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| American Household Concerns: |
| How have the primary concerns of American households changed
between 1994 and 1998? |
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The Frets of Prosperity |
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A better economy lets people dream bigger dreams and long for
deeper fulfillment. Evidence of the strong economy in the US is reflected in how primary
household concerns have shifted in the years between 1994 and 1998. Overall, concerns for
the basics of life such as daily financial worries or affordable housing declined
somewhat. Likewise, concerns for community life issues such as gangs, crime and
safety and problem schools declined, even more than the basics. (The only serious
exception was a concern for racial/ethnic prejudice, which increased over 11 points.)
Conversely, concerns for life fulfillment issues such as a good marriage, parenting, good
jobs and educational opportunities increased as did concerns for spiritual and personal
development. |
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Primary Household Concerns
compared between 1994 and 1998 |
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CONCERN
GROUP |
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1994 |
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1998 |
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%
CHANGE |
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BASICS |
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21.3% |
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20.7% |
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-1% |
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FAMILY |
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13.4% |
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13.7% |
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0% |
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COMMUNITY |
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19.8% |
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16.1% |
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-4% |
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HOPES AND DREAMS |
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21.4% |
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22.9% |
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2% |
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SPIRITUAL/PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT |
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15.4% |
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17.8% |
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2% |
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Percent change between 1994 and 1998 |
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SOURCE: 1994, 1998 ETHOS SURVEY © 1994, 1998, 2008
PERCEPT GROUP, INC. |
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Ministry Ideas |
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While household concern profiles are very community
particular, the rise in concern for spiritual and personal development provides an open
door for conversation. |
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Encourage the leaders of your church to speak with three people in the
community. Have them ask people if they have felt a spiritual tugging in their hearts. |
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If they have, ask them to describe it. Ask them to explain what they have been
doing about it. |
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Consider a discussion series on what people are looking for
today. |
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Use the information from the leader's discussions as content reflecting the
spiritual issues people wrestle with today. |
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Explore how the Bible speaks to people as God's creatures and how God would
speak to their spiritual concerns. |
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© COPYRIGHT 2008 PERCEPT GROUP, INC. |
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