Polls and Surveys have become a way of life in our nation, as well as having an influence in areas of politics, religion, trends, etc. For years, we have grown accustomed to the Gallup Poll; Rasmussen Polls; Zogby Poll - in the primary area of politics. We have the Nielsen Ratings for Television Programming Preferences; and the Barna Report for religious trends and direction. Regrettably, the Polls can vary greatly depending on (a) the Sample Group used, and (b) the manner in which the Poll Question was framed.
The Polls Published today demonstrate the variance. On Presidential Approval, Rasmussen has the Approval at 53%, whereas Gallup is 62% and Associated Press is 64%. In terms of Congressional Approval, The Associated Press is at 38% and Fox News is at 41%. In terms of the Direction of the Country, the Real Clear Politics Average shows 45% think it is heading in the Right Direction, whereas 48.7% believe it is moving in the wrong direction. When we get into the area of Religion, people have so many differing affiliations and preferences, that Sampling is extremely difficult. The size of the Sample Group is also significant: Gallup uses 1547, Associated Press 1000, Barna 1004.
Barna begins with the premise, AMERICANS ARE EXPLORING NEW WAYS OF EXPERIENCING GOD and summarizes: Americans are in a new age of exploration, deploying new approaches to marriage, communications, sexuality, education, and more. According the results from a new nationwide survey, the “and more” includes how people pursue their faith and how they choose to relate to God and other people of faith. Barna concludes and shares his findings: 88% of American adults say that “my religious faith is very important in my life…”; 75% say they sense that “God is motivating people to stay connected with Him, but in different ways and through different types of experiences than in the past.” There is a growing sense of release from traditional religious practices in this country. People are suggesting that they want more of God and less of the stuff that gets between them and their relationship with God. This mindset is equally common among Catholics and Protestants; 45% say they are “willing to try a new church.” Almost half of the nation’s 230 million adults – are open to changing their church home…; 64% say they are “completely open to carrying out and pursuing your faith in an environment or structure that differs from that of a typical church.” ; 50% say “a growing number of people I know are tired of the usual type of church experience.” Half of all adults said they are aware of such a willingness to experiment on the part of people they know because those individuals are tired of the common church experience. This awareness was especially acute among blacks (59%) and Hispanics (58%); 71% say they are “more likely to develop my religious beliefs on my own, rather than to accept an entire set of beliefs that a particular church teaches.” Across the board, the research showed that women are driving these changes…”
The organized Church has allowed itself to become a political entity. A small group of “insiders” have gained and maintain control. Any newcomer has difficulty “fitting in” to the internal “power structure”! A tiny minority tends to dominate all church activities, and some people just move on to something different or to nothing at all. The Church knows the teaching of I Corinthians 12:18-26, “God has arranged the parts in the body…just as he wanted them to be…The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you! On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor…God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” In Romans 15:7 we are told: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” There is always “lip service” given to these things but people have a way of claiming ownership of the local church and continue to run “their Church their way”! Other people (newer attendees) tend to move on to other things, and the people in “their church” don’t have a clue. They just never get around to looking in a mirror!
The Polls Published today demonstrate the variance. On Presidential Approval, Rasmussen has the Approval at 53%, whereas Gallup is 62% and Associated Press is 64%. In terms of Congressional Approval, The Associated Press is at 38% and Fox News is at 41%. In terms of the Direction of the Country, the Real Clear Politics Average shows 45% think it is heading in the Right Direction, whereas 48.7% believe it is moving in the wrong direction. When we get into the area of Religion, people have so many differing affiliations and preferences, that Sampling is extremely difficult. The size of the Sample Group is also significant: Gallup uses 1547, Associated Press 1000, Barna 1004.
Barna begins with the premise, AMERICANS ARE EXPLORING NEW WAYS OF EXPERIENCING GOD and summarizes: Americans are in a new age of exploration, deploying new approaches to marriage, communications, sexuality, education, and more. According the results from a new nationwide survey, the “and more” includes how people pursue their faith and how they choose to relate to God and other people of faith. Barna concludes and shares his findings: 88% of American adults say that “my religious faith is very important in my life…”; 75% say they sense that “God is motivating people to stay connected with Him, but in different ways and through different types of experiences than in the past.” There is a growing sense of release from traditional religious practices in this country. People are suggesting that they want more of God and less of the stuff that gets between them and their relationship with God. This mindset is equally common among Catholics and Protestants; 45% say they are “willing to try a new church.” Almost half of the nation’s 230 million adults – are open to changing their church home…; 64% say they are “completely open to carrying out and pursuing your faith in an environment or structure that differs from that of a typical church.” ; 50% say “a growing number of people I know are tired of the usual type of church experience.” Half of all adults said they are aware of such a willingness to experiment on the part of people they know because those individuals are tired of the common church experience. This awareness was especially acute among blacks (59%) and Hispanics (58%); 71% say they are “more likely to develop my religious beliefs on my own, rather than to accept an entire set of beliefs that a particular church teaches.” Across the board, the research showed that women are driving these changes…”
The organized Church has allowed itself to become a political entity. A small group of “insiders” have gained and maintain control. Any newcomer has difficulty “fitting in” to the internal “power structure”! A tiny minority tends to dominate all church activities, and some people just move on to something different or to nothing at all. The Church knows the teaching of I Corinthians 12:18-26, “God has arranged the parts in the body…just as he wanted them to be…The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you! On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor…God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” In Romans 15:7 we are told: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” There is always “lip service” given to these things but people have a way of claiming ownership of the local church and continue to run “their Church their way”! Other people (newer attendees) tend to move on to other things, and the people in “their church” don’t have a clue. They just never get around to looking in a mirror!
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