In this series, I’ll examine the database averages for each section: beliefs, faith disciplines, and faith-in-action. Each post will uncover new challenges and demand action that’s strategic, specific, and focused on application.

Today, the focus is beliefs. Beliefs are important. My friend Dave teaches the BVB’s (beliefs, values, behavior)…in short, out of our beliefs we develop values and out of our values we act (behave). So, for behavioral change to occur, we must first change our beliefs and values.

Consider the following statistics. Again, these are taken from REVEAL’s database average of over 500,000 church attenders of all denominations.

1. 66% believe that salvation is by grace. This measures the belief the belief that salvation comes by grace, through faith as a gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9). It is not something we earn through good works, religion, or morality. In other words, without Jesus’ work on the cross we couldn’t be saved.

2. 64% believe in a personal God. This measures the belief that God desires to know and be known by humans (John 17:3).

3. 51% believe in the authority of Scripture. This measures the belief that the Bible has decisive authority over our lives (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

To state these another way, a full 1/3 church goers believe salvation can be earned, nearly 1/3 believe God is impersonal, and over half do not believe the Bible is authoritative.