5 Types of Christians?

[Marie]

A so called Christian publication, Christianity Today just put out an article on 5 types of so called Christians.
5 Kinds of Christians | LeadershipJournal.net


Active Christians 19%

• Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
• Committed churchgoers
• Bible readers
• Accept leadership positions
• Invest in personal faith development through the church
• Feel obligated to share faith; 79% do so.

Professing Christians 20% (Are they really?)

• Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
• Focus on personal relationship with God and Jesus
• Similar beliefs to Active Christians, different actions
• Less involved in church, both attending and serving
• Less commitment to Bible reading or sharing faith

Liturgical Christians 16% (Did they forget something?)

• Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ (wasnt listed)
• Predominantly Catholic and Lutheran
• Regular churchgoers
• High level of spiritual activity, mostly expressed by serving in church and/or community
• Recognize authority of the church

Private Christians 24% (Not a Christian)

• Largest and youngest segment
• Believe in God and doing good things
• Own a Bible, but don't read it
• Spiritual interest, but not within church context
• Only about a third attend church at all
• Almost none are church leaders

Cultural Christians 21% (Not a Christian)

• Little outward religious behavior or attitudes
• God aware, but little personal involvement with God
• Do not view Jesus as essential to salvation
• Affirm many ways to God
• Favor universality theology

[Marie]

I think this is a better measuring stick!

1. Believes that Jesus is the Son of God - 5:5
2. Has fellowship with other Christians who walk in the light - 1:7
3. Believes he has a sin nature - 1:8
4. Ocassionally sins - 1:10
5. Continually keeps His commandments - 2:3, 3:24
6. Continually keeps His word - 2:5
7. Walks in the same way Jesus walked - 2:6
8. Does not hate his brother - 2:9
9. Loves his brother - 2:10, 3:10
10. Does not love the world ( cosmos - the world in rebellion against God ) - 2:15
11. Does not love the things in the world - 2:15
12. Does the will of God - 2:17
13. Stays in the Body of Christ - 2:19
14. Has an anointing and as a result understands the truth of the gospel - 2:20-21
15. Believes that Jesus is the Christ (Jewish Messiah of scripture) - 2:22, 5:1
16. Abides in Christ (as a branch in the vine: see John 15) - 2:27-28
17. Continually practices righteousness - 2:29, 3:10
18. Purifies himself just as He is pure - 3:3
19. Does not continually practice sin - 3:6, 5:18
20. Practices righteousness and is righteous, just as He is righteous - 3:7
21. His seed abides in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God - 3:9
22. Loves the brethren - 3:14
23. Loves not only with word and tongue, but in deed and in truth - 3:18-19
24. The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit gives assurance of salvation - 3:24, 4:13
25. Confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (the eternal Son of God/Messiah) - 4:2
26. Has overcome the false prophets and teachers (and the spirit that animates them) - 4:4
27. Listens to, receives, and believes in the sound teaching from the apostles (the Bible) - 4:6
28. Loves (with agape love) - 4:7,8
29. Confesses that Jesus is the Son of God - 4:15
30. Abides in (agape) love - 4:16
31. Loves (agape) because He first loved him - 4:19
32. Loves the child born of the Father (either Jesus, other Christians, or all men) - 5:1
33. Overcomes the world - 5:4
34. Walks in the light - 1:6

[jsouthan]

In the article it states that they did a survey and these were the categories that emerged from the survey of the people they looked at. They are reporting their findings (and giving them names), not saying this is the way it should be.

"In September 2006, more than 1,000 self-identified Christians 18 years of age and older were surveyed on their religious beliefs and practices. The results reveal a number of significant differences, illustrated by the examples of Hua and Smith. In fact, portraits of five distinct segments emerged from the study. We have named them Active, Professing, Liturgical, Private, and Cultural Christians."

I think their purpose is then to find out how to reach those people who are not in their "active" and "professing" stages. I don't think they are condoning their lifestyle, but simply saying, "this is the way that our culture is now, what can we do to improve it?"

[Starman3000m]

Most importantly:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23)