In The Most Disturbing Trend Happening in Your Church in 2015, the most disturbing trend is revealed to be this:
Specifically, in the last 2 years, I have see one common thread become a common rope. Its presence is now ubiquitous; every church I talk with mentions this problem…. I have never seen a problem discussed this commonly amid a diversity of church sizes and denominational affiliations.
What is this one trend? It’s that your most committed people will attend worship services less frequently than ever in 2015. [Emphasis added.]
What does this mean? Simply that people who use[d] to attend 4 times a month may only attend 3 times a month. Members who used to come twice a month will only come once a month.
The article then gives three reasons for the decline in church attendance: kids activities, work travel, and online church. (There are many excellent observations in the comments as well.)
While those three reasons may very well be valid, I’d like to make a couple of observations.
Who Are Your Most Committed People?
What is meant by “your most committed people” in the quote above? Are they members? Are they people who profess faith in Christ? Are they people who show up because it is cool and the coffee is good? Are they part of The Dones (people who have not abandoned their faith, but are leaving the institutional church)?
The term “most committed people” really tells us nothing. They could be regular attenders, but were never part of the body of Christ. They could be lifetime members who have been driven out by changes they cannot in good conscience embrace. “Most committed people” means nothing without more information.
If we’re talking about a group of Spirit-led believers who have utilized their spiritual gifts and attended faithfully for years before starting to not show up, then I think we have a real problem.
If we’re talking about people who attended because they like the children’s program and the social coffee hour is good for professional networking, then while it is sad that they are not there to hear the Word preached, I don’t think anyone should be surprised if soccer games become more important. (After all, it’s a kid’s activity and they can network there while having coffee.)
Who are these committed people? If it is true Christ-followers, then I think there is reason for some real concern. For what it is worth, based on my study and interactions with people I think many of them are committed Christians and I do think churches should be concerned. I also suspect many of them are not Christians at all, but have come to church because it became worldly enough to make them comfortable. (Another post, another day.)
Solutions
The solutions that are offered include:
- add value not venues
- more training in discipleship
- helping people follow Jesus better.
I certainly would not disagree with any of these, but what jumped out to me were two things that were missing from the lists: community and outlets for people to use their spiritual gifts. I think these are two biggies that didn’t get mentioned. This is especially true if your “most committed members” are those who are more mature in their faith. They aren’t interested in flashy programs and holographic ministers. They are interested in real meat and doing the serious work of the Kingdom in the way they have been gifted to contribute.
Committed Christians are going to find it very difficult to continue to show up week after week, month after month, year after year and listen to feel good sermons and have no outlets for their spiritual gifts.
Are Women Being Driven Out?
Lastly, I wonder how much of this is also driven by women. Unlike Mark Driscoll who believes that you have to get the young men or you get nothing, I believe women drive a great deal of faithful church attendance. However in many conservative circles, women are being increasingly marginalized as rigid complementarianism is being pushed more strongly. How many intelligent and Spirit-gifted women are going to continue to show up each week in church where they are told
- Esther was a slut,
- pink is poisonous,
- Elisabeth Elliot can’t use a pulpit to preach but she can share from the music stand, and
- it apparently would be better for lost men to perish than hear the Gospel preached by a woman.
I do think people not showing up at church is a complex issue. I think to try to narrow it down to three reasons is frankly wishful thinking. It’s nice to think that soccer games and work travel are the main culprits. I honestly think that’s a shallow answer to a much more complex problem.
But at least someone is noticing that people aren’t showing up. If you recognize there is a problem and start to search for reasons for the decline in church attendance, you can attempt to fix it.
My family and I regularly attend church, but more than ever we have wanted to stay home and just have a day of rest. Church is exhausting because often the amount of time that one gives is not reflected in the depth of relationships that should be forming. I don’t mind helping with nursery, youth group, etc. if I am able to create meaningful relationships with others. But this is often not the case. It seems like no one has time for serious conversations. I am all for worshiping and praising God together, but I need relationships with others as I walk this difficult road of faith. My deeper relationships are all outside of my church, which means that when I attend a church function that is taking time away from the people that I find most spiritual enriching. Those I help and encourage are also outside the church.
“Church is exhausting because often the amount of time that one gives is not reflected in the depth of relationships that should be forming.”
That is so good!
The best discipleship takes place in the context of fellowship and relationships, not more programs.
I quit going because of lack of time and support from home. And because Compism was pushing its way in and resisting it made me feel like I was being pigeon-holed into ‘that radical feminist who hates men, children, and families.
Compism frames the argument so that if you disagree then you are arguing with God and the Bible.
I didn’t have the strength to point out that I resist Compism because it is a perversion and not the Truth.
I went regularly for years. Now I don’t go at all.
I don’t miss it much. Sometimes. But not much.
Mara,
Thanks for sharing a little bit of your story. I think you are right about how complementarianism is framed. Their most vocal adherents leave very little space for someone to be a brother or sister in Christ and disagree on this topic.
I agree with Paula. It is so hard to go and serve and go and serve and not have any depth of relationships.
When we moved, a year and a half ago, I had been looking forward to experiencing life outside the familiar. Now, I’ve learned how important the familiar is as that’s where the people who ask me hard questions, pray for me and with me, and in general challenge me in my walk are. The new people I’ve met don’t have the time to form those deep connections.
But, also, the quote you referenced about if you don’t have the young men you don’t have anything holds. Men are supposed to be leaders in their homes. It’s really hard as a wife to be married to a man who doesn’t lead spiritually.
I’m very interested in knowing what those meaty opportunities to exercise our gifts would look like. So far, every church I’ve met is willing to let anyone (who leadership sees as not-dangerous) do almost any ministry-thing they’d like to do. The trouble with this external generosity has always been *I can’t* do it all!
I have deep, demanding ideas and a congregation where I see few people with my intensity, and I have no way either to do it all or to find the people who might help me.
My frustration is with the logic of this bind: of course “they” can’t do everything and need volunteers, but to wait until one “called” individual has enough energy, time or connections to make something happen from nothing? That feels like leaving it to that one individual to put a rock up to the top of the hill alone.