The U.S. - Statistically a Least Reached Country

Statistics compiled and given by Dr. John Ewart - Lecture: Great Commission Studies at Southeastern Seminary (NC) - 3/9/2015

• It takes over 86 church members of all denominations in the U.S. to reach 1 lost person (Continues to rise above 86). 
• 41-43% of Americans “say” they attend church on a given weekend. 
• Actual numbers analysis reveal that only about 17.5% of Americans actually attend church on any given Sunday. 
• 85-94% of our churches are not growing (across all denominations). 
• In the past decade, the US population has increased by 9% while the U.S. Church population decreased by 9.5% (18.5% behind population growth). 
• No State has maintained a level of church growth that has kept up with the population growth. 
• No single county in the U.S. can report more people attending church than 10 years ago (you may say “our church is growing” but is this actual conversion growth, or church transfer). 
• In 1972 SBC churches baptized 140,000 teenagers and in 2008 SBC churches baptized 75,000 teenagers. 
• SBC membership has declined 5 years in a row. 
• The Census Bureau shows a 50% increase in churches from 1900-2000, but in the same time, the population of the US more than quadrupled. 
• In the SBC, the number of church plants increased between 2010 and 2011 from 780 to 990 but the actual numeric change in churches (when counting the churches who closed their doors) was only 37. (The smallest gain in 40 years) 
• The number of people who claim non-religious affiliation has double since 1990’s 
• Non-Believers (no-affiliation) now represents the third highest group of Americans after Catholics and Baptists.
• 1 in 5 are religiously unaffiliated (Among >20 y/o it drops to 1/4). 
• The number of people claiming to be Christian in America is the lowest in History. 
• There are at least 195 million un-churched people in the United States (this is a conservatively low number, some say over 200 million now). 
• US is the fourth largest unsaved nation on the planet behind China, India, and Indonesia. 
• In 2010 we were the largest missionary sending nation (sent the most missionaries to foreign countries), however, in 2010 we were also the largest missionary receiving nation (missionaries coming to evangelize the U.S. From other nations). 
• Studies indicate that over 70 million people in the U.S. Could be close to or on the path toward salvation (Spiritually open - “u-1” on the scale engagement scale).
• If 70 million were saved, it would be the greatest spiritual awakening in the history of our nation. (The harvest is ripe, the laborers are few). 
• Less than 10% of the unchurched would be considered antagonistic or hostile toward the church. 
• Over 90% of our active church members will never share their faith. (Some studies show over 96% - there are over 12 studies showing around 90% or greater) 

MAIN POINT: “The active evangelistic labor force of the American church is simply too small to impact our culture…we must mobilize the 90% of Christians who won’t share their faith.”

Compiled from studies taken by: Thomas Rainer, Mary Terry, Aubrey Maiphus, George Barna, Ed Stetzer, David Olson, and denominational sources.