Christian Formation Across the Lifespan STATS STATS amp MORE STATS American Religious Identification Survey ARIS 2008 Identified as Christian 1990 86 2008 76 Nones 1990 82 ID: 443156
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Slide1
Beyond Bells, whistles, & walls
Christian Formation Across the LifespanSlide2
STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS …
American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) 2008
Identified as Christian:
1990 – 86%
2008 – 76%
Nones
:
1990 – 8.2%
2008 – 15%
Challenge to Christianity not from other religions, but from rejection of all organized religionSlide3
Sign of lack of attachment to religion
27% do not expect a religious funeral at their deathSlide4
STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS …
U.S. Religious Landscape Survey (2008)
Most Americans:
Non-dogmatic approach to faith
Do not believe their religion is only way to salvation
Religion is very important, attend services regularly, pray daily
C
lose
link between
religious
affiliation, beliefs
and practices & social
and political
attitudes
Significant minority:
41% unaffiliated say “religion is somewhat important
”
across most religious
traditions
see
conflict between
being devout
person
and living in modern societySlide5
“Many religions can lead to eternal life”
Protestant Churches: 66%
Evangelical
57
Mainline
83
Historically black
59
Catholic 79Slide6
STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS …
Belief in God
92% believe in existence of God or universal spirit
70% absolutely certain God exists
Mainline
churches: 97% (net) believe in God
62% God is personal
26% God is impersonal force
8% Don’t know
Belief in the Bible
63% it is the word of God
Belief in life after death – 74%Slide7
STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS …
Diversity of religious practices
54% attend services regularly (1-2/
mo
)
39% attend services weekly
Evangelical 58%
Roman Catholic 42%
Protestant 34%
63% parents religious activities with children at home
60% parents send children to religious education
Sharing faith with others
36% - At least once/month
47% - Seldom/neverSlide8
… AND MORE!
Religion, Moral Values, & Modern Society
78%
believe there are absolute standards of
right and wrong
52% rely primarily on practical experience & common sense for guidance re: right & wrong
62%
reject
idea religion causes more
problems in society than it
solvesPersonal Satisfaction
59% very satisfied with life
Weekly worship attenders 65% very satisfiedSlide9
Stephen Prothero (2002)
Today religious illiteracy is at least as pervasive as cultural illiteracy, and certainly more dangerous
…
10% teens can name all 5 major world religions
15% cannot name any
60% believe Bible holds all/most answers
Only 50% adults can name one GospelSlide10
Religious LITERACY …
… the ability
to understand and
use
the religious vocabulary, symbols, images, beliefs, practices, scriptures, heroes, themes, and stories that are used in
American
public life.Slide11
Religious ILLITERACY
…
makes
it difficult for Americans to make sense of a world in which people kill and make peace in the name of Christ or Allah. Slide12
CHRISTIAN SMITH (NSYR – 2005)
AMERICAN ADOLESCENTS:
Do not rebel vs. parents’ faith
Likely engage in congregation w/ quality programs
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
God created & orders the world
God wants people to be good, nice & fair but not involved in world except when problems arise
Central goal of life: be happy & feel good about self
Good people go to heaven when they dieSlide13
9/17/11 – FACT STUDY REPORT
Congregations less healthy than 10 years ago
Drops
in financial
health & attendance
C
ontinuing
high level of
conflict (2 out of 3)
Aging membership
Decreasing spiritual vitality
Pockets of innovation and vitality
Interfaith involvement
Worship
U
se
of electronic technology
Programming & mission opportunitiesSlide14
MAINLINE to OLDLINE …
75 %
Oldline
congregations
<
10% young adult
Aging congregations have reduced capacity
for
change
Median weekend worship attendance
130 to 108One in four congregations < 50 in worship
Spiritual vitality down from 42.8% to 28.4%
Rises higher in theologically
liberal congregationsSlide15
W. Edwards Deming
“Your system is perfectly designed to give you the results you’re getting.”Slide16
WHAT IF …
Christianity’s primary delivery system, the local church, is perfectly designed to give us the results we’re getting?Slide17Slide18
CONGREGATIONS
Are competing in a spiritual marketplace for individuals who define their relationship to the church in terms of their own issues and needs.
(
Osmer
, 2008)Slide19
CREATIVE INNOVATIONSlide20
CHARTER FOR LIFELONG FORMATION
Lifelong Christian
faith formation
in The Episcopal Church is lifelong growth in the knowledge, service and love of God as followers of Christ and is informed by
scripture
,
tradition
and
reason
. Slide21
THROUGH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
GOD
INVITESSlide22Slide23Slide24
C.S. LEWIS
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”Slide25
THROUGH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
GOD
INSPIRESSlide26
JANE McGONIGAL
GAMING CAN MAKE A
BETTER WORLD
http
://
www.youtube.com
/
watch?v
=dE1DuBesGYMSlide27
Four Attributes of a Disciple?Slide28
Goal of Christian Formation?Slide29
How will we know it works?Slide30
THROUGH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
GOD
TRANSFORMSSlide31
DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Slide32
SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF GOD?Slide33
IMAGE OF FORMATION?Slide34
OR THIS?Slide35
What really makes a disciple?
FACEBOOK
FORMATIONSlide36
MYTHS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media gives power to the people
Governments easily monitor & censor social media
Facebook and Twitter enabled the Arab Spring
Only young people use social media
Social media creates a global villageSlide37Slide38
MATTHEW 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’