A look at what current statistics say about pastors--and about God.

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There's probably not a pastor in the United States who isn't familiar with--or hasn't heavily quoted--Christian pollster George Barna. Whether the subject is church growth, the views of the unchurched or the attitudes of those sitting in the pews, the prolific author and founder of Barna Research Group has studied it and can cite a revealing statistic. His conclusions drawn from myriad scientific research data have compelled many pastors to rethink their approach to ministry. That's why we thought our readers would enjoy a closer look at the man behind the stats and his challenge to today's spiritual leaders. (See our cover story on page 28.)

The Bible itself teems with number crunching, suggesting such activity has spiritual implications. Moses counted the tribes of Israel; offerings and animal sacrifices were counted; troops preparing for battle were numbered; and salvations were tabulated. Even God crunches numbers. He numbers our days (see Job 14:5); He counts--and names--the stars (see Ps. 147:4); He even numbers the hairs on our heads (see Luke 12:7). Let Barna try that one!

Analyzing statistical data is important because it not only gives you insight into your current situation, but also helps you gauge the direction you're heading so that you make better decisions.

We at Ministries Today compile statistics through various means, including our monthly online poll for pastors and church leaders (www.ministriestoday.com). Although the results are purely a reflection of the views of those who take the poll as opposed to a truly scientific survey, they are nonetheless quite insightful. Some stats from recent polls you may find intriguing: When asked what causes them the most stress, 31 percent of pastors said personal finances; only 11 percent worried as much about church finances. But nearly 20 percent--the second highest reply--said private issues are what cause them the most concern.

"Totally fulfilled and satisfied" was the phrase almost 30 percent of pastors used to describe their career satisfaction. Close to 24 percent chose "somewhat fulfilled" and 19 percent picked "mostly fulfilled." On the down side, 17 percent chose "struggling but hanging in there," 7 percent said "dissatisfied but hanging in there," while 3 percent chose "I want to throw in the towel."

It's in those rough patches of ministry where we need to remember the most important stats of all: God's mercy toward us is measureless (see Ps. 103:11; 100:5); His loving thoughts toward us are greater in number than the earth's sand (see Ps. 139:17-18); and His grace is abounding (see 2 Cor. 9:8; 12:9). Those are statistics we can rely on.

7:00PM EST 2/28/2003

The issue isn't simply what one translation may say, but where an unchallenged method may take us.
7:00PM EST 12/31/2002

If I had just five minutes to address charismatic church leaders in the United States, here's what I'd say.
7:00PM EST 12/31/2002

What will the coming years require of Christian leaders?

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Twenty years ago--in the winter of 1983--the first issue of Ministries Today (then called MINISTRIES: The Magazine for Christian Leaders) rolled off the presses, sparked by Stephen Strang's vision to serve pastors and church leaders in the Pentecostal/charismatic community. From the onset, our publication has kept readers abreast of what God is doing through the body of Christ across our nation and around the world. We have both encouraged and challenged Christian leaders, providing practical advice and encouragement as well as confronting difficult issues or areas in the church needing a course correction.

Reading through some of our past issues recently, I noticed we have remained, through the years, on the cutting edge of issues related to pastoral leadership and the Pentecostal/charismatic church. We have tackled tough subjects honestly and given practical guidance in a no-nonsense manner. Our articles have given voice both to prominent leaders in our movement and to those on the front lines of ministry who are not "big names." In the process, we have created a forum for true community and fellowship.

My perusal of the past provided a little humor, too, as I stumbled upon some of the then-cutting-edge subjects we addressed 20 years ago. In one of our earliest issues, for example, an article about personal computers--which had just hit the mainstream market--educated pastors on what a printer does, how to use this new thing called a "word processor" and stated that computers are affordable now that one "can be purchased for the price of a new Chevrolet." Times certainly have changed!

All of this got me thinking about what issues church leaders might need to grapple with in the next 20 years. I do believe we have a lot to be excited about--after all, the Pentecostal/charismatic movement is the fastest growing segment of the church worldwide. There is greater unity across denominational and racial lines than in times past. And I believe we are on the verge of the greatest harvest of souls the world has ever seen.

