Name George Barna | Spouse Nancy Barna (m. 1978) | |
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Occupation pollster, market researcher, founder of The Barna Group Education Dallas Baptist University, Boston College, Rutgers University Books Pagan Christianity, Transforming Children into Spirit, The power of vision, Revolutionary Parenting: Raising Y, Growing True Disciples | ||
12 THINGS CHRISTIANS WANT, Pastors to SPEAK ON! SHOCKING? BARNA Survey
George Barna (born 1954) is the founder of The Barna Group, a market research firm specializing in studying the religious beliefs and behavior of Americans, and the intersection of faith and culture. Since 2013 he has served as the Executive Director of the American Culture & Faith Institute, the research division of United in Purpose.
Contents
- 12 THINGS CHRISTIANS WANT Pastors to SPEAK ON SHOCKING BARNA Survey
- George barna how lives are transformed maximum faith part 1
- Background
- Findings
- Selected publications
- References
George barna how lives are transformed maximum faith part 1
Background
George Barna grew up a Catholic in New York City and Princeton, New Jersey, but has since engaged with evangelical Christianity.
Barna has filled executive roles in politics, marketing, advertising, media development, research and ministry. He founded the Barna Research Group in 1984 (now The Barna Group) and helped it become a leading marketing research firm focused on the intersection of faith and culture before selling it in 2009. Through Barna Group, George has served several hundred parachurch ministries, thousands of Christian churches, and many other non-profit and for-profit organizations as well as the U.S. military.
He currently serves as the Executive Director of the American Culture and Faith Institute (a division of United in Purpose), and is President of Metaformation, a faith development organization.
Barna has written more than 50 books, mostly addressing cultural trends, leadership, spiritual development, and church dynamics. They include New York Times bestsellers and several award-winning books. His works have been translated into more than a dozen foreign languages. He has sold more books based on survey research related to matters of faith than any author in American history.
His work is frequently cited as an authoritative source by the media. Barna has been hailed as “the most quoted person in the Christian Church today” and has been named by various media as one of the nation’s most influential Christian leaders.
A frequent speaker at ministry conferences around the world, he has been on the faculty at several universities and seminaries, and has served as a pastor of a large, multi-ethnic church as well as a house church, and has helped to start several churches.
After graduating summa cum laude from Boston College, Barna earned two Master’s degrees from Rutgers University and has a doctorate from Dallas Baptist University.
After attending high school and college together, George and his wife Nancy married in 1978. They have three adopted daughters and one grandchild, live on the central California coast, and attend Mission Church in Ventura. He enjoys reading, music, rooting for the Yankees and Lakers, and relaxing on the beach.
Barna leads seminars for church leaders, speaks at ministry conferences, has taught at seminaries, and has been a pastor. As an author, he has written more than 50 books on contemporary Christian issues, with topics ranging from worldviews, trends and children to church life, spiritual growth and leadership. He also writes columns which are published on the website of the American Culture and Faith Institute.
As a result of his work, Barna has coined several terms, including:
He is married to Nancy Barna, and they have three adopted daughters — two from Guatemala, one from Russia.
Findings
Barna is known for providing extensive surveys regarding Christianity and the state of the church. Among his findings that have generated substantial interest or controversy in recent years include:
Barna considers Maximum Faith to be his most significant book. Others that he cites as being especially valuable include Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, Think Like Jesus, The Power of Vision, and Revolution. Since 2009 in addition to writing his own books he has also been a writer for hire, penning books such as The Cause Within You, for Matthew Barnett, which became a New York Times bestseller in 2011.