I wonder about random things. When I drive by packed out restaurants on Sunday, I wonder how many total people eat out in my town on a typical Sunday. Figures and percentages fascinate. I always kept a record of our college ministry attendance and learned by comparing these figures against the same week in previous years to anticipate slumps and peaks. As I studied them, I always wondered what they were trying to tell me that I was not getting. Numbers are not people, but they tell lots of stories about people.
Lifeway Research is known for their outstanding studies and what they tell us about church and faith in America. Here are some recent figures that fascinate me. They come from the Spring Facts and Trends Magazine published by Lifeway Christian Resources.
22% of American Adults claim NO religious affiliation.
67% of unchurched people say they are unlikely to attend church in the future (In other words, it is not on their radar.)
62% of unchurched people say they went to church as children but walked away as adults.
73% of unchurched do no think their Christian friends talk about their faith too much.
29% say they have ever had a Christian share with them one-on-one how to become a Christian.
22% of pastors say they select their sermon passage or topic the week before.
7% of pastors say they select their sermon passage or topic more than a year in advance.
6% of pastors say they select their sermon passage or topic 9 to 12 months in advance.
1,043,839 International students are attending college in the United States.
To me, this is both an exciting, challenging and somber figure. I believe....get ready......I believe that if we were doing International Student Ministry on our college campuses and in our churches as we should and could.......we would not even need to send foreign missionaries. Most of these students return to their countries as economical and political leaders. God has brought the future leaders of the world to us. We can impact the world. Students from countries who do not allow American Missionaries to enter their countries come to us.
In hosting a Thanksgiving meal for International students one said to me, "I have always wanted to see a pecan pie.". Lots of Christians who do not think they can witness or explain the gospel to an International student can make and serve pecan pie.
Coming in May: FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY
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