Here are some interesting church development-related trends compiled by Mission America.
Creation Views Shift
46% of Americans believe in the creationist view that God created humans in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years. The prevalence of this view is essentially unchanged from 30 years ago when Gallup first asked the question. 32% believe humans evolved, but with God’s guidance; 15% say humans evolved, but that God had no part in the process. (ToddRhoades.com 5/15/13)
Nomads
Nomads is a term assigned by the Barna Group to 18- to 29-year-olds with a Christian background who walk away from church engagement but still consider themselves Christians. A person in this group typically has trouble identifying with a church or a particular “brand” of Christianity, but would consider themselves, broadly, a Christian. 43% of young American adults with a Christian background believe going to church and having Christian friends is optional. 25% say faith and religion just aren’t that important to them. 23% say they used to be very involved in their church, but they just don’t fit in anymore. This is the group most likely to say they love Jesus but not the church — or that they are “spiritual but not religious.” (Barna Group 5/9/13)
Prodigals
Prodigals is a term assigned by the Barna Group to 18- to 29-year-olds who have lost their faith. They used to claim a personal faith, but no longer claim any Christian belief. Many say they are as fairly certain they won’t ever return to the Christian faith. 21% of Millennials with a Christian background say Christian beliefs don’t make sense to them. 20% admit to having had a negative experience in church or with Christians. 19% say their spiritual needs cannot be met by Christianity. This group often gets lumped in with the “Nones,” even though they might not be totally opposed to faith and spirituality. (Barna Group 5/9/13)
Exiles
Exiles is a term assigned by the Barna Group to 18- to 29-year-olds who struggle with the Christian faith. They have a tough time finding a place in a church setting but choose to remain within an institutional church context. They feel “lost” somewhere between their commitments to church and their desire to stay connected with the world. They struggle to connect their faith or church with their everyday lives, and yet they continue in their Christian faith despite these hurdles. 21% remain Christian and continue to attend a church but find church to be a difficult place for them to live out their faith. 38% say they desire to follow Jesus in a way that connects with the world they live in. One-third say God is more at work outside the church than inside the church, and they want to be a part of that. 32% of American 20-somethings with a Christian background says they want to be a Christian without separating themselves from the world around them. (Barna Group 5/9/13)
Multisite Churches and Leadership Development
Two movements among Christian congregations in the U.S. today continue to gain momentum; churches with multiple locations (multisite) and leadership development (discipleship). In addition, a growing number of churches are intentionally developing a culture of generosity, an effort to help carry the gospel message outside the church, says the director of new media and technology for the Leadership Network. Todd Rhoades, of Leadership Network said, “We’re seeing new waves of innovation in the movement itself: including international campuses, online campuses, the move from big cities to rural environments, and more churches partnering to redeem facilities and struggling churches through church mergers.” (Christian Post 5/15/13)
Developing Leadership Qualities
According to a new Barna Group survey, 82% of Christian adults believe the U.S. is facing a crisis of leadership because there aren’t enough leaders. 58% of Christians in this country identify themselves as leaders (58%). The survey asked leaders what they would most like to improve about their leadership. The area where they said they want the most help is courage (27%), followed by a desire to grow in terms of discipline (17%), vision (15%) and passion for God (13%). Evangelical leaders want to grow in courage (27%), discipline (25%), passion for God (14%) and vision (9%). (Barna Research 4/18/13)
