Redeeming Feature

So, I beat up Radiant magazine pretty badly a couple of weeks (months?) ago about their Gospel According to Oprah article. In fairness, I popped by the site again and, with much hesitation, read their article on prayer.

According to a 2005 study conducted
by The Barna Group, when asked how well one lives out his or her faith principles, 37 percent of people said they do an above-average job, 55 percent claimed to be average, and only 8 percent admitted to being below average. “Americans are generally satisfied with being ‘average’ in their spiritual maturity,” George Barna says. “That betrays the fact that we do not serve an ‘average’ God, or one who is honored by people who are lukewarm about their faith.”

Okay, this is a good start. Though I often find Barna relies too much on trends, he raises a good point. Of course, the questions still seem to be pushing the "working harder at faith" theology, his point about being pleased with ourselves for being average is well taken.

Even more surprising in the article is that they talk to Samie Grieg. Now, for those of you who have not experienced Red Moon Rising, Samie is the wife of Pete Grief, who started the 24/7 prayer movement in England. In the midst of growth and waves of blessing in that ministry, Samie was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Obviously, this is a woman who knows something about prayer. They also talk to people from the International House of Prayer.

All is not perfect, however, as they do feel the need for the obligatory quote from Rick Warren.

So, kudos to Radiant for getting to the bottom of prayer in your slick two page spread. Right next to the uber spiritual summer beach survival guide.

At least it's progress. Why is it that they think that women are so shallow?