Here’s an interesting, conversation starter:
“Trials, such as the McCourt’s, (from Angela’s Ashes) can be illuminating. They often display the substance of one’s character, or lack thereof. But struggles aren’t the only metric for identifying the nature of one’s faith. Other measurements include generous giving to ministry, the activity of gospel witness, and spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible reading, and participation in a local church. The last of these is especially revealing as we consider the contours of religious commitment in the U.S.
According to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life’s U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, over 132 million Americans identify with the Mainline Protestant, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox traditions. Sociologists of religion say that three in four of these individuals neglect church participation.
While these people generally use the designation “Christian,” they are in fact only “partially evangelized” since the person and work of Jesus remain absent or ancillary to their life. Despite exposure to the Christian tradition, the “gospel” (in terms of new life in Christ, the authority of scripture, and an active commitment to outreach) is conspicuously missing. This is precisely the need which evangelicals are poised to serve.”
What comes to mind after reading this?
Lausanne World Pulse – Ministry to the Partially Evangelized