Have People Stopped Attending Church?
July 25, 2011 by Admin
Filed under Church, Gospel Today Features
Declining Church Attendance
by Dr. Lisa Tait
There has been a drastic reduction in the number of people attending church on Sunday. Why is this? a) Distrust in church leadership, b) a more sophisticated membership looking for deeper revelation, c) laziness, d) exhausted with tradition or something else?
Many in church preach 1 thing and live another…folks feel betrayal!
Jackie M.
Perhaps those who know His voice are tired of whooping preachers and theatrical antics to incite emotive responses? Perhaps church scandal(s) have had such a profoundly negative affect on God’s people that faulty character and manipulation is losing its place and studied believers are doing spiritual-ethnographies to right their souls? Or perhaps many desire meeting God at the foot of the mountain to receive His voice naturally because “spiritual” leaders are too concerned with running a business then actually feeding, leading, and teaching His sheep. Perhaps, there’s a sincere holiness revival in the hearts of the people of God resurfacing? Hmm….:-)
Jon P.
Don’t know about other churches, but Black churches are too loud! They are wanting to be showcased..not showcase the word of God.
Victoria C.
Too much judging and backstabbing! People who are at their worse don’t need to judged, backstabbed, or put on trial for the things they have and don’t have! Someone needs someone to encourage them, lift them up. Church is supposed to be a safe place, it’s a place to heal, meditate, and all the things we need! People that are broken and hurt are seeking for something to relieve them! Not be extra burdened.
Danielle S.
The answer is quite simple. Church is not percieved as relevant anymore. Georga Barna says that for every 5 people who claim to be born again that 3 do not attend church. The faith community is clinging to what has worked in previous generations refusing to acknowledge or embrace new methods that would appeal to the present generation. I must be clear that I am not advocating a watered down version of the Gospel. I believe that church can and should be both God-centered and culturally relevant. When local churches create a God centered and culturally relevant environment where individuals are free to explore a relationship with God attendance will increase.
Michael J
What do you think? Do YOU go to church less often? Why/Why NOT?
I have a question…. are we speaking about church across the board? Because when I look at the growth of our brothers and sisters of other nationalities, I beg to differ. Their ministries are growing by leaps and bounds….. And if you look closely, those that are leaving the African American Churches are going right to these ministries. They are relevant, they are family oriented, and they promote and encourage and assist you in maintaining healthy marriages. They don’t waste time with a bunch of superficial foolishness. We are not just loosing people, but we have lost the POWER OF GOD in the house. Lack of reverence and the lack of fear of God, and we shout so much, that folks don’t even know what the foundations of faith are concerning that particular ministy.
I feel that (d is what I would have to go with which is church is to traditional. In the midst of being traditional it has lost it’s connection with the community as well as it’s needs! Many churches have not done anything for the community which is struggling so in order for the church Tongans it must do something! We need to repent because we are turning into the churches God warned us about in the book of Revelation! I pray that we change our methods of getting the Word out but we must preach that which will change souls! The Gospel!
I have heard of pastors tell their congregration, “This is my church and you have to respect the pastor. If you can’t then you need to leave.” Pastors have forgotten that the church they pastor is God’s not theirs. If they would treat their congregration according to the word of God then we will see signs and wonders instead of the pastors flesh and inadequacies. God will change the people’s hearts. “Through love and kindness have I drawn thee.” If the church’s position continues to run new members out as soon as they start coming because they don’t look or act or speak like the seasoned saints then the church will never grow and we won’t see the power of God manifest.
We are a Senior Pastor with 23 Outreaches that serve our Communities 365 days per year that fear & seek to please God even in our Secret Lives. Its Sin & St Matthew 23rd Chapter coming to pass. people are Lovers Of The World & Sin more than God & Its The days of The Great Falling Away.
Wow!People in the church are lovers of Men and themselves..Many churches are now considered institutions of business. Church people are now Title crazy giving little attention to God’s mandates. Love is no longer apparent in church goers or ministries…The attack from the pulpit is greater than the attack from the world..Backstabbers,liars,haters,envy,strifle,dream killers,manipulators.homongers.adultery,fornicaters etc……Whew….I pray and fast like never before that’s how Great the attack is if you Honor and love God..Guess what satan it’s on. There is power in pray/fasting and reading God’s word……Satan you are defeated and you are under my feet..Lord grant me Flavor to do your Will…..In Jesus Name Amen..
“God in the Boardroom: Why is Christianity Losing Market Share?” In this story, God is the Chairman and Jesus is the CEO. They call an emergency board meeting of their leaders on earth to challenge the pastors and others because of declining Christian “market share” and sky rocketing “moral metrics”. abortions, divorces, crime. etc. check out the interview with Satan. He reveals his secrets at http://godintheboardroom.com/. Each chapter reveals dramatic reasons for the losses in marketshare and offers solutions.
I know, I am blessed, because I attend a Church where God continues to honor my Pastor’s Vision and Message! We actually average between 35 to 50 “New Members” PER WEEKEND!!!!! Relevant Messages and Methods that attract, has continued to contribute to our Church’s Growth!!!!
