“The work of Christians is to embody Jesus—full of truth and grace—and reflect his image in all they say and do,” said Barna Group CEO David Kinnaman. “The data shows they too often fall short.”
Researchers noted that the “dichotomy between how people perceive Jesus versus how they view his followers and the institutional Church” has major implications for outreach and evangelism. In fact, that dichotomy may be the reason America is “increasingly and swiftly becoming more post-Christian,” despite the fact that the general population is “indicating a warm and positive perception of Jesus.”
On the positive side, the findings about the “spiritual openness” of most Americans offers “a tremendous opportunity for faith leaders,” researchers noted. “The challenge facing the Church is whether they are ready and able to meet the spiritually open—where they are, as they are.”