But there also are areas of grave concern, and we as leaders must be willing to address them. To name a few: (1) We must counter doctrinal error infecting the church and ground people in the Word--and we must be better grounded ourselves; (2) We can no longer indulge leaders living on a loose sliding scale of personal morality; and (3) We need to stop the type of manipulation for personal gain that too commonly spills over Christian airwaves and is preached from our pulpits.

I don't know for sure what the next 20 years will bring. But I do know that we, as leaders, must rise to meet the challenge.

7:00PM EST 12/31/2002

How we can help people in our congregations move into the holiday season as ambassadors of God's love.
7:00PM EST 10/31/2002

Child sexual abuse by snakes posing as saints cannot be tolerated.

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At first, no one believed them. After all, children often make up stories. Childhood games and imaginative play are what being a kid is all about. So when the two little tykes told their mom they were afraid to go outside--"But Mommy, what about the monster?" they cried--they were swiftly brushed aside. "C'mon," groaned the weary mother. "Just go outside and play!"

It wasn't the first time she had heard them tell this seemingly tall tale. For the last couple of weeks they had talked about this "monster" they had seen scurrying under the house while they were frolicking in the yard. They had seen it more than once. It was a huge beast, according to their description, and they were scared of it. But no one they told would believe it really existed.

Until neighborhood pets started mysteriously vanishing. And until the parents, too, started hearing noises late at night.

It was soon discovered that an escaped python had been living under their house. The creature would sometimes slither between homes in the rural community to hunt for food. And, yes, in case you were wondering, pythons have been known to eat children on occasion--not a dramatic feat when you're 30 feet long and weigh 200 pounds.

No wonder her kids had been crying in fear. Thankfully, this "monster" was caught in time, because no one had been listening to the children's cries. It's hard to be taken seriously when you're 5 or 6 years old and don't have the vocabulary or life experience to articulate what is happening to you.

This same scenario is occurring in churches across our country. Except the pythons in our midst don't slither in the grass--they hold hymnals. They don't look like frightening beasts--they lift their hands during worship. They don't hide in basements--they are sitting in the pew right next to you. They may appear pious, but they are out to feed on our children.

That's why we're addressing the crisis of pedophilia in the church in this issue of Ministries Today. David Middlebrook, author of The Guardian System, wrote the article on page 46 to give pastors practical advice for how to prevent pious pythons from victimizing children in our congregations. It is not an option for us to sit back and do nothing.

We must not ignore our children's cries. As we've seen in the scandal rocking the Roman Catholic Church, these child victims were right all along. The monsters they were seeing were very real. The children just needed someone to listen to them.

7:00PM EST 10/31/2002

What it takes to be an effective leader who can sustain a strong ministry over the long haul.
8:00PM EDT 8/31/2002

A wake-up call to the church on the anniversary of Sept. 11.

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The memo was stamped July 10, 2001, and sent to FBI headquarters from Kenneth Williams, a well-respected agent who was part of the bureau's antiterrorism task force. The classified document warned of a pattern the agent had noticed of Middle Eastern men signing up for lessons at U.S. flight schools. Williams recommended an investigation, speculating that al Qaeda could be using these men in some sort of twisted terrorist plot.

The agent had no idea how soon his dark premonition would be realized. Two months later--almost to the day--his intuition proved right, as Americans recoiled in horror at one of the worst nightmares ever to take place on U.S. soil. It was Sept. 11, 2001--one year ago this month.

But as alert as Williams had been to the clues leading up to the attacks, the FBI, it seemed, had been fast asleep. The memo was ignored. America basked in her dreamland, enjoying the illusory lull of false security. And while we were sleeping, the enemy caught us off guard. We dozed; terrorists formulated a scheme. We snored; they sent coded messages; we hit snooze; they boarded planes.

We were finally forced out of our slumber when American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston slammed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:45 a.m. It was a jolting call back to the reality of the times in which we live. We were only just beginning to realize the scope of what had been going on right under our noses all along, while we were sleeping.

