Friday, May 12, 2006
Church Attendance
Church Going in the South
Jennifer Harper, The Washington Times, National Weekly Edition, May 1-7, 2006, reports on a recent Gallop Poll that examined church attendance in the southern states over the past few years. In Alabama, Louisiana, and South Carolina the poll shows that 58% of the people attend church regularly (almost every week). Mississippi was close with 57%. Utah and Arkansas report 55%. North Carolina and Nebraska report 53%, and Georgia and Tennessee come in at 52%. The national average is about 42%, so southern states show significantly higher attendance than do other parts of the country.
Surprisingly, the statistics reveal some other interesting facts. Frank Newport (son of my former professor, John Newport, at Southwestern Seminary) heads the Gallop Organization. He has found, through his research, that only a small minority of Americans simply do not go to church at all. Church attendance is lowest in New England and in Nevada. Washington, D.C., reports 33% regular attendance.
The Barna Group, in April 2006, reported that their polls showed that 47% of Americans read the Bible during a typical week (in addition to any reading done in church services). Only 31% read their Bible apart from church meetings in 1995. Church attendance in 1996 was at 37% (according to the Barna data), whereas it increased to 47% in 2006. [That’s a 5% difference from the Gallop data, but the general trends reflect a significant increase in church attendance overall.] Barna says that adult Sunday School attendance reached 24% (up from 17% in 1995).
By the way, 77% of church going teens reported having read Harry Potter (which I would not forbid my own kids to do), but only 4% of those teens reported having any teaching or discussions in a church about the spiritual themes that are set forth in these stories. Only 13% said that their church ever addressed the subject of witchcraft.
Other research (based on census data) indicates that frequent church goers average 9% more income. [Perhaps “honesty pays” and crime doesn’t after all.] Church goers are also less likely to be on welfare on to be divorced. Even life expectancy is about 3 years more for church goers.
It is not automatic, of course, but the gospel does produce positive results for people. We do not believe for that reason, but God does bless His faithful people.
Jennifer Harper, The Washington Times, National Weekly Edition, May 1-7, 2006, reports on a recent Gallop Poll that examined church attendance in the southern states over the past few years. In Alabama, Louisiana, and South Carolina the poll shows that 58% of the people attend church regularly (almost every week). Mississippi was close with 57%. Utah and Arkansas report 55%. North Carolina and Nebraska report 53%, and Georgia and Tennessee come in at 52%. The national average is about 42%, so southern states show significantly higher attendance than do other parts of the country.
Surprisingly, the statistics reveal some other interesting facts. Frank Newport (son of my former professor, John Newport, at Southwestern Seminary) heads the Gallop Organization. He has found, through his research, that only a small minority of Americans simply do not go to church at all. Church attendance is lowest in New England and in Nevada. Washington, D.C., reports 33% regular attendance.
The Barna Group, in April 2006, reported that their polls showed that 47% of Americans read the Bible during a typical week (in addition to any reading done in church services). Only 31% read their Bible apart from church meetings in 1995. Church attendance in 1996 was at 37% (according to the Barna data), whereas it increased to 47% in 2006. [That’s a 5% difference from the Gallop data, but the general trends reflect a significant increase in church attendance overall.] Barna says that adult Sunday School attendance reached 24% (up from 17% in 1995).
By the way, 77% of church going teens reported having read Harry Potter (which I would not forbid my own kids to do), but only 4% of those teens reported having any teaching or discussions in a church about the spiritual themes that are set forth in these stories. Only 13% said that their church ever addressed the subject of witchcraft.
Other research (based on census data) indicates that frequent church goers average 9% more income. [Perhaps “honesty pays” and crime doesn’t after all.] Church goers are also less likely to be on welfare on to be divorced. Even life expectancy is about 3 years more for church goers.
It is not automatic, of course, but the gospel does produce positive results for people. We do not believe for that reason, but God does bless His faithful people.
# posted by burningbush @ 1:47 PM 
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Interesting. I saw the figures on attendance this morning, I think. We have shown a video on Harry Potter and witchcraft.
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