Thom Rainer, The Unchurched Next Door: Understanding Faith Stages as Keys to Sharing Your Faith, Zondervan, 2008.
Referenced in: Theology and Practice of Evangelism – Missionally Responsive/Evangelical
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
Thom Rainer’s specialty is bringing solid research to issues on which other authors merely offer informed opinions. Informed opinion is useful, but when you conduct research as responsibly and thoroughly as Rainer and his teams, the findings are not only revelatory, but hard to refute. You find yourself asking, “Why should I do things in a way the research says is not all that helpful?” or “Why spend time on what is ineffective when I can focus on what research demonstrates is more effective?” Here, Rainer “removes the scales” and gives clear understanding about the unchurched. You may not agree with all of his conclusions, and like most research, the skilled may find neglected nuances and flaws in the methodology and findings (researchers are prone to do that with other researchers). But many church leaders have come to give Rainer the benefit of the doubt. Although most of the research was conducted more than a decade ago, the findings are still applicable to many sectors of the population and to the churches trying to reach them.
This book was encouraged by the project that led to another of Rainer’s books, Surprising Insights About the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them. That book focused on a different group, i.e. “the formerly unchurched” who were reached by effective evangelistic churches. Though he draws occasionally from the previous research (e.g. in chapter 8), this book is a result of a new set of interviews with a wide mosaic of unchurched persons from a variety of locales, ethnic groups, income levels, educational achievements, and ages.
The publisher’s description below surveys the “faith stages” for which this book is especially noted. These are discussed extensively in chapters 2-7, and are fascinating windows into the different postures of the unchurched toward faith matters. Yet there are plenty of other helpful findings that are discussed elsewhere throughout the book.
Ten Surprises About the Unchurched (pp. 23-30)
1. Most of the unchurched prefer to attend church on Sunday morning if they attend.
2. Most of the unchurched feel guilty about not attending church.
3. Ninety-six percent of the unchurched are at least somewhat likely to attend church if they are invited (more than nine out of 10).
4. Very few of the unchurched had someone share with them how to become a Christian.
5. Most of the unchurched have a positive view of pastors, ministers and the church.
6. Many of the unchurched have a church background.
7. Some types of “cold calls” are effective; many are not.
8. The unchurched would like to develop a real and sincere relationship with a Christian.
9. The attitudes of the unchurched are not correlated to where they live, their ethnic or racial background, or their gender. The unchurched are not a monolithic group.
10. Many of the unchurched are far more concerned about the spiritual well-being of their children than themselves.
Also interesting is the ten-point profile of the unchurched (pp. 44-54):
- The unchurched are not antichurch.
- Over 17 million people will accept Christ if presented with the gospel. Another 43 million are close. (You have to read the book to get the math on these figures.)
- Most unchurched persons believe in the existence of both heaven and hell.
- September 11, 2001 taught us some interesting lessons about the unchurched.
- Unchurched persons are nervous but willing to talk about matters of faith.
- Most of the unchurched have a fairly high view of the Bible.
- Most of the unchurched would rather talk to a layperson than a minister about religious matters.
- Easter is still a key time to invite the unchurched.
- Many of the unchurched wonder why their Christian neighbors and coworkers do not invite them to church.
- Most of the unchurched have a spiritual view of life.
No church leader who is serious about reaching the unchurched should do without this book. It is well-written, well-organized, and easy to read.
From the Publisher
If You Invite Them, They Will Come
It’s true. In a national survey done by author Thom Rainer and his staff, eight out of ten unchurched men and women said they would come to church—if only someone would invite them. When and how is the next big question. Rainer helps you figure out where your neighbors, friends, and coworkers are in their spiritual quest, and how you can know who among the unchurched people in your life are receptive to Christ.
In this fascinating book, Rainer identifies five “faith stages”—levels of responsiveness, prefixed with a “U” for “Unchurched”—that represent your running buddy, your sister-in-law, or your hairdresser:
- U1 Highly receptive to hearing and believing the Good News
- U2 Receptive to the gospel and church
- U3 Neutral, with no clear signs of being interested yet perhaps being open to discussion
- U4 Resistant to the gospel, but with no antagonistic attitude
- U5 Highly antagonistic and even hostile to the gospel
“A discovery we made is that reaching lost and unchurched people is not always best accomplished with some cookie-cutter strategy,” Rainer writes. “The unchurched are different in how they respond to the gospel.” How different? You’ll be amazed at the variables that exist when it comes to how open people are to the Christian message. Once you’ve recognized which stage your unchurched friends and family are, you can much more effectively connect them with Christ. Open this book, and open your mind and heart to the powerful new possibilities of reaching The Unchurched Next Door.
About the Author
Thom S. Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the largest Christian resource companies in the world. He has consulted with more than five hundred churches, served as pastor of four churches and interim pastor in seven churches, and spoken in hundreds of venues worldwide. Among his publications are hundreds of articles and nineteen books including the national bestseller Simple Church as well as Essential Church?, Raising Dad, and The Bridger Generation. Rainer and his wife, Nellie Jo, have three grown sons and live in Nashville, Tennessee.
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