U5s, the group least receptive to the gospel, according to the Rainer Scale, represent only a very small portion of the unchurched population. Indeed, our data indicate that the number is only about one in 20.

Nevertheless, sometimes it is one single encounter with a U5 that causes a Christian to retreat into a shell of silence. Any discussion of religion in general and Christianity in particular can lead to an unpleasant conversation. So at least be informed about the characteristics of the U5 next door. Do not be surprised when he or she responds in a hostile fashion.

As an introduction, let us look at the encounter between Jerry J. and researcher Warner Smith. Jerry provides a descriptive microcosm of this group.

It is not unusual to find that a U5 has some church or religious background. For Jerry, the background was Southern Baptist. He is uncertain how many times he attended the Baptist Church in Tennessee, but he knows he stopped attending when he was a child. Jerry does not want to elaborate on the reasons he stopped attending. We are not sure he even knows why.

Jerry's self-description of his attitude toward the church is "neutral," but it is obvious to Warner that this guy is anything but neutral. For example, he refused to see any possibility of Jesus as a historical figure.

"He is not a real person," Jerry insists. "He is just an idea that was made up to make people do the right things."

And Jerry leaves little doubt that he has no room whatsoever for a Christian to share his or her beliefs with him.

"My biggest turn off by Christians is their trying to impose their beliefs on me," he informs us. Indeed, Jerry sees his attitude as a growing attitude toward religion in America. "Religion in America will continue to decline," he insists. "There are a lot of people like me have no regard for it."

We cannot know fully what took place in the lives of the U5s to turn them against the Christian faith. We can, however, admonish Christians who avoid resistant and antagonistic unchurched persons. The way one approaches and deals with U5s is typically different from the approach to other unchurched persons. But different does not mean that we should neglect them.

Many Christians have told us that one of their primary fears of witnessing is rejection. One important lesson we learned from the U5s is that the unchurched do not reject the Christian. Rather, they seem to have a plethora of other issues that have little to do with the one who gives a Christian testimony. Thus, fear of rejection is simply no excuse for silence.

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