There is a declining depth of commitment among born-again Christians to their faith over the last 20 years, according to a “State of the Church” study by the Barna Research Group released this week.
In interpreting the study, which shows a drop in church attendance, Bible reading, and priority in faith, research group founder George Barna warned that American Christians have become complacent.
The study in regards to those identified by Barna Group as born-again Christians showed that:
Attendance at weekend church services has declined among this group by seven per cent since 1991, falling from 66 per cent to 59 per cent.
The proportion of born-again adults who read the Bible during the week, not including when they are at a church event, has decreased by nine per cent since 1991. The weekly average is now at 62 per cent.
Volunteering at church during the week for those identified as born-again Christians has dropped from 41 per cent in 1991 to 29 per cent today.
The study also found that those who self-identify as Christians are 10 percentage points more likely to be unchurched than in 1991. The 31 per cent who fit this profile have not attended any church service during the past six months, excluding special services such as weddings or funerals, according to the study.
Barna Group clarifies the “born-again” category as comprised of people whose beliefs characterise them as born-again and not based on people calling themselves “born-again”. This group is now at 41 per cent of all Americans, an increase of six per cent since 1991.
Even with the increase in born-again Christians over the last 20 years, what has not increased is the participation in their faith, Barna said in his analysis of the study.
“As the number of born-again adults has increased, the engagement in the Christian life seems to have waned – a common problem when a product, service, movement, or perspective gains massive numbers and velocity,” Barna stated.
Barna called the areas that dipped substantially in the last 20 years, such as church attendance and Bible reading, “critical reflections.”
