Posted on 08/06/2015 11:38:36 AM PDT by xzins
New research reveals that 31 percent of the adult U.S. population, approximately 65 million people, were at one time involved in church but have since left. This is approximately equal to the number of people still regularly attending church.
The study also found that more than 10 percent of adults still attending church are on their way out the door.
The top five reasons people gave for leaving are:
The church was too judgmental.
The church bureaucracy was stifling.
They didn't like the lecture style of preaching.
The church was not where they encountered God.
The church took a social or political stance they disagreed with.
The research was conducted by Dr. Josh Packard, director of the Social Research Lab at the University of Northern Colorado, for the purpose of understanding the size, make-up and motivations of the formerly churched population in the U.S.
Packard's findings are summarized in a newly released report titled, Exodus of the Religious Dones. Packard also wrote about these trends in his book Church Refugees: Sociologists Reveal Why People Are DONE With Church but Not Their Faith (Group).
According to Packard, "The people who are leaving the church in droves are not simply marginal Christians who decided to leave on a whim. They were at one time the church's staunchest supporters and leaders. And when they leave, they take irreplaceable institutional knowledge, experience and relational connections that will be hard to replace."
That would not technically fall under those five “reasons”. Note that “The church has fallen away from God” is not listed; and “The church was not where they encountered God” looks tome to be too general to include that.
It should be worded more specifically than “The church took a social or political stance they disagreed with”. Liberals use that one all the time with churches that are not falling away from the truth.
Agreed. It is misleadingly worded.
I agree that it is rational to need a larger building if you are growing.
As far as opulence goes... my last straw was when I saw people poor as church mice giving money when a big wheel that has more money than Ben Gum thought it would be a good idea to give a “love offering” to pay for the hunting trip the pastor had already arranged. They gave money I gave them so their children could have a Christmas.
That was enough for me. Never set foot in the place again.
I’m trying to change my eating habits so whoever I can round up to cook we .may have to go with pancakes made with organic eggs and coconut flour, topped with grass-fed butter and the “real maple” syrup. “Just sayin’”
Reason #___: UNREALITY.
Any person you get close to in real life, outside the church, WILL get on your nerves at some point (and vice versa). It’s always a test of the fragility of fake friendship that a frank blowup could end it all. THIS is what much of church life is like, fake friendship.
It’s not real. Real relationships survive all manner of upsets. I had a friend literally scream at me over the phone recently. I was not well (heat exhaustion) but her pent up frustration over being wrongly booted out of a job of 20 years led her to lose it when we were talking. I knew she needed to get it off her chest, though it didn’t feel good to hear it at the time.
That’s real relationship. In church we hear a lot of babble about love but get off it. Fake friendship is what you get so much of the time and that ain’t any kind of love I want! It’s a mockery of what we are supposed to have as believers.
But as I’ve said before, certain personality types thrive in that environment.
That is such a great post, avenir.
You should turn that idea into an article. Seriously.
1. We moved and wanted a closer church
2. We left because we wanted something different for the kids
3. We left because there was never a discussion format in Sunday School, Wed night teaching, or congregation
4. Our current church is abt 45 min away.
I was active as counselor, volunteer, etc in all these. I did notice deacons seemed to be out of reach for some folks.....need to be on the "inside" and that bothers me. I still speak with members from all those churches.
I do think the home church movement is picking up momentum, though. Today is an age of collaboration, discussion, instant feedback, and participation. The traditional format of "plop and pray" in the pew is outdated. I think Jesus went TO the people and among them to bring the Word.
Also, society is more "fluid" today than ever - we are transient, move often, have transportation and highways to get around more quickly. Society is more literate and educated as well - look at all the resources available to us. It's no longer a single church in town where the pastor has all the answers. We can travel easily, read, study, meet in a variety of places, times, formats. And we expect participation.
Thanks, it’s a struggle I’ve had. No reason to give up on church, but I believe one needs a strong constitution to be a full blown adult like Jesus and not shrivel up under the conspiracy of niceness all around.
These “reasons” are all a smokescreen. Generally, the reason is they are unwilling to stop embracing a sinful lifestyle. Generally, the issue is rooted in a question of a sexual nature. So, if the Church doesn’t embrace me and my sin that I won’t give up, I’m out the door!
I guess I shouldn’t say “all.” But, I’m comfortable with saying these “reasons” are most of the time a smokescreen for not wanting to give up sin that the Church preaches against.
I will say, a legitimate reason to leave; nay, RUN away from a church is when it starts supporting things that are unbiblical. So, that automatically would make legitimate to leave any denominations that support abortion and same-sex marriage, to name a couple major issues in the Church today.
I do agree that all can be used as an excuse. It is possible for a church to be too overbearing. It would be sort of cultic.
It can go off the deep end with liberal politics and support of liberal causes: abortion, homosexualism, new age, etc.
It can become nothing but a money machine.
Just because someone makes the accusation, though, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is accurate.
Great testimony. You are a true FRiend.
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