Interesting Statistics

The Barna Group has published some interesting research that
investigates the moral downfalls of adults (age 18+). Here is what they
discovered:

DURING THE PAST WEEK,

• 28% of adults cussed
  >> 64% of
  Mosaics (ages 18-25)
  >> 60% of Atheists
  >> 33% of
  Men
  >> 33% of Non-Christian Religions
  >> 24% of
  Women
  >> 19% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
  >>
  16% of Evangelicals
  
  
• 20% of adults gambled (including purchased
  a lottery ticket)
  >> 25% of Catholics
  >> 23% of
  Men
  >> 18% of Protestants
  >> 15% of Women
  >> 2% of
  Evangelicals
  
• 19% of adults intentionally viewed
  pornography
  >> 50% of Atheists
  >> 33% of
  Mosaics (ages 18-25)
  >> 32% of Non-Christian
  Religions
  >> 30% of Liberals
  >> 16% of Baby Boomers (ages
  44-62)
  >> 12% of Evangelicals
  >> 8% of Conservatives
  
• 12% of adults gossiped
  >> 34% of
  Atheists
  >> 26% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
  >>
  17% of Liberals
  >> 10% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
  >> 9% of
  Conservatives
  >> 4% of Evangelicals
  
• 12% of adults got drunk
  >> 33% of
  Atheists
  >> 25% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
  >>
  22% of Men
  >> 17% of Liberals
  >> 16% of Catholics
  >>
  9% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
  >> 7% of Conservatives
  >> 7%
  of Protestants
  >> 3% of Women
  >> <0.5% of Evangelicals
  
• 11% of adults lied
  >> 37% of
  Mosaics (ages 18-25)
  >> 21% of Liberals
  >>
  18% of Non-Christian Religions
  >> 8% of Conservatives
  >> 6% of
  Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
  >> 1% of Evangelicals
  
• 9% of adults had sex with someone to whom
  they were not married
  >> 38% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
  
  >> 21% of Singles
  >> 20% of Liberals
  >> 13%
  of Men
  >> 6% of Women
  >> 4% of Baby Boomers (ages
  44-62)
  >> 4% of Conservatives
  >> 3% of
  Evangelicals
  >> 1% of Marrieds
  
• 8% of adults engaged in acts of
  retaliation
  >> 13% of Liberals
  >> 12% of
  Mosaics (ages 18-25)
  >> 11% of Atheists
  >>
  6% of Conservatives
  >> 5% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)

What I find most interesting is how much higher the percentages are for
Mosaics than Baby Boomers. Are Mosaics just that much worse than Baby Boomers?
Or were Baby Boomers just as bad but have learned self-discipline over the
years. My guess is both

What do you think?

Who's Your Bob?

I got this from Perry Noble.....I didn't write it......but WOW is it good!!

I have a friend who doesn’t know Jesus…I’ll call him “Bob” in this article,
although Bob is not his name.

I first met Bob several years ago at the gym…and over time he and I began
talking here and there for about five minutes at a time.

Let me be very clear…we have absolutely zero in common. He’s about 20-25
years older than me. He likes cats, he doesn’t sweat like me…you get the
picture.

About a year or so ago I invited him to church…and he came! (it’s amazing
what a personal invite will do!)

And then the next week–HE CAME BACK!

I think it would be safe to say that if Bob is in town–he doesn’t miss!
EVER!

He always tells me when we talk about how much he enjoyed the service. AND…if
he has questions he always asks.

One day I talked to him about his relationship with Jesus and he told me that
he isn’t ready to make that decision…but, “I think I’m getting closer,” he
always says.

There are weeks when we do not see each other…and then there are weeks when
we see one another several times. He always smiles…and always tells me either,
“I’ll see you this Sunday,” or, “I won’t be there this week…but I will make it
the next.”

Bob doesn’t know Christ!

I’m glad he comes to church…but my prayer is that he ultimately will give his
life to Christ.

I pray for this often!

We are supposed to go to lunch in the next month or so.

Bob doesn’t know Christ…but he needs to!

Here’s my question, “WHO IS THE ‘BOB’ IN YOUR LIFE?”

Who, in your life, needs Christ…but for some reason you have been unwilling
to invite them to church…or even begin a conversation with them about Jesus?

Why? What’s holding you back?

I once heard Brad
Cooper ask the question, “If you REALLY believe in the saving power
of Jesus Christ then why in the world would you show up at church every single
Sunday without a carload of people who need Him?”

Does Jesus save? ABSOLUTELY!!!

Does He change lives? ABSOLUTELY!!!

Has He called us to REACH OUT…or be obsessed with other things?

Jesus said in Luke
19:10 that He came to seek & save that which is “lost!”

If that was the heart of Jesus…and Jesus lives in our hearts…then that HAS TO
BE IN OUR HEARTS AS WELL!!

We CANNOT claim to be followers of Jesus and NOT CARE ABOUT WHAT HE CARES
ABOUT!!!

Who’s your Bob?

Who in your life, if they died today, would bust hell wide open?

What are you willing to do in order to be used by God to make a difference in
their lives?

Here’s something you might want to consider…INITIATE a conversation, INVITE
them to church. There has to come a day when we STOP USING, “Well, I’m prayin’
for them” as an EXCUSE!!!

Go for it!!!

Who’s your Bob?

Are you willing to get uncomfortable in order to reach out to them?

That’s EXACTLY what Jesus did in order to reach out to us!!!

Go for it! Today! Right now!!!

Let’s do what it takes to reach out to people far from God!!! They don’t need
to change their life–they need Jesus–and HE WILL change their life!!!

By the way…the next four weeks here at NewSpring Church are going to be AWESOME opportunities for
your friends and family members to hear the GOSPEL!

Once again–GO FOR IT!!!

Bob doesn’t know Christ!

Who’s your Bob?

What are you willing to do?

Change

We hear a lot about change. So what’s involved in changing something up?

C = Calculation

If a change is going to be made I believe some time must be spent
investigating the possible outcomes that will be associated with it. Some of the
biggest mistakes I’ve made as a leader have been changing something without
thinking it through.

H = Hesitation

When it comes to changing something that we’ve established…we always
hesitate. Don’t get me wrong, I think pausing before making the change is
healthy…however, when hesitation turns into an excuse to delay the
obvious…problems WILL occur.

A = Anticipate Resistance

The very first reaction to change will always be some sort of resistance. As
I leader I am coming more and more to understand that the first question a
person runs through their mind when change is introduced is, “How is thing going
to impact me?” And…if they detect that it may impact them in any negative sort
of way…their natural tendency is to resist.

N = Necessary

Change is SO necessary! That statement was EASY to accept when we first began
because we were changing the ways that other people did things; however, in the
past couple of years or so it has become a sobering reality that the changes
that are necessary are things we once thought of as edgy and innovative…which
ISN’T easy…but, like I said…is necessary.

G = God Factor

What changes are God telling you to make? This could be personal…or even
church wide. I know that He’s been speaking into me very directly lately and
telling me some personal changes that I need to make in regards to the ways I
lead myself and His church. God isn’t a dull God…and so following Him should
never be either. He isn’t telling me the “why’s” right now…just the “what’s”…and
getting comfortable with that has been an adjustment…but a good one!

E = Expectation

Whenever God leads us to change–we can expect fruit to come out of it. (See
John
15:4-5) I have found myself getting way to nervous in the past when God
leads me to change something when, in reality, I have NEVER screwed anything up
by simply being completely obedient to Him–even when that includes MAJOR change.