In regard to current trends, “It would seem that people are moving away from a belief in hell if you were to judge by their actions, the prevailing intellectual philosophies and the media portrayals,” Walkemeyer said.

Yet the Baylor Religious Survey of 2005 showed that 53% believe in hell “absolutely” and 18% believe in hell “probably.

According to a 2004 Gallup Poll, 70% of Americans believe in hell. Belief in hell is highest among regular churchgoers: 92% of those who attend church weekly believe in hell, as do 74% of those who attend nearly weekly.

In regard to heaven and hell, The Barna Group's research shows, “There is a tendency to believe if a person is generally good, or does enough good things for others during their life, they will earn a place in Heaven. In 2006 the public decided on the matter: 54% agree, 40% disagree. This represents little change since 2002 when 55% agreed and 38% disagreed; 1996 when 54% agreed and 38% disagreed; or 1993, when 56% agreed with this notion,” as noted on Barna.org.

Experts also agree that media can have a profound influence on the average person’s perceptions about popular subjects, such as hell. “People tend to think by association…'who believes what' instead of searching out the original sources of authority. When the media discounts, denies, or paints hell as a religious delusion then it has a decaying influence upon the spiritual perceptions of the general population,” Walkemeyer said.

For many, the idea of hell is only one facet of the Christian doctrine. "Luckily, as a musician, I can choose to sing about the love of God, what He has done in my life, etc.." commented Kelly Eldridge of The Kelly Eldridge Band, a Kernersville, North Carolina based Christian/Jazz/Funk group. "I'm not a senior pastor who has to settle on a doctrine to share with the flock. So how do I evangelize if I don't feel confident in saying, 'or else you'll burn in Hell'? I think the main point is that God is personal, wants a relationship with you, and forgiveness is available because of Jesus. Most people probably want a right relationship with their Creator with or without a threat, right?” .

For Grindstaff, it’s a matter of biblical truth: "I believe the bible is the literal Word of God. And as simple as it sounds, for people that do not believe in hell, I would say that they need the love of Jesus. I believe God's Word and the Holy Spirit will convict and teach the truth. So people that don't believe in hell simply need Jesus."

When it comes to hell and other common concerns, everyone has similar questions related to life and a curiosity about the afterlife. "They want to know how to make life work, how to deal with pain and suffering, how to gain prosperity of life. They also are interested in the unseen realm, the spiritual realities that have impact upon their daily lives. Non-Christians are less motivated to seek these answers in the Bible, yet they still have the same questions," Walkemeyer concluded.