This document discusses the need for a new reformation in the church based on research findings. It summarizes that: 1) Research shows that 41% of church attendees are not "born again" Christians and do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. 2) 9 out of 10 pastors say spiritual immaturity is a major problem, but few provide guidance on spiritual growth. 3) Only half of self-identified Christians believe the Bible is fully accurate in its principles. It argues that the church needs to refocus on Jesus Christ rather than programs and buildings in order to address these issues and experience real reformation.

1. [ ESC ]
i
tap the ESC
Key to exit
about the
rest stop
Part .01
Presents
“We have to relearn that ‘the house of God’ is primarily the world in which
God lives, not the contractor’s building set up on the street corner.”
Next

2. Next
Presents
The other day I was talking to a friend about the possibility of a New Reformation in
the Church. He surprised me with a question. He asked,
Is a Reformation something
we even want?
Good question.
Do we know what weʼre asking for when we pray for a New Reformation? After all,
Martin Lutherʼs 16th century Reformation was a bloody affair that shook Europe and
changed the world forever.
Despite all of that ugly history, though, the answer to my friendʼs question is yes, the
Church should be working toward a New Reformation. In fact, I believe we are in
desperate need of it.
Part .01 “We have to relearn that ‘the house of God’ is primarily the world in which
God lives, not the contractor’s building set up on the street corner.”

3. Why do I believe that, you ask? Take a look at the results of some research conducted
by the Barna Group, a firm specializing in the study of American religious beliefs:
We have a culture of Christians that
do not know Christ or act like him.
According to Barna, in a typical week 41% of the adults attending Christian Churches
are not born again. Most of those people have been attending Christian Churches for
years without really understanding the foundations of the Christian faith and its
personal implications (George Barna, March 5, 2001).
In case you missed it, Iʼm going to say that again—41% (almost half) of all adults
attending Church on Sundays are not born again. That means almost half of the
Christians you associate with on a weekly basis donʼt even know Jesus. Put another
way, half of your Christian friends may not actually be Christians.
Let that soak in for a second…
Previous Next
59%
Christian
41%
Non-Christian
People who attend Church
Presents
Part .01 “We have to relearn that ‘the house of God’ is primarily the world in which
God lives, not the contractor’s building set up on the street corner.”

4. Spiritual Immaturity is one of the most
serious problems facing the church.
An overwhelming majority of self-identified Christians (81%) believe that spiritual
maturity is achieved by following the rules in the Bible.
In my experience, focusing on rules instead of developing a real relationship
with God creates rebellion and legalism, not spiritual maturity.
Barna goes on to state that a 2009 study among pastors shows that almost nine
out of ten senior pastors of Protestant churches assert that spiritual immaturity is
one of the most serious problems facing the church. Few pastors go so far as to
give their congregations a specific, written statement of how they define spiritual
maturity, how it might be measured, the strategy for facilitating such maturity, or
what scriptural passages are most helpful in describing and fostering maturity.
Those pastors who make any attempt to measure maturity are more likely to
gauge depth on the basis of participation in programs than to evaluate peoplesʼ
spiritual understanding or any type of transformational fruit in their lives.
Overall, less than one out of every ten pastors say they are completely satisfied
with how they assess the spiritual condition of their congregation.
(George Barna Study, 2009)
Previous Next
9 out of 10
senior pastors of Protestant churches
assert that spiritual immaturity is
one of the most serious problems
facing the church.
Presents
Part .01 “We have to relearn that ‘the house of God’ is primarily the world in which
God lives, not the contractor’s building set up on the street corner.”

