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AMERICANS DITCHING CHURCH OR STAYING HOME IN RECORD NUMBERS
...and those who do attend are “Church Hopping” at rising Rate.
In every city in America there are more people at home on Sunday than those in church.
And those who do attend are “church hopping” at a rising rate, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. (See link below.)
The report, titled “U.S. Religious Landscape Survey,” showed that of the 35,000 people sampled that 44% of adult Americans have either left the faith of their childhood to join another religion, switched denominations, or have no religion.
But not all churches are experiencing mass exoduses.
Conducting Talk Show interviews on the current quantum shift in worship trends is REVEREND RUDY RASMUS, the pastor of the United Methodist Church of Houston that has grown from nine members in 1992 to more than 9,000 members today. Remarkably, 3000 of those members are either currently or formerly homeless!
Sharing with your audience one reason for the seismic spiritual shift, Reverend Rudy says, “I believe this phenomenon occurred when during the Enlightenment period religion theologians separated spiritual development from physical/economic development creating a two-tiered approach to ministry which had historically been a one tiered spiritual-physical development. Subsequently the church lost its influence to affect lasting community transformation and generations of potential church goers became un-touchable. I am advocating readers of ‘Touch’ reach beyond the boundaries of fear and touch the world.”
Reverend Rudy is the author of the newly released book, Touch, Pressing Against the Wounds of a Broken World (Thomas Nelson Publishing 2008).
Link to New York Times article about Pew Research Poll:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/us/26religion.html
About the Author:
Rudy Rasmus is an urban messenger and co-pastor with his wife Juanita at the St. John’s United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas.
“Reverend Rudy” is the author of the newly released book, Touch, Pressing Against the Wounds of a Broken World.
Rudy began the church in 1992 with only nine members and St. John’s has grown to more than 9,000 members—3,000 of the members are currently or were formerly homeless.
The church is one of the most culturally diverse congregations in the country. The church is known for their infectious hope that God will change lives.
Pastor Rudy co-founded the St. John’s Academy, which serves Houston’s neediest children, and Bread of Life, a non-profit organization providing a wide range of services for disadvantaged individuals and families. For information, visit www.pastorrudy.net
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