Sad but true. It does seem like our culture has been inoculated with a counterfeit Christianity - shallow and self-centered, inbred and institutional, far more interested in attracting and entertaining religious consumers than following the mandates of Christ.

There is a powerful attractiveness in Christ, a strong magnetism in the Kingdom He described and initiated. Our culture's increasing rejection of the Christian Church is the clearest indicator of how far we have strayed from Jesus of Nazareth in our faith and practice. We have so little credibility, because we have so little of Christ.

"Are we witnessing the process of secularization here in America similar to what Europe experienced in the middle of the twentieth century?"

In a word, yes.
I've been saying this for some time, nothing new here, and if things continue going the way their going (thank you so much Evangelicals!) we should be fully secularized within...oh...a generation or two...unless something totally, and outrageously unfathomable occurs*.

*note: I'm not holding my breath.

While it is true that Christianity is dying in the United States, it is also true that it is flourishing in places like South America, Africa and China. Not only that, there are places in Europe, such as Romania and Ukraine that are flourishing, as well as areas in the rest of Europe where Christianity is springing up like little blades of grass. Christianity itself will never die. There may be a winnowing process going on in the US. God may be in the processing of separating the sheep from the goats. While the end of Christianity in America should certainly bring sorrow, we can still rejoice in what God is doing around the world.

Thank you for your interesting article. How long has Christianity been based on our need for God instead of our love for Him? If we look at God as nothing but a provider when all of our needs have been provided there is no longer a place for God. This is what has happened in our country and if I am not careful this is what could happen in my life. Each day may my love for Him and dependence apon Him grow.

What an incredible opportunity for the Church in North America! These stats are shocking and its hard to deny their truth. But Christianity is at its best when when all we have to rely on is our Jesus. Many of our "blessings" get in the way and provide a safe place to retreat from raw dependence on God alone.

These cultural trends only reveal a greater opportunity to speak, think, act and live missionally in our world. Our God is unchanging, the Gospel is truth, the stakes are high... I say lean hard into the Spirit and pour our lives out like never before.

Sadly enough..to many people are talking about religious connections ("evangelicals"/republicans) instead of relational committments.
Christianty is not about affiliation. Church membership can not save. Titles don't save. Political parties can't save. Giving to charity's and animal rights cant save.
Christianity is about a relationship with Jesus the Christ. No 2 relationships are ever completely the same and legalist and politicians should not try to legislate the most important relationship in the world. Christianity is to be taught/lived, not legislated (that's REAL evangelism).
If more of us Christians would LIVE like we should the rest of the country would have a better example to follow and desire to know our Christ than running and supposing they don't want to know Him.
We should live like we are saved (by grace); not in order to be saved.

We need to live our faith. I agree. I find it difficult to deal with the change in values over my lifetime. I see few media examples of faith, honesty, courage, and non-aggression, and modesty as positives. But we are called to give our all to the one who gave His all for us.

Most preachers don't preach the gospel that's in the scriptures.I just checked Acts 2:38 is still there!
Luke 24:47.And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

I wonder if we can draw a distinction between Christianity dying as a religion and Christianity dying as a way of life? I certainly think the former is true, but wonder if this will actually, in the end, strengthen Christianity as a way of living. It seems to me that being a follower of Jesus is not particularily the same as holding to the religion of Christianity; I am inclined to pray for Christians that they discover Jesus and the saving faith brought forth by His death and resurrection. Actaully, when I am in my right mind, I pray for myself that I walk with Him rather than just walk in my religion.
Paul

Judgment will begin with the house of God. It certainly wasn't God who moved.

Two observations:

First, movie critic Mick LaSalle's observes that "Religion is simply no longer accepted as part of the national fabric.... The one kind of movie that is most unlikely to be re-made today is one that assumes faith as a kind of national backdrop." Did he happen to see Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino? The portrayal of the Catholic priest was gritty and dynamic, while the role of Christianity certainly played a significant part in the movie's thematic elements - sin, redemption, sacrifice, justice versus vengeance, etc. Perhaps Christianity as a "national backdrop" isn't quite dead yet, although it may have seen better days.

Secondly, weeding is not always a bad thing. This gardening practice allows the fruitful plants to take firmer, healthier root. I believe the Biblical image is "pruning," which is affirmatively endorsed by none other than Jesus and practiced by the Father, is it not?!

