None of the Above

In John chapter 4, we find that Jesus is sharing about a harvest of souls which He envisioned and that He empowers. We can read these words:
34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
35 Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
37 For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.'

Jesus talked about the importance of planting seeds.  And, depending on the type of soil, as He relates in the parable of the sower, that will determine the amount of growth.  People may have become hostile toward organized religion and do not participate, but there could be an openness toward God that could develop - we never know, so we can be faithful to demonstrate to the people with whom we interact the love of Christ, and as He opens up the door, to speak the truth of the Scriptures. 

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There has been much coverage of the slice of the American population that are not part of any particular religious group, the "nones." Some may be atheist or agnostics, some may even not be active participants in a church. And, they may present an opportunity. Romans chapter 10 says:
13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

The data point is simple and can remind us that there are about a quarter of Americans who are not affiliated with organized religion.  The Pew Research website states this:

Today, about 28% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion.

So, is that a high-water mark regarding the practice of faith in our land, or the lack thereof.

Hardly.  Consider what another article on the Pew site says:

That’s marginally lower than our surveys indicated in 2022 and 2021, and identical to what we found in 2020 and 2019, which raises a question: After decades of sharp growth, has the rise of these religious “nones” ended?

At the risk of sounding wishy-washy, we think it’s too early to tell.

That article goes on to say:

The identical results we’ve found in three of the last five years are a sign of stability in the size of this population. At the same time, in two of the last five years, we obtained readings above 28%.

But, none below. Pew concludes that it cannot really conclude whether or not the much-ballyhooed rise of the nones has, in fact, ended.  But, you could certainly say that it has leveled off.

A Religion Unplugged piece offers more nuance:

...most “nones,” the study found, believe in a “higher power” aside from God of the Bible, but few attend any kind of religious service. About half said spirituality is “very important in their lives.”

In Pew’s latest data, 17% of “nones” identified as atheist, 20% said agnostic and 63% said “nothing in particular.”

“Nones” are also not hostile towards faith: 58% said religion helps society by giving people meaning and purpose.

“Most ‘nones’ say they were raised in a religion, usually Christianity,” the study added. “Yet today, they tend to be disconnected from religious institutions. Not only have they shaken off religious labels, they also have largely shaken off involvement in churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious organizations.”

A Washington Stand article included comments from David Closson, Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council, as well as FRC Vice-President Jody Hice. The article says:

As Closson emphasized, “Rejecting organized religion does not necessarily equate with a rejection of God.” Ultimately, he continued, “I think this survey … reinforced … that we really live in a post-Christian, religiously confused age.”

It quotes Hice as saying, “We’ve got a spiritually fertile soil … with these people, because they do have a spiritual foundation. They just don’t know what to do with it.”

Closson added: “[T]here’s a lot of people who have become disenchanted with organized religion [and] … with the church...  The article goes on to say, including words from Closson:

What it looks like to be religious only changes with each year, especially as the church is “infected with theological liberalism” that denies the resurrection, the Bible’s authority, miracles, and the virgin birth. Instead, progressive ideology is adopted that then redefines doctrine. Ultimately, Closson said, “[H]undreds of thousands, if not millions of Christians have gotten disillusioned with churches and religious leaders who are clearly abandoning the Bible.”

The article continues:

But even these findings aren’t hopeless, as Closson deemed them “a tremendous opportunity for the church to do what the mission of the church is: to spread the gospel” and “teach all that Jesus has commanded.” He added, “People are dying … for authenticity. They’re dying for something distinct. They’re craving … authentic community.” Referring to Ephesians 4:15, he emphasized the need for believers to “speak the truth in love.” Hice agreed and said it’s “a ripe opportunity for the body of Christ to no longer be fearful, but to step out with the gospel and with love and grace and reach” those who need it.

Well, there is certainly an opportunity here, isn't there?  While there does seem to be a significant portion of the population that are not part of organized religious practice, as David Closson of FRC pointed out, that doesn't mean that they reject God.  So, we have that responsibility to take advantage of this deficiency and to speak and live the truth.

Because the truth, rooted in the Bible, provides a strong foundation for a person's life. In an age of chaos, the Bible can provide the moorings that people are seeking.  In a life that is hopeless, the promise of the gospel brings hope.  There is good news that the percentage of "nones" has perhaps leveled off, but there is also good news is that nothing in particular can be shifted to something that can change a life.