“Barna: The lives of Captive Christians are defined by their faith; their worldview is built around their core spiritual beliefs and resultant values. Casual Christians are defined by the desire to please God, family, and other people while extracting as much enjoyment and comfort from the world as possible. The big difference between these two tribes is how they define a successful life. For Captives, success is obedience to God, as demonstrated by consistently serving Christ and carrying out His commands and principles. For Casuals, success is balancing everything just right so that they are able to maximize their opportunities and joys in life without undermining their perceived relationship with God and others. Stated differently, Casuals are about moderation in all things while Captives are about extreme devotion to their God regardless of the worldly consequences.”
” Barna’s studies indicate that Casual Christians represent 66% of the adult population of the U.S. (The percentage of the adult population represented by the other half-dozen tribes included 16% who are Captive Christians, 2% Jews, 2% Mormons, 2% Pantheists, one-half of 1% Muslims, and 11% Skeptics.)”
Most of my Christian life I’ve fellowshiped and worked in SBC’s. Interestingly, easily the SBC is composed of 66% Casual Christians and 16% Captive Christians by his definitions. I wonder if that is an average description of all churches. Considering that the 66% will control the direction of the denomination as a whole it is no wonder that the SBC has always been on the ‘wrong side’ of many controversial issues. It appears that their value system is being controlled by comfort rather than a drive for the deeper truths of God.
Controversial issues are where people will get hurt such as the gender debate, the activities of the HS, leadership and family issues. (this doesn’t mean that every controversy with the biggest resistance must be right 
). Thus, Christians who are captivated with seeking God’s heart on deeper issues should know and accept that we will be in an ongoing fight with those who live their Christian life in a way that does not upset the majority of Christians. We will upset people. And considering what Barna has said, perhaps upsetting casual Christians is good for them.
There are always, and will always be people who view life from a social standpoint, whether in general or as Christians. Those who seek God on a deeper level are the minority. It has always been this way because of the sin nature. Those who strive to enter into a deeper relationship with God (including seeking answers to doctrinal issues such as the gender debates), are not satisfied with a social Christianity devoid of internal challenges.
What do you think? :)
Link to full article: http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/13-culture/268-casual-christians-and-the-future-of-america
http://mommylife.net/archives/2009/05/barna_research.html
More discussion about the article here.
Interesting comment you made there, Molleth.
The thought worth pondering, is that casual Christians can be just as zealous as captive Christians in Barna’s definition. And we can all be out of balance in our zeal.
Yes, Believer3, but I think that we must be careful here. A captive Christian can be just as devoted to God seek God with all their heart and live to glorify Him alone and yet have a different doctrinal view (on gender issues). The view does not make them captive or casual, it is the way they live their life and Who is of most importance to them. I think your comment above is exactly right. Both sides can be zealous, and both sides can be wrong (or right).
And Molly, your point on the other blog is well made, however, as I said, I do not think that is what defines casual or captive. I know many fine Christians who I would classify as captives, but they are not zealous in having people see it their way. They are zealous in their love for the Lord and trying to live for Him.
Does that mean that 66% of the priests/pastors are Casual Christians? I wouldn’t be surprised.
Last Sunday I got shown a nice full-colour pamphlet put out by a fellow who’s quite young but in a senior position. In it he suggests pulling the creed out of services because, he says, some people are uncomfortable about saying the whole thing since there are parts of it to which they don’t assent. He also thinks the communion table should be fully inclusive. Anyone, no matter what they believe, should be able to partake.
I’ve begun thinking about where to go next in case enough of the other senior fellows agree and impose this on us all. But it’s all a bit depressing. We live in a smallish town and choices are limited.
I would have fit firmly into his definition of “Captive Christian”. Went to seminary and the mission field. Homeschooled the children and embraced quiver full. Never missed church- there every time the doors were open.
Captive is a good word for it.
It was a form of bondage.
NOW, I am a FREE Christian.
(Charis, yes, that’s what I was thinking too. I would have fit firmly, but I don’t think that it was a mark of true spiritual maturity or comprehension of Christ…).
Kate, yes, that kind of zeal (zeal for the law of Love to be lived out) is awesome!
“The view does not make them captive or casual, it is the way they live their life and Who is of most importance to them. I think your comment above is exactly right. Both sides can be zealous, and both sides can be wrong (or right).”
Kate, exactly!
Charis, I think you are misunderstanding the meaning that Barna is associating with the idea of captive Christians. All those things you did may or may not be done from a desire to seek God more fully. Not everything one does because others tell them it is the way to seek and please God are correct. A captive Christian seeks God because they love God deeply.
