In my childhood church in Lincoln, Nebraska, I’ve witnessed a significant decline in Christians. This isn’t surprising considering that over 40 million Americans have stopped attending church over the past 25 years. This decline in church attendance, which represents the largest concentrated change in American history, has deeply affected me as a devout Christian. My wife and I worry about the future of the institutions and communities that have played a crucial role in our own faith. We wonder if these will still be around for our children and future generations.
This decline in church attendance not only affects individuals but also has negative implications for the entire nation. Participation in a religious community has been shown to have numerous benefits, including better health outcomes, longer life, higher financial generosity, and more stable families. These are all things that our nation desperately needs as we face rising rates of loneliness, mental illness, and alcohol and drug dependency.
A new book called “The Great Dechurching,” written by Jim Davis and Michael Graham, explores the reasons why people have left churches, and if there’s anything that can be done to bring them back. The book draws on surveys of over 7,000 Americans conducted by political scientists Ryan Burge and Paul Djupe. It presents an intriguing perspective by suggesting that the problem may not be that churches are asking too much of their members but rather that they aren’t asking enough.
“The Great Dechurching” reveals that abuse and moral corruption in churches have driven people away. While this is a condemnation of the failures of church leaders to address these issues, the book also reveals that many people have left for more mundane reasons. It suggests that the main problem driving people away is the way American life functions in the 21st century. Our society is structured to prioritize individual accomplishment, defined by professional success and financial wealth. This leaves little time or energy for communities that don’t contribute to one’s own career or financial prospects. American society is dominated by a work-centric culture, and as a result, all forms of community, including religious communities, suffer.
While instances of abuse in church environments can cause individuals to lose faith abruptly, leaving faith for most Americans who used to be a part of churches is a gradual process. They often don’t realize it’s happening until it’s already occurred. It’s similar to driving down a slope and suddenly realizing you can’t see the place you started from anymore.
The book describes a composite character who represents a typical evangelical dechurcher. This character is a woman in her 30s who grew up in a suburban megachurch, was heavily involved in a campus ministry during college, and then transitioned into a full-time job while attending a young-adults group at a local church. In her 20s, she meets a less religiously engaged partner, they get married, and after having their first or second child, they gradually stop going to church. It becomes easier to stay home and catch up on sleep when the baby isn’t sleeping well.
Another scenario is when a person is in the middle of their career, working a high-stress job that demands a 60- to 70-hour workweek, in addition to a long commute. With two-thirds of their waking hours already occupied, they may choose to prioritize seeing a friend over attending church. Over time, the thought of going to church carries a mental burden, and it becomes easier to skip rather than face the questions about their absence. The underlying challenge is that people’s lives are stretched to the limit, and attending church feels like just another item on an already overwhelming checklist.
In such a context, what can churches do? In theory, the Christian Church could be the antidote to our current way of life. What could be more needed in today’s society than a community characterized by genuine love, sharing, regular meals together, generous service to neighbors, and lives rooted in prayer and virtue? A healthy church can provide a safety net in the midst of an arduous economy by offering material assistance to its members in times of need, as well as reminding them that their identity is not tied to their job or financial success but rather as children of God, loved, protected, and infinitely valuable.
However, a vibrant and life-giving church requires more time and energy from its members, not less. It asks individuals to prioritize one another over their careers, prioritize prayer and scripture over accomplishments. This may seem daunting in an era where people are already leaving churches, especially because they feel overwhelmed and burned out. Why would they want to be part of a church that demands even more from them?
But this question isn’t quite right. The problem we face isn’t that we have a flourishing society that doesn’t have space for church. The problem is that many Americans have embraced a way of life that has left us feeling lonely, anxious, and unsure of how to engage in meaningful community with others.
The tragedy of American churches is that they have become so entrenched in the same worldly values that they no longer have anything unique to offer those who are suffering and seeking meaning. American churches have often become akin to vaguely spiritual non-governmental organizations, where individuals come together for religious services that inspire them, offer practical advice, or provide positive emotional experiences. Too often, they haven’t been true communities that bear witness to a different way of life through their preaching and living.
The theologian Stanley Hauerwas aptly summarized this problem when he said that pastoral care has become fixated on the personal wounds of individuals in advanced industrial societies who have realized that their lives lack meaning. The challenge is that many of the wounds and challenges brought about by our current system cannot be easily managed or solved. They require a complete change of life, a transformation into a radically different kind of person belonging to a radically different kind of community.
Last fall, during my visit to New York City, I had the opportunity to spend time with a group of pacifist Christians living in a communal house. They share their property and finances, leading to more flexibility in their schedules, a stronger immediate community, greater generosity towards neighbors, and a richer life of prayer and devotion to God. This kind of communal living supports a simpler lifestyle and provides a counter-cultural example of a different way to live.
Churches can learn from this example. In our current context, churches need to offer something more profound and transformative than what can be easily found elsewhere. They need to be communities that provide meaning, love, and support, pushing back against the work-centric culture that dominates American life. This won’t be an easy task, but the alternative is losing relevance and further contributing to the decline of religious communities. It’s time for churches to step up, create authentic and vibrant communities, and invite people to be a part of something greater than themselves. A true church has the potential to make a significant impact in the lives of individuals and society at large.
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