The following resource is from Desiring God.org.

One of the assumptions behind the theme of this conference

is that Christianity in America is becoming less nominal, more defined,

more outside the mainstream of American culture.

That's a quote from Ed Stetser,

president of Lifeeway Research.

Notice the last phrase,

more outside the mainstream of American culture. That's not the same as saying that true Christianity in America

is declining either in numbers or in faithfulness.

The statistics from the survey of the Pew Research Center which Stetser was dealing with when he said

that are tricky to interpret and we need help. I need help.

On the one hand we are startled to read that in the last five years the number of Americans with no religious affiliation,

checking that box, the nuns they're called N-O-N-E-S, the number in the last five years has grown by 25% that's staggering.

Today about 20% of adults in the US claim no religious affiliation.

That's up from 7% up from 7 to 20 since 1972.

Among the younger, it's more.

If you're over 65, 9% of you

declare some religious affiliation.

If you're under 30, 32% of you

don't declare any religious affiliation.

But Stetser is careful to notice something. Where does all the bleeding

come from? He asks. For example, where do all these nuns, N-O-N-E-S, come from, the 25% increase over the last several

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