Some people do not yet realize that things people do to them are not God’s fault, they are the people’s fault. God still loves them. As Kate said, what is important ” is the way they live their life and Who is of most importance to them”.
And BTW Charis, you ARE seeking God. You are not by any means a casual Christian by Barna’s definition.
If my chief purpose is to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever”–and since I have left a very controlling, very obedience-focused church, I read the description of the “casual Christian” as more God-glorifying (and more healthy).
In Barna’s definition, a casual Christian is one who views the whole Christian thing as a social organization, not glorify God and enjoy Him forever. That would be a captivated Christian.
It’s really an imperfect comparison. I don’t know what the obedience focused churches would be other than legalistic. But the survey wasn’t about churches but individuals and their relationship with God, not their relationship with a church.
I think Barna oversimplified the whole issue. Things are really more complex than what he describes.
I agree with the oversimplification.
It’s so oversimplified I find it a confusing and hardly applicable.
I get acme’s confusion because I share it.
# 1 Love the LORD your God with all your heart etc…
# 2 Love your neighbor etc…
These are social laws from my perspective.
Even the ten commandments are all about getting along with God and others.
As you clarify, TL, it makes a little more sense.
But still, captivated can point to legalistic or misguided zeal.
These two definitions (one is right and the other is wrong) don’t fit in my “How do we balance this out?” way of thinking.
It’s too black and white when really Christianity seems to contain both.
Clinging to one while disregarding the other makes my balance-o-meter go tilt.
Agree Mara! also in Barna’s definition I don’t think he viewed a casual Christian as wrong, just less committed. In the complicated view a casual Christian could be just in a less committed place in one’s life that could change next year (a brief respite from the craziness of serving), or a social not very committed Christian, or a pretend Christian. It’s always amazed me to hear stories of Christians who had been calling themselves Christians and worked in the church for years and then finally accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. But that is real life. It’s messy.
“I don’t know what the obedience focused churches would be other than legalistic.”
Obedience to God would never be legalistic. Obedience to man centered doctrine is almost always legalism or license.
But Paul also teaches that we can be deceived out of ignorance. He makes distinctions between those deceived out of ignorance and those who are deceiving others on purpose.
I think the point Barna is making is that casual Christians are just as devoted to their comfort as they are to God – all things in moderation and balance – where a captive Christian views God and their relationship with Him as more important than their comfort.
Maybe his choice of words isn’t the best, but I think captives are “sold out to Christ” whereas casuals are “sold out as long as it doesn’t interfere with the way I live my life”… that’s what I get from his descriptors.
What do I think?
Barna may call it Captive and Casual, but he could just as well say Structured vs. Chaos to set up his false dichotomy.
I disagree that Casuals are trying to extract as much enjoyment and comfort as possible. But it could appear such to fake martyrs and Pharisees.
All Christians desire to please God because we’ve been given a new heart to do so. But we all have liberty to demonstrate it according to the gifts He has given us.
One camp perceives the exercising of that liberty as rebellion against structure, which they regard highly, perhaps because it’s the only way they understand how to implement their beliefs.
Pehaps this camp consists of folks who possess more dominant skills analytical/organizational in nature, and approach their service to God in a highly methodical manner.
The other camp possesses other gifts. Maybe childlike faith, spontaneity or creativity and approach their service to God by passionately seizing opportunties as they naturally arise. (Or, what we call Divine Appointments.)
To the structured folks, we look like we’re enjoying too much of this world- it must be the liberty, bcz I’ve yet to be convinced by them of any other worldly “sin”.
You see, in their eyes, true devotion means a committment to a plan. Their plan. A plan guarantees results and success that can be measured. (their success, their glory)
But I’m “Casual” because my Bible says that I can’t, by thought, add one cubit to my stature. Likewise, I don’t think I can add to my spiritual stature. The Holy Ghost does that thru daily sanctification. I am daily presented with choices, and he gives me the scripture that governs my decisions. That’s it!
I don’t orchestrate situations with predicted outcomes and set goals. I know that sounds horrible and irresponsible in this success driven world! I just praise the Lord for the opportunities and I’m blessed knowing that I’m in fellowship and pleasing Him!
The camps are not opposites, just different. They need not be the same and they need not be at odds.
The reason they are at odds is that structured folks are viewing this as an us vs. them mentality: “If you’re not with me and my plan, then you’re working against me.” which means “I believe true devotion to God means developing a plan and committing to it. If you don’t, you’ll never please God.”
