News and Trends

Christian Marketplace Influencers

• Spirituality is a major contributor to a child's overall happiness (more so than for adults), finds a University of British Columbia study. Past studies have shown that in adults, spiritual feelings and higher levels of religious behavior typically account for about 5% of a person's overall happiness. Surprisingly, the results of the study found 6.5% to 16.5% of children's happiness can be attributed to spirituality. (USA Today 3/25/08)
  

• Marriage Stats - 78% of U.S. adults have been married at least once and 33% of those have been divorced at least once says a new Barna Group study. 84% of born-again Christian adults have tied the knot, vs. 74% of people aligned with non-Christian faiths and 65% of atheists and agnostics. Those with the most prolific divorce rate are downscale adults (39%), Baby Boomers (38%), those aligned with a non-Christian faith (38%), African-Americans (36%), and people who define themselves to be socially and politically liberal (37%). Those with lowest likelihood of divorce are Catholics (28%), evangelicals (26%), upscale adults (22%), Asians (20%) and those who deem themselves socially and politically conservative (28%). (Barna Update 3/31/08)
  

• NIV: 30 Years - Zondervan reports more than 300 million copies of the New International Version of the Bible have been sold or distributed in its first 30 years. (Various 3/08)
  

• Affluent People are increasingly likely to use the Internet to make their charitable donations, reports The Chronicle of Philanthropy. But charities are turning off some of their biggest donors (those who give $1,000 or more). Some send too many messages to donors who say they don't want them, while others don't take advantage of the interest many donors express in expanding their online interaction with organizations. (Daily Update from Chronicle of Philanthropy 2/24/08)
  

• The New Face of Christianity will be "the black woman," claims Kwok Pui Lan of the William F. Cole Professor of Christian Theology and Spirituality at the Episcopal Divinity School. In mid '07, Europe claimed the greatest number of Christians in the world: 532 million, followed by Latin America at 525 million and Africa at 417 million. But by 2025, Africa will claim the top spot with 634.6 million Christians, with Latin America a close second at 634.1 million, and Europe will drop to third at 521 million. The U.S. had 223 million Christians in mid-'07 and will grow slightly to 252 million by 2025. (Lexington Herald Leader 3/26/08)
  

• Traditional Family Rebound - The Census Bureau's report of '04 surveys says nearly 62% of America's 73 million children live with both biological parents, within a larger figure of 70% overall living with 2 parents and 66 million living with 2 married parents. The New York Times reports this represents a major trend slowdown between '04 and a previous survey in '90 vs. a dramatic drop in 2-parent homes and an increase in single-female-parent homes between '70 and '90. (onenewsnow.com 3/24/08)
  

• Muslims Outnumber Catholics - The number of Muslims has overtaken the number of Roman Catholics in the world, reports the Vatican. Muslims make up 19.2% of the world's population and Catholics 17.4%. (CitizenLink 3/31/08)
  

• When Seeking Inspirational Guidance, people prefer to consult the following sources: 23% talk or listen to an inspirational person, 27% read an inspirational book, 17% go to church, 4% watch an inspirational movie, 4% search the Internet and 17% are uncertain. (Outreach 3-4/08)
  

• Spanish Growth - The average percentage of growth in Spanish Christian products in '07 is estimated to be 15% says, Tessie DeVore, President of the Spanish Evangelical Products Association. The growth is both in the U.S. and Latin America. (Christian Retailing 3/10/08)
  

• Givers Happier - People who give away money are happier than those who do not, according to new research published in the journal Science. Elizabeth W. Dunn, U. of British Columbia, found though people tend to think spending money on themselves rather than giving it away will make them happier, the opposite turns out to be true. People who made gifts to others or to charities reported they were happier than folks who didn't share. (AP 3/21/08)
  

• Numerous Christian Titles made Publishers Weekly's 2007 list of top-selling books. 4 of the top 20 Hardcover Non-fiction books came from Christian publishers, including Become a Better You, Joel Osteen (Free Press); Quiet Strength, Tony Dungy (Tyndale); Reposition Yourself, T.D. Jakes (Atria Books); and 3:16 by Max Lucado (Nelson). Among Hardcover Fiction books was Kingdom Come (Tyndale), Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. 9 Christian titles in all made the list, selling 100,000 copies or more. (Publisher's Weekly 4/08)
  

• Women and Men business owners have different management styles. Women emphasize relationship-building as well as fact-gathering and are more likely than men to consult with experts, employees, and fellow business owners. (Center for Media research Brief 3/3/08)
  

