sexual activity."The lawsuit alleges that Latham contacted Tucker and ABSC in February 2018 to report her suspicion that Hill was sexually abusing Doe and possibly other minors. A few weeks later, Latham reportedly met with Tucker to discuss her accusations concerning Hill."Based on Ms. Latham’s reports to ABSC and Tucker, ABSC and Tucker had a reasonable basis to believe Hill had engaged in sexual conduct with a minor," the lawsuit claims. "Regardless, neither Defendant ABSC nor Tucker reported Hill to the Child Advocacy Hotline."
How the Mighty Have Fallen!
This has been a difficult month for the American Church. On Sunday, Feb. 10, the Houston Chronicle published part one of a three-part investigative series on sexual abuse within SBC churches over a 20-year period of time.Then, on Wednesday, Feb. 13, Harvest Bible Chapel announced Pastor James MacDonald had been fired after a recording of MacDonald making “inappropriate” comments was leaked to a Chicago radio talk show host. MacDonald’s firing was the latest revelation in a leadership crisis at HBC that has played out in public and in the courts for more than five years.MacDonald was just the latest in a growing list of big name celebrity pastors who have fallen in the last five years. The most prominent of these include Mark Driscoll, Perry Noble, Bill Hybles, and James MacDonald.In many ways, each of these men defined and shaped the American Church over the last 30 years. I could not help but remember David’s tribute song following the death of King Saul recorded in 2 Samuel 1–“How the mighty have fallen!”Here are some thoughts that came to mind as I reflected on all of this:
- Be thankful for the humble, unknown pastors who toil week-after-week to faithfully shepherd the church of Jesus Christ.
- We are all sinners and are broken, fallen men and women; be thankful for God’s grace that covers a multitude of sins.
- God is doing something in the American Church. There is a cleansing and exposing that is happening. We need to humble ourselves and pray, “Father, not my will but thy will be done.”
There is much to be concerned about not only in the American Church, but also in the country where this church is planted. The United States has all the appearances of a nation that is experiencing a Romans 1 judgment, where God abandons people to the evil intentions of their heart.As I hear the words of David ringing in my ear, “how the mighty have fallen,” so I hear the words of Thomas Jefferson who warned, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”If judgment is beginning to fall on America, then we should not be surprised that the cleansing would begin in the church. As Peter warned, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17)When Jesus warned Peter to be on guard against the attack of Satan, He encouraged Peter to “watch and pray” (Matthew 26:41).Let this be a call for the house of God to fall on its knees in prayer. Let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.It is as if the Lord is saying to His church in America, “Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”Watch and pray, for the hour of judgment is near.
James MacDonald Fired from Harvest Bible Chapel
Kate Shellnutt reported the story for Christianity Today:
In the midst of efforts to reconcile with longtime critics, Harvest Bible Chapel fired its founder and senior pastor James MacDonald for “engaging in conduct … contrary and harmful to the best interests of the church.”Harvest elders announced this morning that they were forced to take “immediate action” on Tuesday to end his 30-year tenure.“Following a lengthy season of review, reflection, and prayerful discussion, the Elders of Harvest Bible Chapel had determined that Pastor MacDonald should be removed from his role of Senior Pastor. That timeline accelerated, when on Tuesday morning highly inappropriate recorded comments made by Pastor MacDonald were given to media and reported,” they wrote.
Perhaps the most damaging statement is directed towards the Harvest Elders who failed to act for more than five years. Julie Roys, a reporter, and defendant in a lawsuit brought by Harvest and James MacDonald in an attempt to silence her stated after the firing,
“While I am heartened that the elders finally removed MacDonald, he should have been fired five years ago. That’s when eight former elders sent a letter to the sitting elder board, warning them that MacDonald was disqualified for office,” she said in a response posted Wednesday.