The Renewal Survey

In 2004 we surveyed 5000 churches from the Christian churches and Churches of Christ background related to their openness to the Holy Spirit. The results were astounding! In ways completely outside their background, church after church indicated a growing openness to, and a hungering for, a greater working of the Holy Spirit.

Below is a short slideshow summarizing the results. In a nutshell we found there was a direct correlation between a church's openness to the Spirit and the degree to which that church was experiencing spiritual renewal in prayer, worship, and other aspects of church life.

Topic: "Connection of Renewal and the Holy Spirit"
By Tim Snell 07/29/2009 09:04a [Reply] One of the interesting things I saw the survey demonstrating was the clear connection between a church's openness to the broader ministry of the Spirit, and the degree to which that church said they were experiencing spiritual renewal. This seemed to be backed up by the increased level of prayer and other ministries in such churches. I'm interested in your thoughts.
By Mindy Snell 07/30/2009 04:12p [Reply] Just testing as we're working out the kinks.
By Tim Snell 08/12/2009 05:38p [Reply] This is working now, so join in the discussion!!
By Clark Raulerson 06/22/2010 08:28p [Reply] The survey reveals a great need we have today among Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. In the 1800's the RM was new, young and growing strong. It was united. We understood baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit and being sealed for salvation. But we sidetracked, the spirit of division sidetracked us with debates over instrumental music. And the primary scripture was Eph. 5:18. The one scripture we needed to focus on---not for congregational worship but as individuals to filled with the Holy Spirit. That's what that scripture is about. One way of looking at this is the early church was mostly house churches. I mean the early body of Christ in the times of the apostles long before Constantine era corrupted it. It was organized and became institutionalized by the time of Constantine. So before that time the body of Christ met in homes. Can you imagine a group of people being upset over whether or not music was added? Remove the building, the large gatherings, and see small pockets of Christians meeting in any local area. Such "corporate concerns" would not have come up. And so back to the original point, the masquerador got us off track by focusing on the "corporate worship" and needing a pattern for that. Such thinking was foreign in the organic body of Christ. I'm not against buildings and church property, but trying to help us to see ourselves together without the organizational superstructure that has a life all its own. Not sure how to end this post so I will ask if anyone else has any ideas.

Topic: "Connection of Renewal and the Holy Spirit"

By Tim Snell
07/29/2009 09:04a [Reply]

One of the interesting things I saw the survey demonstrating was the clear connection between a church's openness to the broader ministry of the Spirit, and the degree to which that church said they were experiencing spiritual renewal. This seemed to be backed up by the increased level of prayer and other ministries in such churches. I'm interested in your thoughts.

By Mindy Snell
07/30/2009 04:12p [Reply]

Just testing as we're working out the kinks.

By Tim Snell
08/12/2009 05:38p [Reply]

This is working now, so join in the discussion!!

By Clark Raulerson
06/22/2010 08:28p [Reply]

The survey reveals a great need we have today among Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ.

In the 1800's the RM was new, young and growing strong. It was united. We understood baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit and being sealed for salvation. But we sidetracked, the spirit of division sidetracked us with debates over instrumental music. And the primary scripture was Eph. 5:18. The one scripture we needed to focus on---not for congregational worship but as individuals to filled with the Holy Spirit. That's what that scripture is about.

One way of looking at this is the early church was mostly house churches. I mean the early body of Christ in the times of the apostles long before Constantine era corrupted it. It was organized and became institutionalized by the time of Constantine.

So before that time the body of Christ met in homes. Can you imagine a group of people being upset over whether or not music was added? Remove the building, the large gatherings, and see small pockets of Christians meeting in any local area. Such "corporate concerns" would not have come up.

And so back to the original point, the masquerador got us off track by focusing on the "corporate worship" and needing a pattern for that. Such thinking was foreign in the organic body of Christ.

I'm not against buildings and church property, but trying to help us to see ourselves together without the organizational superstructure that has a life all its own. Not sure how to end this post so I will ask if anyone else has any ideas.

The Center for Church Renewal

The Renewal Survey