UnashamedSermons.com » Statistics

Startling Statistics on Depression

Darren Ethier — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:30:09 +0000

It’s hard to believe, but Americans are the unhappiest people on earth. That is the conclusion of a new study by the World Health Organization and the Harvard Medical School, which found that 9.6 percent of Americans suffer from depression or bipolar disorder ? the highest rate of the 14 nations surveyed. Our “Prozac nation” has a greater percentage of depressed people than war-torn Lebanon (6.6 percent); job-starved Mexico (4.8 percent); carefree, hedonistic Italy (3.8 percent); and overworked, socially rigid Japan (3.1 percent). And how’s this for a paradox: Nigeria, a land of desperate poverty, rampant corruption and violent tribal conflict, had the lowest depression rate of all ? just 0.8 percent. How can this be? One possibility is that when your life is a struggle for clean water and adequate food, you don’t have time to indulge in existential despair. In New York, on the other hand, a lawyer making $200,000 a year may find himself “depressed” if he doesn’t make partner in his mid-30s. It may also be that in less modern societies, people find comfort and meaning in their families, their religion and their cultural traditions.
Vince Siciliano, Wall Street Journal’s The Week Magazine, 3/23/07

Men & Church

Darren Ethier — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:18:22 +0000

Less than 40% of church attendants at a typical worship service are men.

Men are the world’s largest unchurched people group, according to Church for Men, founded by David Murrow, author of Why Men Hate Going to Church. He argues that worship services today are typically built around feminine values, with worship songs that are sweet and sentimental and sermons that emphasize home, marriage and family. Men need more masculine imagery and more opportunities to use their unique skills. They have their own language, culture and needs. Murrow says that, rather than having a separate men’s ministry, churches need to integrate everything they do with a masculine spirit. Here are some of the suggestions Church for Men makes, based on their research:

Have special worship services with a theme targeted at men, such as “Great Outdoors Sunday,” so men feel at home and not uncomfortable on cushiony pews with fresh flowers everywhere and quilted banners hanging around the church.
Shorter is better when reaching men. Sunday worship services should always be wrapped up in one hour or less.
Worship songs should have lyrics that men can relate to. While hymnals are full of anthems for men, today’s praise songs sound more like love songs. Men prefer upbeat music and songs that do not repeat over and over.
Services need to be relevant to the world in which men live if they are to change the perception that church is boring or irrelevant.

Churches that have more men active in the church (60% or more) are more likely to be growing.

“Here’s the wonderful truth about women,” argues Church for Men. “They are comfortable with guy things.” And with 1 out of 5 married women worshiping on Sundays without their husbands, most women would gladly try something new in order to attract their husbands, sons and fathers to church.
(from Pastor’s Weekly Briefing, 6/8/07)

The importance of religion in Canada and the USA

Darren Ethier — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:27:54 +0000

Since ?92 the importance of religion to Canadians fell from 61% to 39%; in the U.S it dropped from 83% to 63%. (from Church Leaders Intelligence Report – 01/24/07)

Divorce among Churchgoers

Darren Ethier — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 17:03:32 +0000

While the prevailing wisdom says that born-again Christians are just as likely as non-Christians to divorce, that may not give the whole picture. Sociologist Brad Wilcox says that when church attendance is taken into the discussion, it isn’t even close. Churchgoers – whether they are evangelicals, mainline Christians, or Roman Catholics – are far more likely not to get divorced than those who don’t attend church. - Source: Interview with Brad Wilcox in Christianity Today (October, 2006)