By now you’ve probably heard of the new Barna poll which makes it clear why we sometimes feel that it’s hard to persuade others to care about the Great Commission. Now we know. Half of Christendom have never heard of it. At least, that’s what they told Barna researchers in a recent survey.
https://www.barna.com/research/half-churchgoers-not-heard-great-commission/
Sounds like we need to do some educating.
You know, the more we read this study, the more we just became sick at our stomachs. I (Doug) have spent most of my life (2/3rd?) trying to persuade people to care. There have been audiences who have responded. And there have been audiences who have not. Sometimes I’ve walked away from a presentation or sermon thinking, “Boy; I just wasn’t getting through.” Now we know why. It’s like pushing a rope uphill. They have no basis whatsoever to care. They’ve never heard of the underpinnings. They honestly don’t KNOW that Jesus asked us to make disciples of all nations. And even if they did, there’s no guaranteeing they’d want to give money or lives to staff it.
The other factor proven by this study is — once we KNOW the problem, we still might not want to FINANCE it. How does this study prove that? Because the full report, published as a 128-page paperback, costs $39. How many will buy it? Survey said, not many. (We made up that last survey. But — we have a hunch we’re probably right. The interesting thing is, the digital copy of THIS book costs the same as the paper copy. We figure that’s because Barna thought that it was the RESEARCH that was valuable, not the printed page. Either way, we figure won’t buy it. Literally.
Thank you, Seed Company, for sponsoring the survey.
What were your thoughts about this study? Do you think it’s true? … or not so much? Do you encounter these attitudes in your own sermons and presentations?
I purchased the report.