Pastor's Note | Monday, May 6th

Our world is not what it used to be. In recent years we have seen some astronomical shifts in worldviews and in adherence to the Christian faith in America. Consider the following statistics:

According to the Barna Research Group: "With its 195 million unchurched people, America has become a new mission field. America has more unchurched people than the entire populations of all but 11 of the world's 194 nations." According to Lost in America, by Tom Clegg and Warren Bird, 2001: "The unchurched population in the United States is so extensive that, were it a nation, it would be the fifth-largest on the planet... Researchers and analysts describe North America as the world's third-largest mission field."

According to George Gallup of Gallup Polls in 1997, only sixteen years ago: "More than 44% of American adults 18 and over are unchurched. Over 120 million Americans have no substantial Christian memory." Barna cites that "America's secularization has gone from only 15% in the 1950's up to 40% in 2001; and is now over 60%!" Secularization means basing the decisions of one's life on a secular humanist, relativist moral world view. Judeo-Christian values and the Bible are no longer the moral foundation of decision making in life for the vast majority of Americans.

We can respond to these new realities in two ways. One is to become ostrich-like, bury our heads in the sand, and hope that our culture will return to the "good old days" of past decades. Not very likely. The second is to remember that God is sovereign. God's heart is for people to receive his grace and the abundant life through faith in Jesus Christ and God has established the church as a means of helping to make this happen. God ordained and planned to reach our neighbors, people in our communities, this nation, all nations, through the church. Jesus said that we, his followers, are to be his witnesses throughout the world (see Acts 1.8).

So, let's get serious about our call to be witnesses in this new world reality. Our effort should focus on praying for and loving our neighbors, then asking God for opportunities to point people to Jesus. It may begin with an invitation to a worship service or to a class or an event like Date Night or Women's Luncheon. Our role is to be those who point others to Jesus.

I want to help us become better able to be witnesses for Jesus. One way is to offer training in how to develop relationships where we can talk about our faith, how to answer the questions people ask about faith in Christ, and how to engage in honest conversation about trusting in Jesus. If you would like to help provide this training and/or receive this training please let me know. I believe God will be able to use us to draw others to Jesus if we are adequately equipped and prepared to do so.

Email me at to let me know of your interest.