72% Say Churches Are Full of Hypocrites
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, January 30, 2008
- Viewed 127
- (20) comments so far
The survey results were published last week by LifeWay Research, the research arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. The organization surveyed 1,402 ‘unchurched’ adults last spring and summer. The margin of error is 2.5 percentage points.
The survey defines unchurched as those who had not attended a religious service in a church, synagogue or mosque at any time in the past six months.
More than 1 in 5 Americans say they never go to church, the General Social Survey found in 2006. The survey is conducted every two years by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.
Other researchers have found similar negative opinions about church.
Researchers at Barna Group, a Christian survey organization, have found that young adults in particular are rejecting the institution — and Christianity in general — because it is perceived to be anti-gay, too political and hypocritical.
The implications, the researchers from both studies said, are seen when churches try to evangelize to and reach the unchurched. But the research also speaks to the way churches have communicated their messages, said Jerry Wilkins, director of the Tuscaloosa Baptist Association, the local Southern Baptist organization.
‘We’re just still struggling,’ Wilkins said. ‘I think the answer for this dilemma is for the church to better communicate that we are a hospital for sick people. We need to be helping [non Christians] understand what the church is. My feeling is we’ve done a poor job communicating that church is not for people who have arrived, but for people who are on a journey.’
The Barna findings were the basis for the book ‘unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity…and Why it Matters,’ released in October 2007.
‘There are a lot of different factors for it,’ said David Kinnaman, president of The Barna Group and one of the authors of ‘unChristian.’
‘The reasons people come to negative conclusions about Christianity, churches or Christians is as diverse as the people you ask. But I think the media-saturated, fault-finding, skeptical society we live in is part of it. You see the mistakes of prominent [Christian] leaders broadcast and printed on pages, and that solidifies people’s perspectives about Christians as hypocrites or living hypocritical lifestyles.’
The recent headline-making stories of disgraced church leaders accused of lying, cheating and philandering have had their impact, but Kinnaman said people’s personal relationships also influence their perception of church, such as the neighbor who is heavily involved in his church, but also heavily involved with a mistress.
Some high-profile Christian leaders have also come under fire for alleged misdeeds, with their stories played out prominently in the media. Richard Roberts, son of evangelist Oral Roberts, resigned last week as president of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa amid allegations he misspent school money to support a lavish lifestyle. And six popular televangelists are under federal investigation for financial misdeeds.
In November U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking member of the committee on finance, requested financial information from the six ministries: Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Creflo and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International, Benny Hinn of Benny Hinn Ministries, Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Joyce and David Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries, and Randy and Paula White of the multiracial Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries.
Evangelical leaders have also come under fire for other personal sins that are contrary to the Christian message.
Ted Haggard, the former leader of the National Association of Evangelicals, resigned his post as pastor of the church he founded after allegations surfaced of a homosexual affair and methamphetamine use. And just this week, Georgia megachurch leader Archbishop Earl Paulk pleaded guilty to lying under oath about several sexual affairs and was sentenced to 10 years probation.
QUESTION: Aren’t ALL churches full of hypocrites? I’m surprised the number was only 72%… What do you think?
A recent U.S. survey of adults who don’t attend church, not even on holidays, found that 72 percent thought the church ‘is full of hypocrites,’ but that 78 percent would ‘be willing to listen’ to someone who wanted to share their beliefs about Christianity. At the same time, 72 percent of respondents also said they believe God exists.
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bishopdave on Wed, January 30, 2008
Our hearts are desperately wicked; who can know them? (Jer. 17:9)
In fact, church is exactly where the hypocrite needs to be, along with the addict, the deviant, and the dishonest. It’s when we don’t repent of our hypocrisy, etc., that the world finds so disappointing. I think Nietzsche or someone said, “the reason I don’t believe in your Redeemer is I’ve never seen anyone living like they’ve been redeemed.” That was a paraphrase, probably.
Also, I think we need to stop obsessing about everything George Barna spews out. According to Revelation 2-3 and 1 Corinthians, churches have been having credibility problems for quite a while. And don’t get me started on the whiners (Acts 6)!
Brian on Wed, January 30, 2008
When someone claims to be avoiding church because of the hypocrites, I have two responses:
(1) “Don’t let that stop you from coming - there’s always room for one more!”
