... this was coming.
There's a new poll out which points to a growing rejection among Evangelicals that Jesus is the only way of salvation.
According to the poll results of more than 1,000 adults 18 years of age and older, 68 percent of evangelical Christians believe "good" people of other faiths can also go to heaven. Nationally, 79 percent of those surveyed said the same thing, with an "astounding" 91 percent agreement among Catholics, notes Beliefnet. Beliefnet spokesman Steven Waldman calls the results "pretty amazing."
Billy Graham and others have said for years that the ripest mission field in the world is the church sanctuary on Sunday mornings.
The question in the poll read: "Can a good person who isn't of your religious faith go to heaven or attain salvation, or not?"
Our fellowship participated in a national survey about four years ago. One of the questions asked was "do all religious roads lead to heaven?" Keep in mind that we are a small church. More than 12% percent of those taking the survey answered yes.
One of the things a pastor of a small church thinks he knows for sure is the health of his people (how hard could that be, right?) I was floored!
I confronted the church with the results and following the meeting a lady, the wife of a staff member, came forward and said, "I didn't know that was what they meant by that question, or I wouldn't have answered "yes"!" She thought that would encourage me ... and she's a school teacher.
One of the things a pastor of a small church thinks he knows for sure is the health of his people (how hard could that be, right?) I was floored!
I confronted the church with the results and following the meeting a lady, the wife of a staff member, came forward and said, "I didn't know that was what they meant by that question, or I wouldn't have answered "yes"!" She thought that would encourage me ... and she's a school teacher.
Waldman believes the best explanation is found in the Newsweek cover story that grew out of the survey. The conclusion it draws is that Americans have become so focused on a very personal style of worship -- that is, forging a direct relationship with God -- that spiritual experience has begun to supplant dogma, or teaching based on the authority of the Bible.
Waldman is guilty of taking the obvious as the easy solution. Oh, he's right to an extent but his error is dangerous. It gives the impression the church is doing a right thing with a wrong result.
It is their "focus on a very personal style of worship" but it is not "forging a direct relationship with God." It is anything but. It is a subtle but evil focus on "the lust the eyes and the boastful pride of life." [1 John 2:15-17]
For some time The CRIB had been warning the church her American Body part was cancerous and in need of spiritual chemotherapy. While I'm no shaker or mover in the realm of American Christendom, I have been a keen observer of the American Church for over twenty years, and she's sick ... very sick. This poll is one more piece of evidence of that fact.
CRIB RELATED:
- RICK WARREN SAYS HIS CHURCH IS NOT ...
- CHRISTIANITY TODAY SEEMS ...
- WE DINE AT THE LORD'S TABLE ...
- YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ...
- ANOTHER PROMINENT CHURCH ...
- DEAR LORD DON'T ...
- WHEN RAWANDA SENDS ...
- PCUSA SAYS IT DOESN'T ...
- ANGLICAN ANGST CONTINUES ...
- AND YET LOOK AT ...
- IT'S THIS KIND OF STUFF ...
- NEW ECCLESIOLOGY - Imitate us not God!
- PROPHETIC VOICE - Where have all the laborers gone?
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