Good observations, Wayne.

People have been talking and writing about the end of Christendom for a long time now. This is nothing new. Just more stats and anecdotes to back it up.

The reason this latest survey is making such a splash is that we haven't believed what others were saying and writing.

And, no, it's not that preachers are unbiblical. It's that their job as chaplain to the culture is over. And our job of actually following Jesus has begun.

What if Christians actually looked a bit like Jesus and not so much like a holy club that really isn't all that holy?

I'm thinking it is not such a bad thing for us to stop thinking that we live in or should have the right to live in a "christian nation". It is my understanding that he Holy Spirit indwells us as individuals and binds into the universal church in a supernatural way that transcends any national boundary. It has been a dangerous lie to call the U.S. a Christian nation regardless of the intentions of its founders. People follow Christ not groups or countries. Perhaps if we see our selves as the strangers in a strange land we will not be so attached to the stuff and be come more attached to the Truth.

Aren't we in North America simply reaping what we have planted? Our entire emphasis in our Christian thinking has been, WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME? We have sown selfishness and the pursuit of happiness, and we are now reaping the inevitable. Where the churches are having a positive impact on the culture, the emphasis seems to be rather, HOW CAN I BEST SERVE?

I think the basic observation is accurate - Christiantiy is declining in influence and church participation is declining in the USA.

I would recommend the book "UnChristian" that came out about 2 years ago. It involves a strong study of what the younger generation thinks of Christianity and the church. It is not a pretty message but it needs to be heard. The essays that offer thoughts on what is going on today are very insightful.

Until we look deeper into the why of the christian drift, we will fare no better than the doctor who diagnosis without an exam. Many "christian" churches are subtle social clubs, where the pastor pleases and the flock is pleased. Paul warned the Ephesian elders that wolves were outside the flock, and others were inside the flock "to lead disciples after themselves." Do we not see this today, when so many churches are simply cults of personality? Do we not see this today when the flocks of a given pastor continue to live lives of enmity, gossip, sexual immorality, and other clearly sinful practices? Do we not see this today when so many "faithful" christians see themselves as such yet the historical practices of devotion, prayer, ministry, and bible study and meditation, are nowhere to be found in their lives?

What you are experiencing is the secualrisation of the society, in its "cultural christianity", which is probably not christianity anyway.

The concern will be if the church loses its distinctiveness as a counter cultural movement emphasising relationship with God above all earthly pleasures or powers. When the church becomes something else through its identity with the culture becoming syncretistic in its desire to be "relevant" then you are in real danger of Christianity in the USA being subverted.

Your next to last pp..."look around the n'hood. Ev churches have said come to us, and forgot Matt 25 and don't know who the good Samaritan is. Christianity had an Eastern womb, and Western cradle...it's being re-born, not only in the East, but the southern hemisphere. As Newbigan says, the West (Europe/N. America) is the most pagan culture today. As the son of Cotton Mather said...1800's..."religion brought forth prosperity, and the daughter killed the mother." The ev. church bought into the culture...and God says "anathema."

A lot of great replies!! Our question to all including the Author, is what are we as the body of Christ going to do about it, and when??

Scripture says when the Lord comes will He find faith in the earth. That should speak volumes to us today!!

Look forward to hearing your comments and opinions!!

Mike & Tammy

A lot of great replies!! Our question to all including the Author, is what are we as the body of Christ going to do about it, and when??

Scripture says when the Lord comes will He find faith in the earth. That should speak volumes to us today!!

Look forward to hearing your comments and opinions!!

Mike & Tammy

Just back from two months in Asia helping to set up biblical literacy program. When spending time with Asian Christians one strats to realise that the big difference there and elsewhere where Christianity is taking off like a rocket and current manifestations of Western Christianity is that it is a less selfish kind of Christianity in contrast to the way that US versions of Christianity so often come over to those outside the States. That of course does not apply right across the board - but sadly it seems to sum up the most vocal.

Graeme from Australia

"What an incredible opportunity for the Church in North America!" I guess, it is! For repentance, most of all!

