Statistically Speaking
I have always enjoyed listening to statistics on different subjects. I am a very visual learner, so when a pastor or speaker presents a statistic for what they are discussing, I am then able to create a visual of the impact those numbers represent. I recently came across a Barna study that compiled survey information from 1991 to 2011 concerning differences in men and women's faith over the course of those twenty years. I will just be focusing on the statistics for women throughout the remainder of the post. This may not be the most current information, but I believe the conclusion is just as relevant today. This study tracked surveys in relation to fourteen religious beliefs and behaviors of significance.
Here are the opening lines from the article. "No population group among the sixty segments examined has gone through more spiritual changes in the past two decades than women. Of the 14 religious factors studied, women have experienced statistically significant changes related to 10 of them. Of those transitions, eight represent negative movement – that is, either less engagement in common religious behaviors or a shift in belief away from biblical teachings." (Barna, Research Releases in Faith & Christianity, August 1, 2011)
Church attendance, Bible reading, Sunday school involvement, and volunteer activity among women over these two decades decreased, and the only religious behavior to increase was that of women becoming unchurched. Women who attended a 600+ member church remained at a stable percentage.
As far as core beliefs, women are less likely to say their religious faith is very important to them. Fewer women firmly believe the Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches and that God is "the all-knowing, all-powerful and perfect Creator of the universe who still rules the world today." Though the authority and sovereignty of God is diminishing in our culture's eyes, women are increasingly believing that Satan is more than a mere symbol of evil. How sad that the belief in Satan is growing, while the belief in God is fading. I find the last statistic the saddest of all. "The percentage of women whose beliefs qualify them to be classified as born again Christians has risen significantly in the past 20 years. In 1991, 38% of woman said they had made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that remained important in their life, and also said they believed they would go to Heaven after they died solely because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Since then, the figure has increased slightly to 44%." (Barna, Research Releases in Faith & Christianity, August 1, 2011)
You may be wondering why I claim the last statistic to be the worst. Here's why. I am deeply concerned that more and more women are stepping away from the church, bible reading, public professions of faith, scriptural accuracy, and God's supreme authority, yet there is an increase in those claiming salvation. How can the two mesh? Of course there are many women who are saved that do not fall under the negatives and decreasing statistics of this survey. I am also not making a connection between salvation and works of any kind, but we do know that the Bible plainly tells us in Matthew 7:17-18 "Every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree CANNOT bear bad fruit; nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit." We are then given an example of good fruit in Galatians 5:22-23; fruit that comes from the indwelling Spirit of God. These characteristics are in exact opposition to what our flesh desires. That is what makes it obvious to the world that we are different, set apart, transformed, and renewed. Immediately following this list of christian qualities, we see v. 25 "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."
These verses leave two conclusions to our sad statistics. The first is that some, if not many, of the women who claim to be born again Christians have not truly been converted. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21) The second is that many women in our society today are led to a saving belief in Christ and are then left to poor theology, a lack of discipleship, and a church that is continuously flirting with moral relevance over scriptural absolutes.
Christian women, we cannot remain only inward focused while Satan and the world try to take the upper hand! These statistics are happening in our churches and in our neighborhoods. They are not just statistics, they are human souls in a battle for eternity. How can YOU make a difference in the lives of women around you? Begin to pray that you would have eyes to see the spiritual needs of others. Maybe you are the woman who has not truly accepted Christ as the Lord of your life or you have accepted Christ but have been following unsound doctrine. Today is a new day and a fresh start for those who will believe in Christ and follow Him!
It is crucial to understand the deterioration of "the christian woman" today so that our eyes are opened to further defining biblical womanhood and truly becoming women that reflect the beauty of Christ and the gospel.
The Takeaway: Christian living among women is continuously on the decline. We need to daily "be transformed by the renewing of our minds" to not only live out the gospel in our own lives, but also to recognize the needs of and disciple other women around us.
Here are the opening lines from the article. "No population group among the sixty segments examined has gone through more spiritual changes in the past two decades than women. Of the 14 religious factors studied, women have experienced statistically significant changes related to 10 of them. Of those transitions, eight represent negative movement – that is, either less engagement in common religious behaviors or a shift in belief away from biblical teachings." (Barna, Research Releases in Faith & Christianity, August 1, 2011)
Church attendance, Bible reading, Sunday school involvement, and volunteer activity among women over these two decades decreased, and the only religious behavior to increase was that of women becoming unchurched. Women who attended a 600+ member church remained at a stable percentage.
As far as core beliefs, women are less likely to say their religious faith is very important to them. Fewer women firmly believe the Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches and that God is "the all-knowing, all-powerful and perfect Creator of the universe who still rules the world today." Though the authority and sovereignty of God is diminishing in our culture's eyes, women are increasingly believing that Satan is more than a mere symbol of evil. How sad that the belief in Satan is growing, while the belief in God is fading. I find the last statistic the saddest of all. "The percentage of women whose beliefs qualify them to be classified as born again Christians has risen significantly in the past 20 years. In 1991, 38% of woman said they had made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that remained important in their life, and also said they believed they would go to Heaven after they died solely because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Since then, the figure has increased slightly to 44%." (Barna, Research Releases in Faith & Christianity, August 1, 2011)
You may be wondering why I claim the last statistic to be the worst. Here's why. I am deeply concerned that more and more women are stepping away from the church, bible reading, public professions of faith, scriptural accuracy, and God's supreme authority, yet there is an increase in those claiming salvation. How can the two mesh? Of course there are many women who are saved that do not fall under the negatives and decreasing statistics of this survey. I am also not making a connection between salvation and works of any kind, but we do know that the Bible plainly tells us in Matthew 7:17-18 "Every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree CANNOT bear bad fruit; nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit." We are then given an example of good fruit in Galatians 5:22-23; fruit that comes from the indwelling Spirit of God. These characteristics are in exact opposition to what our flesh desires. That is what makes it obvious to the world that we are different, set apart, transformed, and renewed. Immediately following this list of christian qualities, we see v. 25 "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."
These verses leave two conclusions to our sad statistics. The first is that some, if not many, of the women who claim to be born again Christians have not truly been converted. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21) The second is that many women in our society today are led to a saving belief in Christ and are then left to poor theology, a lack of discipleship, and a church that is continuously flirting with moral relevance over scriptural absolutes.
Christian women, we cannot remain only inward focused while Satan and the world try to take the upper hand! These statistics are happening in our churches and in our neighborhoods. They are not just statistics, they are human souls in a battle for eternity. How can YOU make a difference in the lives of women around you? Begin to pray that you would have eyes to see the spiritual needs of others. Maybe you are the woman who has not truly accepted Christ as the Lord of your life or you have accepted Christ but have been following unsound doctrine. Today is a new day and a fresh start for those who will believe in Christ and follow Him!
It is crucial to understand the deterioration of "the christian woman" today so that our eyes are opened to further defining biblical womanhood and truly becoming women that reflect the beauty of Christ and the gospel.
The Takeaway: Christian living among women is continuously on the decline. We need to daily "be transformed by the renewing of our minds" to not only live out the gospel in our own lives, but also to recognize the needs of and disciple other women around us.
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