In 1 Chronicles 12:32 we read of the sons of Issachar in David's army, "who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" (NKJV). Like Agent Williams, they could read the signs and follow the clues. They could propose an effective strategy. They weren't oblivious to what was going on around them. And they wouldn't be caught dead sleeping while they were supposed to be on watch.

But sometimes I wonder about the church. It seems some things escape our attention as we slumber in a cocoon of self-centered unreality. We somehow miss the fact that our message has become too much about us and not enough about Him and His power. Meanwhile the enemy concocts his schemes, millions go to hell, even believers fall into heresy and don't walk in victory, and a postmodern society marches on without the bearers of truth understanding what it is really going to take to reach this generation.

Memo to the church: We can keep ignoring the signs, or we can wake up from our slumber before it is too late.

8:00PM EDT 8/31/2002

Comparing their churches to megachurches, some pastors become discouraged. We need discernment to help avoid disillusionment.
8:00PM EDT 6/30/2002

Speaking in tongues-some embrace it; some reject it; others just ignore it. Why we must take a thoughtful look at this controversial Pentecostal phenomenon
8:00PM EDT 4/30/2002

Listen carefully as March winds blow, and you may hear the Holy Spirit speak a prophetic word of hope for the coming season.
7:00PM EST 2/28/2002

How to grasp God's grace when facing unfair or trying circumstances.
7:00PM EST 1/1/2002

When tragedy strikes--national or otherwise--how should we address the questions that are raised?
7:00PM EST 10/31/2001

Our loving Creator can fill our autumn years with promise.
8:00PM EDT 8/31/2001

Examining the principles that are essential in leading a congregation to maturity and fruitfulness.

8:00PM EDT 6/30/2001

Many preachers are bound by a "patience" that keeps them from confronting the status quo. We need pastors to lead with passion.

8:00PM EDT 4/30/2001

Sensivity and understanding are imperative in Messianic ministry.

7:00PM EST 3/9/2001

Are evangelism efforts keeping pace with the worldwide population explosion?

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With a sarcastic and somewhat jealous tone, my pastoral colleague grumbled, "This city doesn't need another church!" Often in the last 30 years I've heard a resident pastor complain about a new church plant in his or her area. The fear and concern behind such complaints arise from the fact that too much of modern church growth comes from membership transfer, not unbeliever conversion.

But the truth is that we need more intense evangelism from current churches, and more church plants in the United States and worldwide to keep pace with population growth. Consider these facts from the 2000 U.S. Census:

The U.S. population has grown 13.2 percent since 1990, reaching 281,421,906.

Nevada led the growth by 66.3 percent. Four other states (Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Georgia) more than doubled the U.S. growth rate.

According to the U.N. Population Fund, by Oct. 12, 1999, world population passed 6 billion. Other facts:

70 million people will be added annually to the world population in the next 15 years.

Of the world's 6 billion people, 1.04 billion are between the ages of 15 and 24.

Today's generation of young people making choices on family size will decide how fast the world grows. Experts project we could reach more than 10 billion by 2050.

Need more church plants? You bet. Need faster growing existing churches? Of course. The standard "rule of thumb" still holds: If a church doesn't grow annually by more than a tithe, it is slowly dying.

So what do we do with booming population growth? Pray, covert, disciple, equip and send them to reach others for Christ. We need healthy churches growing numerically and spiritually.

Recently I found myself privileged to teach and worship in Singapore. Church plants and growth are exploding there. In one Singapore congregation, more than 300 people are converted each week and 50 to 60 cells start monthly. In Nepal, one woman missionary has planted more than 40 churches in just 25 years.

Jesus' words are still true: "'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest'" (Matt. 9:37, NKJV). Pray, evangelize, convert, disciple, equip and grow! We must continue this cycle until Jesus returns. No other option exists.

7:00PM EST 3/9/2001

Some say God speaks only through the Bible. But an honest look at Scripture reveals many ways God has chosen to communicate to His children.
7:00PM EST 12/31/2000

Gnosticism is alive and well in the 21st century. Tragically, even those who should know better are sometimes deceived.
7:00PM EST 10/31/2000