What surprises me in this list of replies and in Christian responses to the data is a lack of any meaningful soul searching about what has gone wrong. What does it mean that a growing consensus find they don't need the Faith of their Fathers, they don't Trust the existential guidance provided by the Church, and they don't miss the things, like mutual support, that used to be part of the faith experience?

How did we stop being relevant to the majority of the people of this Country, and maybe more importantly, are we going to do anything about it?

Make no mistake about it. This is a consuming country: people are searching for things that matter to them, and are willing to invest in it when they find it (notice the explosion in exercise, Yoga and Eastern Mysticism, anyone?). They want meaning, and health, and connection, and joy. But the people of this country just don't think Christianity gives them that anymore.

That should scare us, I think. And unless we want to go the way of the dinosaur, we better think about how to make this faith relevant again.

I worked with a French Canadian for a little bit and he told me that just about all French curse words were words referring to an element of Christianity at one time. In France, a nominal Christianity headlined all sorts of evil power struggles between warring groups and France was thoroughly secularized far before the rest of Europe.

Unfortunately, I see something similar with America today. In the 1950's, church was at the center of American public life. Every politician, realator, car salesman, whoever, needed to be part of a church for their staus in society. To be blunt, church attendance was often a legalistic tool to make consumeristic sinners look better in the eyes of others. And when that status started to decline, American churches tried to regain that status instead of going to the relational heart of Christianity.

But not every church fit this description and those church's still prospering often have congregations seeking God moreso than status. I saw the future of American Christianity in Britain when I visited Christmas 2007. Christmas was as big there as here, but utterly secularized. No mangers, no talk of the "reason for the season." But I did see an evangelical church of African immigrants handing out hot chocalote outside a tube stop with genuine joy and genuine concern for people. Few other sights have warmed my heart more, and seeing that helped me know that Romans 8:28 and God is always in control.

I am Australian and have just come back from Holidaying in the USA. My thoughts are that the declining figures and stats on Christianity are simply starting to reflect a truer number of authentic Christians that worship in the USA. I think you have been deluded into thinking your country was more Christian than it really has been.

Praise God for these results!!! May we wake up!!! This is a true picture of the futility of the so called "church" today - of what happens when we build "man-made" institutions, put "peformers" in the pulpits and "entertain" lost and dying souls - we reap what we sow. There is such a misconception of what is "the Church". When we consider that the Church of Jesus Christ is built with living stones - holy, sanctified with the Blood of Jesus, consecrated by the Holy Spirit and inhabited by God - we would never treat Jesus' Blood as cheap nor would we have such contempt for the Grace of God through the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. I weep between the porch and the altar because this is a true revelation of the state of the "LEADERS"... there needs to be a revival of Godly leaders, Spirit-filled and CONVERTED leaders. Furthermore, we need to go back and build up LOCAL churches - this Hollywood style of ministry need to go to "hell"; put Jesus back on the Throne and preach the simple, unadulterated WORD of GOD - above all, let us leaders live the Word louder than we preach it! May there be a revival of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Book of Acts - may Jesus send us His "anointed and appointed" shepherds - then we will see "converted" souls and evanglism will be relevant and effective - in the meantime while carnal leaders mock God from the pulpits, may Jesus keep His sheep safe out of the "man-made" institutions and out of the hands of "murderers! Leaders let us repent with BITTER TEARS!

The first thought that comes to my mind is that we have inoculated a whole generation with Christianity. In other words we haven't given them enough to get a full blown case of Christ, just enough to become resistant to any later attempts to reach them. It's what a lack of passionate, authentic and transforming encounters with Christ garner at the end of the day.
Just a thought.

David from Australia nailed it. Read the parable of the soils.

We should not confuse the Church, i.e. the Body of Christ, with the church, the human institution.

Forty years ago I taught 3rd grade in a newly formed Baptist school. The truths I taught of Jesus and God was firmly implanted in my heart and soul. Yet today's scientific advances have challenged my lifelong beliefs in creation and I now understand God created man 13.7 billion years ago when all of existence (what has, what is, and what will ever be) began (to the best of our knowledge so far). There is no human gene.
God's creation is now estimated at 70 sextillion (that's 22 zeros) stars and planets and only He knows how many civilizations. The Bible is a McGuffy's Reader for mankind written 1500 years before we could define gravity and perhaps my and your church's problem is not our faith but the our limited capacity to understand and convey God's true omnipotence. This Copernican conflict prevents us from moving forward by binding us to the Old Testament past and naive truths which the general population now recognizes and rejects with increasing disdain.
Only when these misunderstandings are addressed and dealt with can we expect Christianity to be respected and Jesus exalted in the name of God.