To understand their bias, look at the antonyms of structure: “confused, disorderly, disorganized, imprecise, chaotic.” I suppose that, without the Holy Spirit, the absence of a plan would be chaos. And here is where I am confused at their denial of the work of the Holy Spirit. Are they not familiar with it? Does he manifest himself differently in their camp? They act like they have no experience with being led Him and being confident about it!
Whenever I speak of being led by the Spirit, these folks mock and accuse me of using him for a cloak to sin! they say, “Sure, you people speak of being led by the Spirit, however, the Spirit will never contradict scripture.”
(I happen to agree) but this remark is either a veiled accusation or ignorance.
Sorry for rambling. Feel free to connect the dots for me and help me to say this with half the words! lol.
momgodin,
I enjoyed and resonate with your comment
thank you
Paul Hill -who murdered an abortion doctor- gave up his “opportunities” and “joys in life” because of his zeal.
I was really surprised to find among the 17 “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5 the following:
zelos
Strong’s definition:
1) excitement of mind, ardour, fervour of spirit
a) zeal, ardour in embracing, pursuing, defending anything
1) zeal in behalf of, for a person or thing
2) the fierceness of indignation, punitive zeal
That was good research Charis. Reminds me of the point that for every good true thing, there is a phony false impersonation.
The problem with talking to many comps, whether negative or positive ones is that if you say anything that is contrary to their beliefs on women they look at you like you are crazy. I’m sick of it. I want to be able to talk about women in leadership or in teaching positions over men without getting shocked looks.
And I’m tired of constantly bombarded with talk about those bad females who won’t submit themselves to their husbands. Enough is enough.
There are so many things that are affecting females: pornography, sexual agression, divorce, economic problems, illness…etc. But the main thing comps focus on with women is them being submissive to males. It’s just submission, submission, and more submission. If the comps focused on porn as deeply as they focused on female submission their wouldn’t be so much divorce in the Christian community. Even so, all’s they seem to care about when it comes to women is submission to males.
It’s overwhelming, and over tiring to go through. For this reason I keep my distance from comps.
“I want to be able to talk about women in leadership or in teaching positions over men without getting shocked looks.”
I know what you mean. Sad, really.
I remember telling some Christian brother that I didn’t care for that book “Wild at Heart”, and he gave me this look that said something to the effect, ‘you poor dear if you only knew how great it is to be in your place’. I’m sure I gave him a look back and shook my head. But it was disturbing.
Now to me, that sort of stuff is what I call shallow Christianity.
All’s I know is that it really really hurts. It hurts so much that to keep the pain down I have to keep my distance even from the more positive comps. I hate doing that, but what else can I do to keep myself from hurting so much.
Pain, pain, pain – that’s all I ever feel when I’m around those who believe in Biblical hierarchy. I’m tired of feeling so much pain.
Hang in there. Things will get better as God heals you and makes you strong. There will be a time when you will sense the power and confirmation from God enough so that others sins will not affect you as deeply in this area. At that time you will be able to feel sorry for them even as you counter them.
jlp said:
“All’s I know is that it really really hurts. It hurts so much that to keep the pain down I have to keep my distance even from the more positive comps. I hate doing that, but what else can I do to keep myself from hurting so much.
Pain, pain, pain – that’s all I ever feel when I’m around those who believe in Biblical hierarchy. I’m tired of feeling so much pain.”
Ya know, I use to have the same problem. And I just wanted you to know that. Like I use to have a serious problem getting hurt by being around or reading gender hierarchy. But today every time I read their assumptions, presumptions, and opinions, and I value facts and proof above it all, it doesn’t bother me, but maybe on occasion it still does if I’m lucky. And this is coming from someone who use to be Extremely bothered by comp comments, theology, etc. The facts and proofs are so hard that it’s hard for me to be bothered when I read their stuff. Plus, I value facts and proofs so much that this quality is a Part of who I am therefore I am able to value this part much more than any opinion, interpretation, assumption, perception etc. For me, facts and proofs are the bottom line. I was just reading last night at CCC, and I wasn’t bothered a bit, and well, I was amused…
(I’m just SO HARD CORE with the facts and proofs…)
So I just wanted to share that I’ve been there and how I left.
Facts and proofs of God’s word are untouchable like a fortress and a shield. They are what protect me.
“There will be a time when you will sense the power and confirmation from God enough so that others sins will not affect you as deeply in this area. At that time you will be able to feel sorry for them even as you counter them.”
I can totally relate to this and what Kathy wrote. The thing that bothers me now the most is other men and women who are mired in this pit of earthly hierarchy within the Body of Christ. It is such a snare of worldliness for them as they not only teach this but try to live out their Talmudic rules and roles.