Steve+Elzerman+Influence-+Summary

Introduction Connection Conclusion

In this section, I will outline some of the essential facts and statistics compiled by Barna on each of the seven faith tribes. This information is critical as I consider how to be more effective in reaching out to each group. Then, I will discuss some aspects pertaining to Stott's ideas of what it means to be the salt and light of the world. In combining these two elements, I will develop an improved perspective of how to be the salt and light of Christ to many various tribes of faith.
 * Summary**

First, it is important to grasp the topic which Barna describes in the first chapter of his book. In America, we are on the path to certain destruction. We are, in fact, our own worst enemy. In general, our culture is greedy, prideful, selfish, overweight, belligerent, tolerant, comfortable, skeptical, image-obsessed, morally relativistic, and moving quickly towards destruction. That may sound like a very harsh description, but it is quite an accurate picture of our society, especially if we compare our nation with the moral ideas and truths presented in scripture. Since this is the state of our society, it seems that we as Christians need to avoid apathy and take a stand in order to change things. As traits of various tribes are presented, we can use this data to help us make a greater impact on this country in the name of Christ.

Here are some intriguing stats on each faith tribe:


 * Captive Christians
 * Only 20% say they are stressed out
 * 94% say they are deeply spiritual
 * only 12% are in serious debt
 * 93% feel they have been transformed by faith
 * Faith is the top life priority
 * 11% viewed pornography in the past week
 * 100% have a personal commitment to Christ
 * 100% read the Bible in the past week
 * 85% are full-time servants of God
 * Casual Christians
 * 34% say they are stressed out
 * 59% say they are deeply spiritual
 * 14% are in serious debt
 * 52% feel they have been transformed by faith
 * Family is the top life priority
 * 22% viewed pornography in the past week
 * 74% have a personal commitment to Christ
 * 34% read the Bible in the past week
 * 58% are full-time servants of God
 * Jews
 * 30% are stressed out
 * 38% say they are deeply spiritual
 * 15% say they are in serious debt
 * 27% say they have been transformed by faith
 * Family is top life priority
 * 27% viewed pornography in the past week
 * 15% have a personal commitment to Christ
 * 22% read the Bible in the past week
 * 32% feel they are full-time servants of God
 * Mormons
 * 43% feel stressed out
 * 87% say they are deeply spiritual
 * 5% are in serious debt
 * 85% feel transformed by faith
 * Family is exceedingly the top life priority
 * 8% viewed pornography in the past week
 * 92% have a personal commitment to Christ
 * 67% read the Bible in the past week
 * 71% feel they are full-time servants of God
 * Pantheists
 * 30% feel stressed out
 * 54% say they are deeply spiritual
 * 11% are in serious debt
 * 28% feel transformed by faith
 * Family is top life priority
 * 25% viewed pornography in the past week
 * 17% have a personal commitment to Christ
 * 11% read the Bible in the past week
 * 30% feel they are full-time servants of God
 * Muslims
 * 30% feel stressed out
 * 62% say they are deeply spiritual
 * 16% are in serious debt
 * 71% feel transformed by faith
 * Family is top life priority
 * 8% viewed pornography in the past week
 * 29% have a personal commitment to Christ
 * 32% read the Bible in the past week
 * 56% feel they are full-time servants of God
 * Skeptics
 * 31% feel stressed out
 * 24% say they are deeply spiritual
 * 13% are in serious debt
 * 11% feel transformed by faith
 * Family is top life priority
 * 31% viewed pornography in the past week
 * 22% have a personal commitment to Christ
 * 12% read the Bible in the past week
 * 11% feel they are full-time servants of God

In reading and analyzing these stats which have been compiled by Barna, we can discover the similarities between Christians and those in other groups. Some statistics may come as a surprise, but knowing these stats will help greatly in communicating with individuals from other tribes.

Being the Salt and Light

Towards the end of //The Living Church//, Stott describes how Christians can be more effective in being the salt and light to the world. These traits can allow us to be more effective in ministering to each of Barna's seven faith tribes. First, Stott gives some basic facts for us to know about salt and light:
 * First, Christians are radically different from non-Christians. This means that we must impact our environment just as salt and light impact their environments.
 * Second, Christians must permeate non-Christian society. Light permeates darkness and salt permeates meat to preserve it. In the same way, we must permeate our society in order to have an effect on it.
 * Third, Christians can influence and change non-Christian society. Salt and light have a profound impact on their environments, and so can we.

In order to bring these changes about, Stott lists six weapons which we must use. These weapons are:
 * Prayer
 * Evangelism
 * Example
 * Argument
 * Action
 * Suffering

Clearly, there are qualities pertaining to salt and light which make them unique. In the same way, Christians should have traits which set them apart and make them stand out from the rest of the world. Stott describes these traits:
 * First, Christ calls us to a greater righteousness
 * Second, Christ calls us to a wider love
 * Third, Christ calls us to a nobler ambition

In effectively living out our traits as the salt and light of the world, we can have a much greater impact as Christians. We need to realize what great power we have in Christ and then apply that power with the six weapons which have been provided to us. In doing this, we will display our greater righteousness, wider love, and nobler ambition for all the world to see and taste. In doing so, we will make a great change in our world and bring God's kingdom closer.