Admittedly, the sort of "civil Christianity" that boomers like me grew up with has waned. But it's still quite vibrant in many quarters. I envision things settling into more of a mosaic culture, where Christianity occupies its space, along with a variety of other beliefs and lifestyles. More critical than numbers, I think, is to drill down into what people do believe, and why...

It's amazing how quickly we grab a hold of scientific evidence instead of faith. The Christian life is based on faith, and faith isn't always logical, it isn't always clear but it is what will keep us. Many Christians have substituted their faith for reason. We have to return to the place where God is God, supreme and sometimes out of our comprehension. So whether it be to the extent that Cliff has transfered his faith in God's word, for scientific evidence that is based on man's limited calculation (remember man created nothing) or to the extent in our issues we've made this kind of transaction (faith for reason). We've lost it. And like the article says we've just be edging our way there subtly and we'll only realise it when we've begun to tip over, like now. FAITH is the KEY that unlocks everything

A couple of years ago I was flipping through the channels on a slow Saturday afternoon and watched an interview of the military historian, John Keegan, by Brian Lamb. Lamb asked Keegan why he admired military men and women so much and Keegan replied that in addition to being trained to respect honor and duty, a military man must also at some point make the decision that he may be called on to die for his country or his comrades. Lamb asked how did a military man differ from a politician and Keegan replied that politicians must compromise, and we want politicians that can compromise. He said to compromise on the battlefield is often or can be fatal. Like the prophets before him, but in a much greater, and divine way, Jesus did not compromise and was prepared to die, not for his country, nor even his friends, but for sinners. We are in the shape we are in today because we are not prepared to die for Christ's sake, even to ourselves, and our church leaders are often too much like politicians, whom we want, and who compromise and accommodate the culture. But we are right there with them. The indulgences of today are more subtle. We expect our church leaders to visit us when we are sick, say nice things about us at our funerals, and indulge our sins, usually in the name of unity. The church must be reformed. Revival is the apprehension of, and the resulting actions taken by virtue of reformation truth, being delivered by a reformed church being the"pillar of truth" in its culture.

In the UK the church has watched a huge drop in the number of people coming and many churches have died. For some that is a disaster, but for many others it has given rise to a wonderful opportunity to reconnect churches to the community.

From my perspective we have just started to see a rise in Christian belief in the UK (early days and not universally agreed).

Take heart US it is a wonderful chance for mission!

“...’None’....I don’t have any magic answers...”

The word “None” inspirited this reflection. Caution: You are about to enter a foreboding zone.

“And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, flat cows....The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream. In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt...but [none] could interpret them for him.” (Gen. 41:4, 7-8)

Christian America today is like the old Egypt. The recent ominous surveys were like the Pharaoh’s dream which only Joseph was able to interpret. “Since it is to you that God has made known all this, there can be [none] as intelligent and wise as you.” (Gen. 41:39)

Today, amid the dark cloud of biblical “famine” looming portentously in the horizon, Christian America needs to pray for a Joseph, who will build up a national storage of spiritual grain. And churches need to pray for lots of Josephs, who will feed the sheep - that are shepherd-less and scattered.

"This Copernican conflict prevents us from moving forward by binding us to the Old Testament past and naive truths which the general population now recognizes and rejects with increasing disdain." Well,Don’t be too hasty, Brother! From my Soviet Christian experience I have to tell you that we observed these “advances of science”, always directed against us, the believers, for number of long, long years! There is one fantasy narrative, famously authored my Soviet writer Maxim Gorky, in which a snake claims that it measured the skies by jumping up for the whole yard! – this is the true picture of those “achievements”! He did create the heavens and the earth, Cliff! The Bible is the prophecy first of all, much greater, than endless mutually exclusive explanations of American theologians. They know some Latin, but quite often don’t know the power of God at all! It’s time to rediscover your supreme faith, Br. Cliff!

"Christian America needs to pray for a Joseph" Still, that person's name is well-known to all Americans - it's Jesus!
Thus, the key word in your message is "pray".