• Young Americans - A survey of 20-somethings (21-29) reveals they overwhelmingly support monogamy and parenting (94%), marriage (84%), the U.S. Constitution (88%), and the military (84%), reports The Washington Times. (UPI 3/30/08)
  

• Babies @ Work - More than 80 U.S. companies allow babies in the workplace, according to Parenting in the Workplace Institute, which says that number is likely to be low. It's an extreme (and controversial) example of how employers are seeking more ways to help workers strike a balance between work and the rest of their lives. The number of companies allowing children at work on an occasional basis climbed to 29% in '07, up from 22% in '06, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. (USA Today 3/31/08)
  

• Bill and Gloria Gaither were honored by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels with the 2008 Sachem, the state's highest honor. The Gaithers have collaborated on more than 700 gospel songs, winning 8 GRAMMY Awards and more than 24 Dove Awards. They were named "Songwriters of the Century" in 2000 by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. (Christian E-tailing 4/3/08)
  

• Americans Are Sleeping Less than they did 20 years ago, and about 50 to 70 million people nationwide suffer from chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders, reports the CDC. 10% of adults report not getting enough rest or sleep in any of the previous 30 days. Only 29.6% say they got enough rest or sleep every day in the past month. 13% aged 18-34 report insufficient sleep every day in the past month vs. only 7% of those 55 and older. A separate National Sleep Foundation study found the average adult gets 6 hours and 40 minutes of sleep each night; adults need 7-9 hours, teens 8.5 to 9.5, and children, aged 5-12, need 9-11. About a third of those surveyed fell asleep or became very sleepy at work in the last month. The average worker gets up at 5:35 A.M., leaves for work at 7:50 A.M., and goes to bed at 10:53 P.M. The CDC suggests, "Stick to a regular sleeping schedule. Sleep in a dark, well ventilated room at a comfortable temperature. Avoid stimulating activities within 2 hours of bedtime. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in the evening. Avoid going to bed on a full or empty stomach. See a doctor if you are having chronic sleep problems." (Pastors Weekly Briefing 3/7/08)
  

• CBA (formerly Christian Bookseller Assoc.) current store membership count is 1,813 of the nation's total estimated 2,800 Christian stores. According to CBA, just 98 stores were added in '07, compared to 589 in '06 and 437 in '05. Store closures continue, although they've slowed: 160 in '07, vs. 286 in '06 and 337 in '05. CBA members peaked in the mid '80s at nearly 3,000 of the total 4,000 stores in operation. (Christianity Today 4/08)
  

• Men and Women in happy marriages have substantially lower blood pressure than single individuals or couples in unhappy relationships, claims Brigham Young University research. "There seem to be some unique health benefits from marriage," said Psychology Professor Holt-Lunstad. "It's not just being married that benefits health what's really the most protective of health is having a happy marriage." (LifeSite News 3/25/08)
  

• Bible is Favorite - Americans named the Bible as their favorite book of all time, according to a Harris Poll. In addition to being the #1 book overall, the Bible also came in first across the board with all demographic groups. An estimated 92% of Americans own a Bible; the average household owns four. The New Yorker estimates Bible publishers sell 25 million copies a year. But just 45% of Americans read it in a typical week says the Barna Research Group. In the poll, Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind was the nation's second favorite read, while J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings fantasy series nabbed third. (Christian Post 4/8/08)
  

• Communication Preference - The leadership development organization Growing Leaders recently asked focus groups of young adults (ages 16-24) how they prefer to receive communication. Their order of preference: text messages, MySpace and/or Facebook, podcasts, instant messaging, cell phone, CDs, DVDs and Email. (Pastor's weekly Briefing 4/4/08)
  

• Retirement Redefined - U.S. adults nearing retirement are one of the country's fastest growing demographics. 17.9% of all U.S. adults are now retired, a rise of 6% since '03 and growing more rapidly as Boomers exit the workforce. Habits of aging Americans are likely very different from those of their predecessors because they are living longer, achieving higher levels of education, are wealthier, and are redefining what it means to be retired. The Media Audit reports 83% of retired U.S. adults own their home. 30% have cash, stocks and CD's valued at more than $100,000 (the highest ever). 13.1% of new automobile purchasers are retired, vs. 11.1% in '03. 8.3% of adults who have a car loan are retired, vs. 6.4% 5 years ago. 16% of adults who frequently stay in hotels are retired, up from 14.7%. Retired adults are 6% more likely than the average U.S. adult to frequently dine out at a full-service restaurant. Today retired adults spend nearly 30% more time watching broadcast TV, 14% more time watching cable TV and 25% more time reading a daily newspaper than the average U.S. adult. They spend only 89 minutes per day online, 26% less than the average. Boomer retirees will likely be more computer and internet friendly. (Center for Media Research Brief 2/7/08)
  

