The statistic that only 4 percent of today's teens will grow up to be Christian comes from a 1997 youth ministry book called The Bridger Generation: America's Second Largest Generation, What They Believe, How to Reach Them by Thom S. Rainer from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
It turns out, as reported on pages 165-66, Rainer did an "informal survey" of 211 young people in three states over seven months in the mid-1990s. No information about the methodology in sampling these youth is given—most likely it was a convenience sample.
Based on this evidence, the author writes, "The vast majority of bridgers today have not accepted Christ. In a recent and informal survey of 211 bridgers, only 4 percent responded that they were born-again Christians who had trusted in Christ alone for salvation."
Older Americans are then said, based on another similar "informal survey," to have accepted Christ at higher rates. The conclusion: "According to present trends, we are about to lose eternally the second largest generation in America's history."
Content of this post was taken from an article by sociologist Christian Smith in the JAN/FEB 2007 issue of Christianity Today above. Thoughts? Reactions? Comments?
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