Jesus said bluntly, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matt. 19:24 NASB). Our Savior made his point clearly: Wealth and the accumulation of possessions can be a hindrance to receiving Christ. Wealth becomes the object of devotion and precludes faith in Christ.

We found a very clear relationship between wealth and the attitudes of the unchurched. Indeed, the U5s in our study include some of the highest-income individuals.

The comparison is telling. A U5 is almost twice as likely to have an income above $100,000 as the general population of the unchurched. And almost half of the U5s earn over $50,000, compared to 31 percent of the total unchurched population.

While our research cannot prove a direct relationship between wealth and a resistance to the gospel, the evidence seems compelling that such is the case.

Sandra S. is a U5 from Alabama. Her income is well above $100,000. Her beliefs, or lack of beliefs, seem consistent with many of the wealthy unchruched we interviewed. She "can't believe that Jesus is God." She does not even have a religious system that believes in any kind of higher being. Sandra states simply and forthrightly, "There is no god."

Not all wealthy persons are agnostics, atheists, or U5s. A person of lofty financial means can be a Christian. Jesus did say of the wealthy entering the kingdom, after the disciples asked him if the rich can be saved, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26).

If our primary contacts are among the wealthier of society or if our churches are located in more affluent areas, the likelihood exists that we will find greater resistance to the gospel.

Perhaps the growing wealth of our nation at least partially explains the decline in conversions over the past 50 years. Evangelism among the wealthy in our society is difficult, but they need Christ as much as any of us.

— Dr. Thom Rainer, from "The Unchurched Next Door," Zondervan, 2003.