• The Average American Child watches TV 1,680 minutes per week, while the average parent spends 38.5 minutes per week in good conversation with their kids. (Christian Radio Weekly 3/28/08)
  

• Women - Of the 153.6 million females in the U.S., 59% work and 37% are professionals or managers. About one-third have a bachelor's degree or higher. The number of women who are married (62.4 million) as nearly equal to those divorced, widowed or never married (59.8 million). Women make most of the decisions about spending money. 84% of women are big computer users at home, per the U.S. Census Bureau. 52% of all Internet users are female. (Diane Mermigas On Media 4/2/08)
  

• TVs adversely affect adolescent children, finds a Univ. Minnesota School of Public Health study. The study of kids ages 15 of 18 found 60% had a TV in their bedroom. This group also showed negative effects such as lower grade averages for boys, less exercise for girls, fewer healthy food items eaten by both, and less participation in family meals than the non-TV study participants. Experts concluded that putting TVs into bedrooms only accelerate the media bombardment and has severely detrimental results. The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents to remove TV sets from their children's bedrooms. (Reuters 4/17/08)
  

• America Less Ugly - After years of becoming progressively more negative, public views of the U.S. have begun to improve, according to a BBC World Service Poll across 34 countries. While views of U.S. influence in the world are still predominantly negative, they have improved in 11 of the 23 countries polled, while worsening in just 3. The average percentage saying the US is having a positive influence has increased from 31% in '07 to 35% today. The view that it is having a negative influence has declined from 52% to 47%. (WorldPublicOpinion.org 4/1/08)
  

• Unchurched Americans prefer churches that look more like a medieval cathedral over contemporary church buildings, finds a LifeWay Research study. Those aged 25 to 34 gave an average of 58.9 of their 100 preference points to the more Gothic church exterior, while those over the age of 70 gave that option only 32.9 points. 22% said the design of the church would strongly impact their enjoyment of a visit, and 32% indicated it would have some impact. More than a third said it would have no impact. (Christian Post 4/7/08)
  

• Happy Teens - 81% of teens (13-17) say they are at least somewhat happy, and over a third are very happy, finds a Teen Topix study by OTX and the Intelligence Group. They report to be happiest with their relationships with friends, their talents, their abilities, and their school performance. More than 75% are happy about how they "look" online. 61% worry about their looks, and 48% compare the way they look with friends and peers. 50% say looks and physical appearance are very important when it comes to being respected by others, but less important in being liked by others, getting ahead in the workplace and making lots of money. (Center for Media Research Brief 4/1/08)
  

• Teens average only 13 hours a week online, vs. the 19 hours spent by adults, finds an Ipsos Reid study. While the time adults spend online has climbed by 6 hours a week in recent years, teen online time has held steady. (Vancouver Sun 2/27/08)
  

• Generous People - Among the most generous U.S. population segments were evangelicals (24% of whom tithe); conservatives (12%); people who pray, read the Bible and attended a church service during the past week (12%); charismatic or Pentecostal Christians (11%); and registered Republicans (10%). Among the least generous are people under the age of 25, atheists and agnostics, single adults who have never been married, liberals, and downscale adults. 1% or less of the people in each of these segments tithed in '07. Among all born again adults, 9% contributed one-tenth or more of their income. Protestants are 4 times as likely to tithe as Catholics (8% vs. 2%). From '00 to '04, an average of 84 cents out of every $1 donated by born again adults went to churches. Since '05 that proportion has declined to just 76 cents. (Barna Group 4/14/08)
  

• Giving in the U.S. in '07 was up 4.2%, and in current dollars before inflation adjustments it has increased $279 billion since 1966. Giving in '07 is estimated to be $295 billion, an increase of more than 200% adjusted for inflation in the last 40 years. In just the last 10 years, it is up 65%. Giving by individuals and households was $222.9 billion in '06 or 76% of total U.S. giving. Gifts to religious organizations hit $96.82 billion, up 4.5% over '06. 32.8% of all giving went to religious organizations and has increased an average of 4.7% per year for the past 10 years. Since '95, the number of registered 501(c)(3) organizations are up 67%, while total giving is up 185%. Total charitable giving as a percentage of the GNP was 2.2% in '06. Individual giving as a percentage of personal income was 2.0% and above the 40-year average of 1.8%. There are approximately 1.4 million charities in the U.S. Americans really are generous! (Giving USA 2006)
  

