Christianity Today posted an article today reporting on a survey that identifies 5 different types of Christians in America. They are:
Active Christians 19%
* Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
* Committed churchgoers
* Bible readers
* Accept leadership positions
* Invest in personal faith development through the church
* Feel obligated to share faith; 79% do so.
Professing Christians 20%
* Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
* Focus on personal relationship with God and Jesus
* Similar beliefs to Active Christians, different actions
* Less involved in church, both attending and serving
* Less commitment to Bible reading or sharing faith
Liturgical Christians 16%
* Predominantly Catholic and Lutheran
* Regular churchgoers
* High level of spiritual activity, mostly expressed by serving in church and/or
community
* Recognize authority of the church
Private Christians 24%
* Largest and youngest segment
* Believe in God and doing good things
* Own a Bible, but don't read it
* Spiritual interest, but not within church context
* Only about a third attend church at all
* Almost none are church leaders
Cultural Christians 21%
* Little outward religious behavior or attitudes
* God aware, but little personal involvement with God
* Do not view Jesus as essential to salvation
* Affirm many ways to God
* Favor universality theology
So what kind of Christian are you?
8 comments:
Ha! I reject these labels....
Here's my list if there must be one:
* Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ (not a ticket to heaven salvation but a life of the Spirit salvation)
* Committed churchgoers (change this to community and we have a deal.)
* Bible readers (I love the Word...I just do.)
* Accept leadership positions (I believe in leadership shown and offered through giftedness)
* Invest in personal faith development through the church (faith developement comes all day every day in every single interaction...I don't necessarily need a church"program" to do this but I don't discard this completely)
* Focus on personal relationship with God and Jesus (I love my Jesus)
Similar beliefs to Active Christians, different actions (I just want to love all people....I just do.)
* High level of spiritual activity, mostly expressed by serving in church and/or
community (this is my goal...right now in the middle of nowhere it's been hard to realize.
* Believe in God and doing good things
* Spiritual interest, but not within church context (yes, this TOO)
peace Karen!
ang
I would at THIS time in my life consider myself between the last two somewhere.
Although, I have fit into a different category before in my life and will probably again..... who knows.
Great discussion!
Jamie
Hi! i linked here from Jamie's blog... Somewhere between one and two... I guess more or less one, only we are not really legalistic and we aren't in any leadership roles...
Also coming from Jamie-- I do believe in the saving grace of Jesus. I don't like to be put into groups though:) If I had to pick a group-- I am in group one.
Feel called to live a life of radical obedience to Jesus! I pretty much fail at this each and every day though-- grace, grace!!
Good discussion!
I'm probably closest linked to group one.
But I don't like Christianity today ;)
I'm also VERY VERY jaded with the modern church and reject a LOT of traditional churches and church leadership.
I do loves me some bible.
i guess i would fall somewhere betweeen liturgical and professing. we have had a hard time finding a church so we do church at home by ourselves. so by some people's definition we wouldn't be christians at all. i was recently asked by someone else what i think it means to be a christian and i think this: I believe a Christian is someone who wants and tries to love God by believing in Him. I also believe that Christians must believe in Christ’s divinity – in the fact that He was resurrected and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I'm here from Jamie's. I'm definitely in the first two groups. I know people often feel jaded by "organized religion" and for good reason. Still, I believe God works through the body of believers, and church attendance is such an important part of developing that community of faith. I wish we could all be a little more forgiving and a little less critical, but we are all sinners and we all fall short of perfection every day. So I thank God for the gift of forgiveness and salvation thru faith in His Son. :-)
I'm #1 with litugical leanings who's a slacker when it comes to Bible reading.
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