Christian Mass Media Reaches Adults in Surprising Numbers **

(Baptist Press) -- More adults experience the Christian faith through

Christian media, such as radio, television or books, than by attending

Christian churches, according to a new study by the Barna Research

Group. The survey found that 63 percent of American adults attended a

church service during the previous month, while 67 percent of Americans

tuned in to Christian radio or television or read a Christian book other

than the Bible.

Christian radio is the fastest-growing medium for spreading the faith,

with slightly more than half the nation’s adults saying they had tuned

in to a Christian radio program of some type during the previous month.

Also, the number of radio stations utilizing a Christian music format

has made the Christian music genre one of the fastest-growing categories

in the music industry during the past two years, according to

researchers. Christian television draws a significant number of American

adults as well, with 43 percent claiming to have watched some Christian

programming on TV during the previous month.

Thirty-three percent of adults said they read a Christian book other

than the Bible during the previous month. Several Christian titles, such

as the "Left Behind" series by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, the Jabez

series by Bruce Wilkerson, and business books by John Maxwell, are among

the country’s top-selling books.

Researchers were surprised to learn that 44 percent of Americans who are

associated with a

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