Here is a quick look at what the article says has happened over the last 19 years.
1990 - 8.2% of those surveyed had no religion
2001 - 14.2% of those surveyed had no religion
2008 - 15%
Of those surveyed the percentage of Christians is slowly declining. In the 1990's the percentage was around 86% that claimed to be Christian, now that number is closer to 76%.
There are several other interesting statistics from the research findings but we won't go over those in this post.
I do want to focus on the Christian aspect of this. As an evangelical protestant Christian, I would say these numbers for % of Christians is skewed well out of proportion. According the the North American Mission Board, close to 70% of Americans are "lost". Barna research shows that 85% are self identified as Christian. In other Barna research, "Born Again Christians" only represent 41% of the population (much closer to the NAMB numbers).
So what's the right answer? Who knows? Well, God for sure knows, but other than that I'm not sure we can pin this hat on anyone else. From my own experience, I would have to agree with NAMB and Barna. The number of born again Christians is much lower than professing Christians. 3 in 10 or 4 in 10 is probably a good estimate. For a Christian, this means that most people you come in contact with there is a good chance they are not saved - understand the gospel and have accepted Jesus and Lord and Saviour.
So the question me must ask ourselves, is what category do we fall into? If you had to "prove" you were the born again Christian how would you? Can you? Does profession of being a Christian make you a Christian? What does? Examine yourself to know that you are in the faith.
The harvest is plentiful. The workers are few.
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