Could it be that the pastor is a better actor than those on Broadway? Could it be the church might have a vision that is anti-biblical? Could it be that the pastor is a bully–his way or the highway? So many chose the highway!!!! Could it be that the pastor preaches a pro-gay message and also lives a pro-gay lifestyle??? What does the Bible say about that?? It says that the hearts of many will grow cold—is it against the church or against God?? I think the church…. Too bad too, I used to love to go.
Wow @ dramaqueen, you addressed so many great points/issues I’ve personally witnessed. However I disagree with no longer attending a church ( place of worship). How do you justify not going because of a man ( all pastors aren’t bullies, pro gay …) when we are ” …not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together”? Keep seeking out a body of discipled believers with a pastor who is flat-footed in the word of God…keep trying the spirit until God leads you to where you need to be. Maybe you can be a change agent wherever he places you. Blessings.
Pardon me dramaqueen. You didn’t say you stopped attending but the message still remains for those who have. May you find a new church that stands on truth or be a change agent, a type of Daniel/3 Hebrew boys in your current place of worship -continue not to bow & watch God use you or move you.
The Real Reason why the Church Attendance is declining is due to the fact that whole lot of us don’t have a TRUE & REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. Church drama/mess have been here since the beginning of time. If we would just take time to read our bible we would see that church drama didn’t just start yesterday and God already gave us the answer to each and every one of them. However, WE (myself included) spend more time pointing fingers at the faults of others than realizing that God gave us power to combat the trick of the devil. I learned in my short years that the sins I possess could be exposed at any given moment. Yet,God continues to cover me for some reason. I feel the need to pray even more because it just might be my turn to have the finger pointed at them. We have totally missed the point of why Jesus came. He came to put us back in relationship with God and Love our neighbors as we love ourselves among other things. But Now in 2011, it is quite sad to see to this topic even flourish because CHRISTIANS DON’T GET IT. We are still the only army in the world who truly wounds its wounded soldiers. I pray this will help someone.
I love the word not the show place many Church’s have become. Most pastors want to showcase their expensive suits and gators not feed or help the members. When you miss a few weeks they don call to check on you, just remind you- you can pay tithes on line.
This line if you have $5000 to give, I see 300 millionaires in the church; really? Blessing folks who give and not the ones who didn’t- really?
Where is the love in the church people are cussing in the halls and the pastors in meetings. Donnie was so correct last year, the church takes it does not give anymore. Its all about the money and the fame. They lie,cheat on their wives, are in same sex relationships. Who the heck wants to go to church for that. You can’t trust them with your children, or what is going on in your- you hear it in a sermon on Sunday. I love God I have mixed feelings about the church.
I don’t think that church or God is no longer relevant; I mean you can’t “outdate” God, He always IS and WAS. I think some of these so-called LEADERS are the ones that are putting people out with ATTENDING church. I’m in ministry and quite frankly, I am disgusted with the way church is currently being conducted in many “ministries.” No one wants to correct anyone, there’s no standard because they don’t want to lose members or hurt anyone’s feelings so they can keep the tithes & offerings flowing, not only the people but the LEADERSHIP is running wild without correction, it’s an abomination!
I can very much appreciate the way I was raised IN CHURCH and the manner in which people had a respect and a mindset to REVERENCE God. There were just certain things you didn’t do, clothes you didn’t wear, etc. in church or you would be corrected. Today, there’s no standard (not saying you should be COGIC sharp every week), but there should definitely be correction if someone is dressed inappropriately. Just because church should be a place where everyone can come (and SHOULD BE,) doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be any STANDARDS. If you get any job, there WILL BE a dress code and to keep the job, you’ll either abide by it or not be working there. Standards appear in EVERY AREA of our lives EXCEPT (for some) churches; and why? Because they don’t want to lose members or hurt anybody’s feelings. Then you get this: “nobody should be judging” crap, which IS NOT true! The Bible gives us specifics on what to criticize or not allow and we should follow it. Giving correction IN LOVE does not have to be rude.
It also doesn’t help that so many scandals have been ravaging the Body of Christ over the last several years and being paraded around in mainstream media. It gives the WHOLE CHURCH a “black eye” when one of us falters. And what does the church do? Instead of praying for these people, they get on Facebook & Twitter and further tear them down!
I don’t know what the answer is, but I DO know that my relationship with the Lord Himself is in tact; I’ll continue to serve Him in whatever manner He requires of me. I just have an issue with finding a church that is SERIOUS about worship, has integrity in their leadership (not perfection, INTEGRITY), and won’t allow any and everything to be going on in its midst. That my dear friends is a challenge…
Church attendance was mandatory for me as a child, but as soon as I left home, I stopped going. Since I was an atheist since I was seven, it was hypocritical anyway. That was over 50 years ago, and I am happier because of it.
@BP Knight. I totally agree with your statement. I grew up seeing the same things. My PASTOR constantly tell us that we should aopproach someone that is dress inapproriately(he expects mostly our older woment to do this) or make corrections if we see it and to do with LOVE. He has had to on many occassions discpline memebers and some had to be set down from ministry.