Houston . . . we did not see the problem

Barna shoots one across the bow. Subject Line: Pastors Claim Congregants Are Deeply Committed to God But Congregants Deny It

The synopsis states:

Do you ever wonder why you hear from most religious leaders that America is spiritually healthy, but you see scant evidence of it in your daily wanderings? In this week’s Barna Update we address the gap between perception and reality regarding the health of the Christian body in America by comparing pastors’ views of the spiritual commitment of their congregants and the self-evaluation of churched adults regarding their devotion to God. The distance between these two perspectives is breathtaking. The adages “you get what you measure” and “you see what you want to see” go a long way toward explaining the spiritual condition of the nation – and the generally upbeat view of pastors regarding the spiritual condition of their congregants.

You can read the article here.