Several names are well known currently among religious groups for their excellent work as pollsters and researchers into current beliefs, practices and trends in life: Gallup, Pew and Barna are commonly cited. Gallup’s group holds international fame, and is involved in polling research on the broadest bases, not usually identified with religion. However, the Christian interests of the Gallup family led the Princeton based company to do considerable polling and research of church life. Barna’s interests have been largely confined to church activity, especially in the evangelical church. Both pollsters have expressed their uncertainties about trends and practices of Christians in their beliefs, attitudes and conducts. They found that persons affirming Christian faith increasingly are conducting themselves in similar patterns as non-Christians do. This trend is especially observed among younger Christians. For example, the student Christian is about as likely to cheat on school exams as the non-Christian. The Christian young couple is about as likely to have premarital sex as the non-Christian couple. Divorce is approaching the same percentages between the two entities. Values, and general conducts, like language usage, are melding together so that the differences between the Christian and the non-Christian have narrowed. Reviews suggest the non-Christian public follows its flow, but many Christians are tending to contradiction with biblical principles in conduct, but identify themselves as Christian.
I have been counselor to many persons and families for more than seventy years. During those years willingness to follow Scriptural injunctions has weakened for younger Christians I have engaged. Where once counselor/counselee could review the biblical direction and find solutions and relief, there is now a general ignorance and resistance on the matters of obedience, prayer, submission to biblical directives, and often, disregard for Christian common sense. Prayer as habit is diluted even lost. There is some loss in righteousness, self-control, bearing the burden of self-growth, and, of reliance on the Lord for help and guidance. While I was president of a college, I received (as did other Christian College presidents) an invitation from Gallup to meet with him to discuss why so many Christian college students had lost the standards of Christian integrity and life context. I could not attend because of earlier commitments, but I did respond with a letter stating my views and concerns that proved similar to Gallup’s. With others, I later talked with Gallup and we discussed the issues. Today the matter seems more serious than it was then. Barna argued that we need Christian leadership. Gallup believed the quality of church ministry must be improved. I agree with both, but going beyond the research, we must be sure we are in line with the direction that God means for Christians to live as exemplars of his will for mortal living. If church history repeats itself there will be revival in the future. It ought to be biblical. In a turn of the new century Gallup included an upbeat review suggesting that revival may be on the way. He saw hopeful signs, but not yet reality. George Gallup, Jr. has since died. I will follow the publications of statistics to discover if his respected company maintains its interests in the values of the nation, and of the church. Research of conduct in faith persons in any religion might serve as an important service for Christians. We know that statistics can be misleading, even when the respondents offer careful answers to questions. We look for verifiable evidence, but we use what we have and look for more information. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020