Churches Ineffective

"Pollster George H. Gallup, Jr. says 70 percent of Americans believe most churches and synagogues are not effective in helping people find meaning in life."

He said the ongoing vitality of American religious congregations depends, in large measure, on their effectiveness in resounding to six spiritual needs of Americans as identified in his surveys.

Consider the six needs he discovered in his survey:

1. To believe life is meaningful and has a purpose.

2. To have sense of community and deeper relationships.

3. To be appreciated and respected.

4. To be listened to&md;and heard.

5. To feel that one is growing in the faith.

6. To have practical help in developing a mature faith.

This is a powerful indictment of the tepid, culture-

soaked style of church life in our generation. It is astonishing

to discover that 70 percent of Americans are now disillusioned

with the traditional church! I have been following this Gallup

survey for years, and the trend of American cynicism grows with

each passing year.

(Gallup's report is in the 1992 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, Abingdon Press.)