• Catholic Schools Closing - 1,267 Catholic schools have closed since '00, and enrollment nationwide has dropped by 382,125 students, or 14% percent, according to the National Catholic Education Association. The problem is most apparent in inner cities. Catholic schools have been closing since their peak in the 1960s, when there were 12,893 schools with about 5.25 million students. Today, there are 7,378 schools with 2.27 million students. The decline in enrollment is accelerating, fueling further school closures. The recent economic downturn is being blamed for some of them, but dioceses' huge payouts to settle sex abuse lawsuits could have played a role too. (Christian Post 4/14/08)
  

• The U.S. Catholic Church would be in decline without Latin American immigrants. Traditional congregations of the American Catholic church have been dwindling in recent years, to where 1 in every 10 Americans is a former Catholic. Immigration from Latin-American countries (and their high birth rates) more than make up for the decline. About 1/2 of all American Catholics under the age of 40 are Hispanics, a proportion that will continue to grow. (BBC 4/15/08)
  

• Divorce - Divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing cost U.S. tax-payers more than $112 billion a year, finds a study funded by the New York-based Institute for American Values, the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, Families Northwest of Redmond, WA, and the Georgia Family Council. The $112 billion estimate includes the cost of federal, state and local government programs, and lost tax revenue at all levels of government. (OneNewsNow 4/14/08)
  

Fast Facts

• 40% of U.S. evangelical Protestants are Baptists, as are 10% of mainline Protestants and 66% of black Protestants.
• 10% of U.S. Protestants are former Roman Catholics, compared with 8% of Catholics who are former Protestants.
• 44% of Americans have changed their denominational or religious affiliation.
• 82% of adults age 18-24 believe a person's spirit exists in an afterlife following death.
• 69% of Americans think the Christian religion is a relevant and viable religion for today.
• 79% of U.S. adults think Christianity is more about organized religion than about loving God and loving people.
• 78% of Americans would be willing to listen to someone tell them what about they believed about Christianity.
• 55% of U.S. workers believe workers don't leave companies; they leave managers.
• 72% of U.S. employees are open to a new career opportunity in '08.
• Marketwatch.com reports more than half of all Americans are unable to save because they live paycheck to paycheck.
• 53% of gift card redeemers spend more than the card value.
• 1 every 23 U.S. prison inmates is age 55 or older.
• The average American adult laughs 15 times a day.
• Research indicates that millions of men age 18-34 are spending nearly 24 hours a week online.
• 67% of U.S. men under age 25 will prepare at least 1 of the next 10 meals.
• Church stores now comprise 14.2% of CBA (Christian Booksellers Assoc.) membership.
• 89% of Americans have at least one close friend who considers himself or herself a Christian.
• In '07, just 5% of American adults tithed 10% of their earnings.
• The percentage of U.S. adults who tithe has stayed constant since '00: 5% to 7%.
• The median amount of money donated during '07 was $400; the mean amount was $1308, vs. $1348 in '06.
• A Barna study finds 34% all U.S. adults gave away $1000 or more during '07 while 18%) donated $100 or less.
• 83% of Evangelical Christians gave at least $1000 to churches and non-profit entities during '07, the highest of all population segments.
• 64% of U.S. adults donated to a religious institution in '07 (median amount $101; mean amount $883).
• 25% of the people who gave to religious centers donated at least $1000.
• 96% of evangelicals gave money to a church in 07; 81% donated at least $1000.
• 48% of U.S. employers say stress caused by people working long hours and doing more with less is affecting business performance.
• There are more people who speak English in China than there are in the United States.
• 11,000 Baby Boomers turn 50 each day and will for the next decade.
• Almost 110,000 people have celebrated their 100th birthdays with a projection of more than 200,000 by '10.
  

News and Trends information compiled and edited by Gary Foster, President of Gary D Foster Consulting, a firm that assists Christian ministries and product companies in solving management, marketing, donor/customer service and product development problems. Contact Gary at: 419.238.4082, GFosterCns@rmi.net or go to www.GaryDFoster.com.