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The State of The Church in America: When Numbers Point To A New Reality
(Worthy News) - The polls are in and the news is bad for the Church in America.
Christianity is on the decline, Americans have given up on God, and the “Nones”—those who have no religious ties—are on the rise. It is indeed true that parts of the Christian Church in America are struggling, while a growing number of Americans are far from God.
Pew’s 2007 Religious Landscape study, which surveyed 35,000 respondents, found that about 16% of Americans claimed no religious affiliation. By 2015, that number had grown to 23%, almost one in four Americans.
Pew has also tracked the decline in the percentage of Americans who claim to be Christians. In 2007, Pew found that about 8 in 10 Americans identified as Christians. That number dropped to 7 in 10 in 2014—a statistically significant change in a relatively short time. Pew also found that less than half of Americans (46.5%) now identify as Protestants for the first time in American history. [ Source ]
The biblical church was always a small number and yes the bible proves that fact.
Matthew 20:16
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen
Matthew 7:13-14
¶ Enter in at the strait gate: for it is the wide gate, and broad way that leadeth to destruction: and many there be which go in thereat. Because the gate is strait, and the way narrow that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few chosen.
Luke 13: 23-28
23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that shall be saved? And he said unto them,
24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
25 When the good man of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye began to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are,
26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are: depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out at doors.
Romans 9:27-28
Also Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea, yet shall but a remnant be saved.
28 For he will make his account, and gather it into a short sum with righteousness: for the Lord will make a short count in the earth.
Read John 10:1-5. But Jesus said they did not understand the parable so He went on to explain. Vs.7 - "I AM the door of the Sheep. Vs.11 - "I Am the good (as opposed to bad) shepherd. Then on from vs.12 - 21. The Church is not a building nor is it a denomination (denominations are all man made). Christ said that He would build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. As the previous comment stated, the church has always been a small entity. What's happening these days is the weeding out of false believers.