I have prayed about where to begin with this. What makes a Christian, a Christian? What sets you and me apart from all the other religions? You might be surprised how many Christians don't even know what the tenets of their faith are.
For the next several posts, we will examine the aspects that define us as Christians. I will focus solely on data from America; you can likely extrapolate similar percentages wherever you live.
How many Americans actually claim to be Christian (followers of Christ)? According to a recent Gallup survey, approximately 69% of the U.S. population—about 235 million out of 340 million people—identify as Christian. The United States currently has the largest Christian population in the world, comprising nearly 235 million Christians. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_United_States, and Jones, Jeffrey M. (April 17, 2025). “Religious Preferences Largely Stable in U.S. Since 2020".Gallup.com. Retrieved October 17, 2025.)
According to another average of all 2023 Gallup polling,”... about three in four Americans said they identify with a specific religious faith. By far the largest proportion, 68%, identify with a Christian religion, including 33% who are Protestant, 22% Catholic, and 13% who identify with another Christian faith or simply as a "Christian. 7% identify with a non-Christian religion, including 2% who are Jewish, 1% Muslim, and 1% Buddhist, among others. 22% of Americans said they have no religious preference, and 3% did not answer the question.” (https://news.gallup.com/poll/358364/religious-americans.aspx)
The same polling reveals, “roughly 45% of Americans say religion is 'very important" in their life, with another 26% saying it is "fairly important" and 28% saying it's 'not very important." Over the past 20 years, a declining share of Americans have said religion is important, as the 2023 poll indicates: “Thirty-two percent of Americans go to church regularly."
Whoa! Wait a minute! So, if there are roughly 235 million “Christians- followers of Christ” in the United States, how come the United States is in so much chaos and division right now? Surely the remaining thirty percent of the United States population isn't causing all this turmoil, are they? Where is the love, peace, and harmony we are supposed to bring to those around us? Answers coming up.
Next time, we’ll look at the actual tenets of our faith. Have a blessed day.
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