A Catalyst for Change: A Case Study & Reflection on Culture Shift in American EvangelicalismBy Daniel Davis

A Nationwide Poll* Revealed:

In 1999, 65% of Americans believed that religion was losing its

influence in public life…

At the same time, a nearly equal amount, 62% claimed that the

influence of religion was increasing in their personal lives.

*Roof, Wade Clark. 1999. Spiritual Marketplace: Baby Boomers and the Remaking of American Religion. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press.

And the Survey Says:GSS: In 1985, 4.6% of U.S. Christians claimed no official denominational affiliation. In 2004, this had arisen to 18.5%.A Barna Poll (2009) found that between 4% to 33% of the U.S. population will say they have attended a house church in the last 30 days depending on how the question is worded.

Nationwide:Gallup, 1964: “Have you undergone a religious experience of some variety?”

20% YesGSS, 2004: “Do you feel God’s presence on a daily basis?”

60% YesBaylor, 2008: “I felt called by God to do something.”

44% Yes“I heard the voice of God speaking to me.”

20% Yes

Richard Flory & Don Miller, USC

“Rationalistic apologetics are largely irrelevant to [GenX] religious commitments,

having been replaced by an experience-based epistemology.”

From: GenX Religion (2000)

Richard Flory & Don Miller, USC

The Key Findings, Shifts in Five Areas:

1. Church Service Style 2. Organizational Structure 3. Locus of Ministry Emphasis4. Issues of Diversity 5. Primary Source of Authority

From: GenX Religion (2000)

Pre-Boomer BoomerPost-Boomer*Styl

eStructure

Focus

Diversity

Authority

*Post-Boomer Column Adapted from Flory & Miller (2000)

Pre-Boomer BoomerPost-BoomerStyl

e

Pre-Boomer BoomerPost-BoomerStructu

re

Assortive Networks Disassortive Networks

Pre-Boomer BoomerPost-BoomerFoc

us

Pre-Boomer BoomerPost-BoomerDiversit

y

Gene Robinson

Pre-Boomer BoomerPost-BoomerAuthority

Summarizing ThemesThe shifts can be linked to broader nationwide

generational religious shifts. Mainline churches hit plateau after 1950;

multiple studies show that Evangelicalism hit plateau after 1990.

If new startup movements will have staying power is yet to be seen. They are organizationally more fragile.

Mainline denominations may have an opportunity to reclaim some ‘religious market-share’ in the next couple decades if their crisis induces a deep enough sense of urgency for change.