There’s a reason many are not going to church.
George Barna, renowned for his insights into church and worldview trends, has voiced concerns over significant challenges facing the Church. These include a decline in adherence to a biblical worldview and a diminishing emphasis on spiritual formation, all amid what he describes as a period of “Christian invisibility” within society.
In an interview with The Christian Post, the 69-year-old, who founded The Barna Group, a leading market research firm focusing on Americans’ religious beliefs and behaviors before selling it in 2009, highlighted pervasive negative trends in Western Christianity over recent decades.
Barna, currently serving as the director of research at the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, lamented the increasing self-centeredness among people, dwindling influence of churches, and a shift away from Bible-centered preaching among pastors.
He noted a decline in families’ investment of time and effort in spiritual growth, particularly regarding their children. Additionally, Barna pointed out the media’s growing influence on the Church, emphasizing that the Church often gets sidetracked by inconsequential debates.
One of the most troubling trends Barna identified is the diminishing focus on discipleship and the lack of robust biblical training in seminaries. He criticized the prevailing metrics used by churches to measure success, such as attendance and fundraising, emphasizing their misalignment with Jesus’ mission.
Barna argued that many seminaries, despite their good intentions, inadvertently set up young ministry leaders for failure by emphasizing the wrong measurements of success. He stressed the need for a shift in focus towards biblical principles and away from institutionalized church structures.
Proposing a radical return to biblical principles, Barna suggested reevaluating the modern church structure, which he believes is largely man-made and not rooted in scripture. He emphasized Jesus’ focus on building people rather than institutions, advocating for a renewed commitment among Christians to invest in individual spiritual growth and discipleship.