(2) And along a more serious line: “YOU don’t like hypocisy? You should see what JESUS says about it! His harshest words were for the hypocrites. So please don’t reject Jesus because of the imperfect, fallible people who claim to be one of His. Come along and join us as we try to shed the hypocrisy in our own lives.”
Brian L
deaubry on Wed, January 30, 2008
bishopdave your heart is not wicked, when jesus saved you you were MADE the righousness of god in christ jesus, the heart of a man is his spirit, and thats the only one that got born again, we have to renew our minds to the mind of christ to disipline our bodies, and you are made one in the beloved, there is nothing wicked in the beloved. i know you know this but i just wanted to remind you. i believe that is one reason that is why some sinners do not want church is because sometimes we call ourself things that god does not call us.
Juan Montoya on Wed, January 30, 2008
The problem is inherent even in this article…
The six ministries listed are not under “federal investigation for financial misdeeds”. One Senator is requesting financial information and documentation from them that they are not legally obligated to provide. That is not even close to being “federally investigated”.
I know of no one who would willingly give away their Constitutionally protected rights simply because the government requests it.
Most of these ministries maintain financial accountability to their members and partners through regular audits from outside companies. But they are in no way obligated to allow an unfair precedent to be set.
Jermayn Parker on Wed, January 30, 2008
only 72%???
I woul dhave thought it was more than that!
My guess why so many people are Hyprocrites is because they either are not saved or not growing…
steve on Wed, January 30, 2008
it’s sad that so many leaders are falling, being exposed and people judge the body of Christ by seeing them ... and to an extent they would ... they’re leaders and are to set an example for the rest of the flock ... it’s so imperative that leaders have a good character, live godly lives and have a good standing with the community ... and then that should apply to the rest of the church.
it pains me to know this is happening.
Stewart on Thu, January 31, 2008
I wonder what percentage of “churched” people say they think the churches are full of hypocrites?
I once heard a preacher say (from the pulpit) that if he could only preach about stuff he was perfect on; he’d never have anything to say. Sounds about right to me.
And was it Martin Luther who said that the whole purpose of the law is to make us aware of how fallen we are so that we’d turn to Jesus?
Camey on Thu, January 31, 2008
Definitely would have thought higher. It’s like when someone tells me that I shouldn’t hang around those sinners…
1) Kinda hard to not hang around my self.
2) If they’re talking to me - I’m hanging with them right? At least for a moment or two…
Stopping here….
Peter Hamm on Thu, January 31, 2008
Recently somebody criticized our church, saying that we were the church where “they let anybody in.”
Amen. We do.
Leonard on Thu, January 31, 2008
For the past couple days I have been reading this article and seeing the responses and I am conflicted by how quickly we run to the label “Hypocrite” in the church today.
I get the definition, but here is my conflict. I do not consider myself a hypocrite. I consider myself a man who loves his Lord, who strives after him and who still sins. This act of sin is by definition probably hypocritical, but not in spirit nor in intent. This label too quickly embraced conflicts me in four ways.
It denies the reality of love within the struggle. My son loves his father but does not always obey him. This does not make him a hypocrite and to label him one is unhealthy in fostering the love relationship.
The label, when embraced by Christians, lowers the standard set by John in 1 John 2… I write to you dear children so you will not sin.” not that this is the intent of anyone here but shouldn’t we say, I aim at not being a hypocrite, I am not a hypocrite because I struggle forward, I fall forward, I love my lord and confess my sin depending desperately upon Jesus to advocate on my behalf before the father. Hypocrite is not a description given to struggling Christians, rather John calls us children, little ones… young men etc. Paul calls us saints and challenges us to grow, not by labeling us hypocrites but by pointing out to us who we are in Christ.
It IMO demeans grace. Grace renames me and Grace redeems me. Grace instructs me to deny ungodliness, to embrace self control, to live upright in this world. Grace moves me from the real of condemnation to the standing of justified by faith in Christ. Grace does not label me, it comes to me because of a label I bore, “sinner” when we too quickly give or take the label “Hypocrite” we do not honor the work of justification by faith, brought about by grace.
Finally it does not seem honoring to the Holy Spirit. When God took up residence in my life, He initiated a process that would eventually change me completely, sanctification. I am justified by faith, no longer guilty before God but I am in the process of Sanctification. This is the work of God’s Holy Spirit. For me to quickly embrace as a label, hypocrite, feels disrespectful to the process of God’s Spirit in me.
