Nick Bogardus

The PEW Forum released a study last week looking at what Americans know about religion, their own and others. Aside from the prominently-circulated headline that apparently atheists and agnostics know more about religion than those who call themselves religious, there are some revealing stats from deeper in the report.

The Bible

For example, only 43% of mainline Protestants and 71% of Evangelicals can name the four Gospels.

Salvation

Only 28% of Evangelicals know that Protestant Christians believe in salvation by faith alone. Half of that number, 14%, of Mainline Christians know that. More than 80% of both groups know instead that Mother Theresa was Catholic. Historically, Evangelicals have been defined by a high view of Scripture and the centrality of the Gospel, Jesus’ death on a cross for our sins and resurrection to conquer satan, sin, and death. Yet, this study shows that large portions of Evangelicals can’t even tell someone what the four Gospels are (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) or that we are saved by faith alone in Christ alone. The truth is, many Evangelicals and most mainline Christians need the Gospel just as bad as non-believers. It simply cannot be assumed that just because someone is in your church or calls themselves a Christian that they are. Here are two practical ways we try to do communications in a way that points to Jesus - and thereby point to the authority of the Bible and God’s gift of salvation - here at Mars Hill Church.

1. Make the distinction between a testimony and a biography. Whether you’re doing one in church, on a blog, or on video, having someone tell their story will either reveal the hero to be God or someone else. A testimony is a teaching piece, a mini sermon - an opportunity to explain what the Gospel looks like in someone’s life. God is the hero, not them.
2. View all of your communication operations as supporting the pulpit, not isolated ministries. If your pastor is preaching through books of the Bible and all of the content you produce supports that, you’re communication will not only be unified, it will point to Jesus as the hero of the Bible (and of them).