Introduction to the CDI Church Survey 1

Peter 3:15 (NKJV) – But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Background

Christian values are being marginalized as our world becomes more and more secularized. Secular courts are overruling biblical morality. Mistrust of ‘Christianity’ is growing as Christians are lumped together with other religious groups. Most of our schools teach evolution as the source of creation, not God. 70% of Christian students lose confidence in their faith before they graduate. Any attempt to effect change is met with the Science Vs Religion deception.

Throughout traditional Christian strongholds in Europe and the Americas, both our church attendance and our Christian influence is declining rapidly. According to the book Already Gone, less than 10% of our youth today believe in absolute truth. Atheism is the fastest growing religion in the developed world.

Core Issue

The fundamental issue for Christianity today is the lack of teaching the reasoned evidence and logic supporting the Christian faith. That teaching is called apologetics*. Christian church leadership tends to focus more on ‘what’ to believe than ‘why’ to believe it. The lack of apologetic teaching in our churches leaves our church family unable to withstand the secular assault on their faith.

Purpose of the Church Survey

Three reasons for conducting the church survey.

1. To determine how well prepared your church family is to give answers for their faith.
2. To direct church leadership focus on areas of weak apologetic understanding.
3. Through the ‘answers section’ to spark new interest and build confidence and faith.

Church Survey Notes

• Allow at least 10 minutes for filling out the survey to provide adequate time for members to consider all questions and respond.
• Appoint a team to analyse the results and report back to the church leadership.
• Plan to utilize the resources available and to incorporate apologetics into the services going forward. Examples – a) apologetic moment short videos b) apologetic study DVD/Video courses c) building apologetics into messages from the pulpit d) role playing e) Creating an apologetics section for books, DVDs & magazines into the church’s resource center f) make CDIs free tracts available g) promote the use of apologetic websites
• MAKE APOLOGETICS A PRIORITY IN THE CHURCH

* Apologetics (definition of) – 1) a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity. 2) the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through systematic use of information.