unChristian: What a new generation really thinks

about Christianity

David Kinnaman

The Outsiders - the main group studied

Generation Age – 2007 % who are Outsiders to Christianity

US Population segment

Young adults 16-29 40% 24,000,000

‘Boomers’ 42-60 27% 21,000,000

Elders 61+ 23% 12,000,000

Outsiders aged 16-29 yrsPerceptions of Christians and Christianity

‘Favourable’ Image A lot SomeTeaches same basic ideas as other religions 28% 82%

Has good values and principles 26% 76%

Friendly 18% 71%

A faith you respect 16% 55%

Consistently shows love for other people 16% 55%

Offers hope for the future 19% 54%

People you trust 9% 52%

Seem genuine and real 11% 41%

Something that makes sense 9% 30%

Relevant to your life 10% 30%

Outsiders aged 16-29 yrsPerceptions of Christians and Christianity

‘Unfavourable’ Image A lot SomeAnti-homosexual 66% 91%

Judgemental 57% 87%

Hypocritical – doing one thing, saying another 54% 85%

Too involved in politics 46% 75%

Out of touch with reality 37% 72%

Old-fashioned 28% 78%

Insensitive to others 27% 70%

Boring 27% 68%

Not accepting other faiths 22% 64%

Confusing 19% 61%

6 main themes expressed by Outsiders (1)

• Hypocritical– Saying one thing, doing another– Sceptical of morally superior attitudes– Pretending to be something unreal

• Too focused on getting converts– Wonder if we genuinely care about them– Feel like targets rather than people– Question our motives when trying to help them ‘get saved’

• Anti-homosexual– Bigoted and show disdain for gays and lesbians – Fixated on curing homosexuals and creating political

‘solutions’ against them

6 main themes expressed by Outsiders (2)

• Sheltered– We do not respond to reality in appropriately complex ways– Not willing to deal with the grit and grime of people’s lives

• Too political– Overly motivated by a political agenda– Represent politically conservative interests and issues –

‘right wingers’• Judgemental – Quick to judge others– And not honest about attitudes and perspectives about

other people– Doubt that we really love people as we say

Is the negative picture just spiritual denial?

• Perceptions were not formed in a vacuum– Most had previously attended a Church– 90% have about 5 or more friends who are believers

• Impressions were formed from people inside and outside the church

• Secular media influence• Painful encounters that gave a bad image of Jesus– 20% of Outsiders but 33% of young adults

A response

• Stereotypes• The history of the Church is written in the

hearts and minds of faithful people over many centuries

• Capture of Church people by the prevailing culture!

from unChristian to Christian

• Respond from the right perspective• Jesus laid the foundation of the Church in

relationships• Fruits of the Holy Spirit – love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control– A lifestyle of compassion– Bringing grace from God through the love we share