NZ’s Population, Christian population and Denial of Sex

Good Morning and Welcome to this week’s Gospel and Culture update, by Alan Vink

Monday 24th February 2020

In September last year the 2018 Census results were announced amidst quite some unhappiness about the accuracy of the data. That said most agree that the figures do provide a reasonably accurate snap shot of New Zealand and New Zealanders. Below are four summary statements about the population in general (bolding mine).

• The country's population in 2018 officially reached 4,699,755, jumping by 457,707 since the previous census in 2013 - the largest growth by number since 1961.
• Growth had been at 2.1 per cent a year since 2013, compared to just 0.7 for the previous Census period, with immigration accounting for about two-thirds.
• Nationally, there was no change to the top five ethnic groups from 2013 to 2018 – NZ European (64.1 per cent) Māori (16.5 per cent) Chinese (4.9 per cent) Indian (4.7 per cent) and Samoan (3.9 per cent)
• The percentage of the population born in New Zealand dropped from 74.8 per cent in 2013 to 72.6 per cent.

And here is the graph few of us will be surprised about Re: Christian Affiliation. I think it is fascinating to see how long (1848 – 1966, 118 years) NZ had 90% or more of our population saying they had a Christian affiliation and how quickly (1967 – 2018, 51 years) we dropped to below 50% (48.2% to be exact). Here is a short article worth reading.

I think spending a decent chunk of time studying the census figures all the while asking the question, ‘what does this mean for the Gospel and my church?’ may well be the best missiological piece of work you do this year.

Denial of Sex

In a stunning op-ed piece for the Wall Street Journal, Colin Wright, an evolutionary biologist at Penn State, and Emma Hilton, a developmental biologist at the University of Manchester, give a full-throated denunciation of transgender ideology titled “The Dangerous Denial of Sex.” Their position can be summed up in a sentence: “Increasingly we see a dangerous and antiscientific trend toward the outright denial of biological sex.”

Please take a moment to read this piece. It is written by scientists from a science perspective yet confirms what the Bible teaches and what common sense affirms.

I want to urge us all as Pastors and Christian Leaders to get up to speed on this issue as it finds it’s way into main stream NZ culture and then call it out for the absolute nonsense that it is…….for the sake of our children.

Yes SEX IS BINARY!

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Alan Vink is currently the Executive Director for LeadershipWorx. Prior to this role he has been the Executive Director of Willow Creek Association NZ (WillowNZ), a Baptist pastor (23 years), Bible College teacher, and church consultant.