5. Biblical literacy is neither a current
reality nor a goal in the U.S.
Barnaʼs findings related to Bible knowledge and application indicate that little progress, if
any, is being made toward assisting people to become more biblically literate. When people
read from the Bible they typically open it, read a brief passage without much regard for the
context, and consider the primary thought or feeling that the passage provides. If they are
comfortable with it, they accept it; otherwise, they deem it interesting but irrelevant to their
life, and move on. There is shockingly little growth evident in peopleʼs understanding of the
fundamental themes of the scriptures and amazingly little interest in deepening their
knowledge and application of biblical principles.
Barna also says half of all self-identified Christians firmly
believe that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles
(not the facts, just the principles) that it teaches.
Previous Next
Presents
That sentence blows me away. I had to read it a few times to make sure I
wasnʼt misunderstanding Barnaʼs statement …actually, I think I was hoping
I was misunderstanding the statement. Half of all Christians donʼt agree
with the word of God? To call that sad is a massive understatement.
Part .01 “We have to relearn that ‘the house of God’ is primarily the world in which
God lives, not the contractor’s building set up on the street corner.”

6. Presents
As Barnaʼs findings show, weʼve done it our way for too long and apparently it hasnʼt
worked. If we want to see a real Reformation, which could ultimately lead to revival,
some things are going to have to change in the local Church.
We are failing.
We focus on building projects, finances and membership drives—everything
except Jesus. Jesus said if He be lifted up, He will draw all men to Himself. Instead,
Jesus sometimes seems to be the only thing we donʼt lift up.
Previous Next
Building Projects Finances Membership Drives Jesus Christ
Part .01 “We have to relearn that ‘the house of God’ is primarily the world in which
God lives, not the contractor’s building set up on the street corner.”

7. Itʼs time to open the door and give him His Church back. Itʼs time to emerge from
our expensive facades—the outward appearances we maintain to conceal a less
pleasant reality—and let Him back in. Itʼs time to ask ourselves a simple question:
If what we’ve been doing in church has
produced such depressing results, why do
we continue doing it this way…our way?
Previous Next
Presents
Part .01 “We have to relearn that ‘the house of God’ is primarily the world in which
God lives, not the contractor’s building set up on the street corner.”

8. As Leonard Ravenhill said,
In America, right now, we have hundreds of millions of gospel
cassettes (Podcasts and DVD’s), and millions of gospel books, and
we have hundreds of bible schools and seminars, we have people
memorizing the scriptures, and we have thousands of Christian
radio stations giving us scriptures, yet with all this stuff to feed on,
dear God, ninety-five percent of us are spiritual cripples. Spiritual
infants. Spiritual babes. Children, full of self piety, self interest,
self seeking, self concern, me first.
It canʼt get clearer than that.
Previous Next
Presents
Part .01 “We have to relearn that ‘the house of God’ is primarily the world in which
God lives, not the contractor’s building set up on the street corner.”

9. Presents
According to Revelation 3:20, Jesus stands at the door of His church and knocks.
Will we let Him back in, or will we continue to do things our way?
Previous Next
The choice is ours.
Part .01 “We have to relearn that ‘the house of God’ is primarily the world in which
God lives, not the contractor’s building set up on the street corner.”

10. The basic thrust of the ministry
of the pastor and local church
is to produce disciples.
Previous
About Us
When man rests God works.
- Lloyd Ogilvie
Join The Community
DISCIPLESHIP PUBLISHING CO.
The Rest Stop is a community committed to providing systematic
discipleship materials that inform the mind, inflame the heart
and engage the will to hear Godʼs voice.
We are also a community that promises to speak the truth bluntly and frankly.
We may say things that challenge some of the illusions you currently accept as
Christianity, but we know you can handle it…because every honest believer
can handle it. In fact, we think you can do more than handle it…we think you
will welcome it.
The Rest Stop is for both pew-sitter and pastor. Layman and church leader.
Anyone who has ever had that look. You know the look—curious, searching,
unsatisfied. Sometimes even slightly pissed off. It's the same look Jesus saw
on the faces of the men he called His disciples—the men and women he picked
to pass on His story.
The Rest Stop is for those who have come to the realization that the pounding
in their heart in the middle of the night is Jesus standing at the door of His
Church, knocking.
The Rest Stop is for those who believe it’s time to open the door and give
Him His Church back.
If you found this material helpful, Iʼd
like to join your mailing list.
Join Now
Part .01