I act hypocritical at times, I admit, but I do not accept the label. 2 year olds are not hypocrites for stumbling when they know how to walk. They are 2 and even though they know the rudimentary skill of one foot in front of the other, they have not mastered the other elements of balance, inertia, discerning terrain… Their arms are not strong enough to catch themselves when falling, their motor skills are not in tune enough to give them full use of tools around them… They are not hypocrites, they are babies. They are not clumsy oafs, they are undeveloped and growing. The church is filled with babies, with undeveloped and under equipped Christians. The world calls them hypocrites, I call them my brothers, my sisters and my responsibility. Just my 2 cents… and sorry for the sermon.
Wendi on Thu, January 31, 2008
I disagree Juan. Although religious freedom is a constitutional right, tax exemption for a not-for-profit organization is not. Those organizations who apply for and are granted exemption from paying taxes agree to operate in a certain way. The original purpose of tax exempting NPO’s was to help these organizations provide services to citizens which then relieves some of the burden on government programs. Religious organizations are allowed to promote their beliefs, but no NPO is allowed to violate the tax exempt law they agree to. If my government, which manages my tax dollars, suspects an organization of tax fraud, especially a Christian organization, I sure expect a “federal investigation.”
Part of the reason people believe we are hypocrites is when Christians stand on a soapbox against outsiders who affirm something we find sinful (abortion, homosexuality), then when that sin surfaces in one of our own, our disgust wanes. If what Enron execs did was despicable, then it should be more despicable if Christian leaders are found to be fraudulent. And Christian leaders should gladly submit to examination under the microscope which they agreed to.
Perhaps the best way to counter this perception, is to doggedly avoid posturing and try to become the kind of place that gets the criticism leveled at Peter’s church . . . “we let anybody in.”
Wendi
Peter Hamm on Thu, January 31, 2008
yeah, Wendi, we were ECSTATIC when we heard that criticism. (The same week somebody said to a friend who went to our church, “Oh, is that the place where they don’t judge you?”, another reputation we want.)
And to echo Leonard, no, I think we are NOT hypocrites, because we paint ourselves as sinners caught in the grip of grace who are being made more like Christ all the time. Unfinished, warts and all… we don’t say one thing and do another. We’re honest.
Maybe that’s why so many people invite friends and so many friends stay. (to comment on another post this week…)
deaubry on Thu, January 31, 2008
leonard, i LOVED the sermon,
Eric Joppa on Thu, January 31, 2008
Leonard,
I hear your point. I also agree that you are not a hypocrite. I hope that none of us are by your definition. However, I agree with Wendi and fear that the exception to the the rule are people like you Leonard.
Before I was a believer, I wanted nothing to do with the church, (I was ok with the notion of God) because it was full of hateful, hypocrites. I have come to realize that my feelings were grossly overestimating of the church. Unfortunately, it is far more common for people in the church who claim to be mature, God loving and Christ emulating followers, to be mean, judgmental, self-serving people who would rather their agenda be met than the good of everyone put in front of their own.
I don’t say this with any one person in mind, but with all my experience in the church as a believer, I was not so far off from my assumptions. The difference now is that I love the church. I also remember the things that God has forgiven my of and continues to forgive me for and know that I am no better than anyone else.
You said that the church resembles 2 year olds, that are still developing and I agree, most of the church is, when that church is reaching people weekly. But there are for more churches that are full of people that have followed Jesus for most of their lives, and have the opinion that they have mastered at least some of the things you talk about.
I love the church. With all my heart. I am heartbroken over the thought that we are seen as hypocrites. While I would not accept the label of hypocrite either, and hope it would not be put on me, it is a healthy dose of reality that many believers are hypocritical.
I pray for the church and for our hearts, that we not forget the sins we commit and the sins we were forgiven of. If we can remember and accept our brokeness, we will be slower to judge, and quicker to love other broken people.
My thoughts
Leonard on Thu, January 31, 2008
Well said Eric, I guess my words are for us who so quickly say, yep the church is full of hypocrites, I am one and so are you… or there is always room for one more… I think there are hypocrites in every church but isn’t that more a condition of humanity than church.
We are often disappointments to many people because of the expectations of others. If I am looking for any and every reason to call you a hypocrite, I will find it.
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