What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity

Generation Age in 2007 Percent of generation who are outsiders to Christianity Size of this segment in the United States Adults Mosaics and Busters Ages % 34 million Older Mosaics and young Busters* Ages % 24 million BoomerAges % 21 million EldersAges % 12 million The Outsiders - A Growing Part of Our Society *This book focuses on the sixteen- to twenty-nine-year- old segment, that is, the leading edge of the Mosaic generation and the trailing half of the Buster cohort.

How Outsiders Perceive Evangelicals and Born-Again Christians Percent of outsiders, ages ( N * = 440) ChristianityEvangelical Christians Born- Again Christians Know of/Aware ofNA57%86% Have a bad impression**38%49%35% Have a neutral impression**45%48%55% Have a good impression**16%3%10% * Sample size **percent of those aware of each group

Outsiders’ Perception of Christianity ( N = 440) Survey of outsiders, ages Unfavorable ImageA lotA lot or some Anti-homosexual66%91% Judgmental57%87% Hypocritical- saying one thing, doing another54%85% Too involved in politics46%75% Out of touch with reality37%72% Old- fashioned28%78% Insensitive to others27%70% Boring27%68% Not accepting of other faiths22%64% Confusing19%61%

Favorable ImageA lotA lot or some Teaches same basic idea as other religions28%82% Has good values and principles26%76% Friendly18%71% A faith you respect16%55% Consistently shows love for other people16%55% Offers hope for the future19%54% People you trust9%52% Seems genuine and real11%41% Something that makes sense9%41% Relevant to your life10%30% Survey of outsiders, ages 16-29

Outsiders Ages Churchgo ers Ages anti-homosexual91%80% judgmental87%52% old-fashioned78%36% too involved with politics75%50% out of touch with reality72%32% insensitive to others70%29% boring68%27% not accepting of other faiths64%39% confusing61%44% The Struggle of Young Churchgoers Here are some words and phrases that people use to describe present-day Christianity: Outsiders, N = 440; Christian churchgoers, N = 305

Few Young Outsiders See a Difference in Christian Lifestyles

The Priority of Being a Good Person Question: What would you say are the two or three most important priorities for Christians to pursue in terms of their faith? Born-again Christians Lifestyle - doing the right thing, being good, not sinning37% Discipleship - learning about Christ, learning about the Bible31% Evangelism - explaining/ sharing your faith, leading people to Christ 25% Worship - worshiping God, singing25% Relationships - loving others, making and keeping friends23% Service - helping others, helping the poor, serving people18% Stewardship -giving money, time or resources to others4% Family faith - discipling your children, shaping family faith1% other2% not sure10%

Young Christians Do Things Their Way Born- again Busters (23-41) Born- again older adults (42+) Percent who believe each is morally acceptable Cohabitation59%33% Gambling58%38% Sexual thoughts of fantasies about someone57%35% Sex outside of marriage44%23% Using profanity37%17% Getting drunk35%13% Looking at pictures of nudity or explicit sexual behavior33%19% Having an abortion32%27% Having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex28%13% Using drugs not prescribed for you16%8% Allowing the “f-word” on broadcast television7%6%

Wide but Not Deep - Americans’ Commitment to Christianity

Homosexual Lifestyle Political efforts of homosexual activities All adults35% Mosaic and Buster outsiders17%18% Mosaic and Buster churchgoers29%33% Boomer and churchgoers46%44% Elder churchgoers58%52% Outsiders and Young Churchgoers: Similar Lack of Concern about Homosexuality The Percent who perceive the following to be major problems facing America

Young Adults Are Concerned about Conservative Christians in Politics Percent who believe conservative Christians are a “major” or “minor” problem facing America today Outsiders Born-again Christians

Four Faith Slices of the Voting Population Percent of registered voters ( N = 5,067)

What Should Determine the Laws of the Country? Percent of each age group who believe that the Bible, not the will of the people, should drive the laws of the country.

Support for a “Christianized” Country Mosaic/ Busters Boomers/ Elders Strongly oppose removal of “In God We Trust” 61%80% Strongly oppose removal of “one nation under God” 59%79% Strongly oppose removal of Ten Commandments from government buildings 48%68% Strongly favor federal marriage amendment 29%39% Strongly favor adding the teaching of creationism in public schools 24%32%

A Loving Church? Christian churches accept and love people unconditionally, regardless of how people look or what they do. (pastors, N = 613; adults, N = 1007) Percent who strongly agree Pastors76% Born-again Christians47% Christian churchgoers41% Outsiders (all ages)20%

Mosaics and Busters- More Skeptical That Churches Are Loving Environments Percent who disagree

Why do you think this is so?