A nationwide survey, recently conducted by the Barna Research Group, indicates that the number of unchurched adults in this country is now close to one out of every three—roughly 73 million people. When teenagers and children are included, the total swells to an astonishing 100 million Americans. To put that figure in context, if the unchurched of the United States were a country of its own, it would be the twelfth most populated nation on earth!
Of course, the big question is, “Why are they all leaving the faith?” And the answer, as it turns out, is that they aren’t! According to Barna, many of the unchurched continue to identify themselves as Christians and remain spiritually active. For example, two out of every ten read their Bible weekly, four out of every ten watch a worship service on television or over the internet, six out of every ten pray to God, and nearly one million unchurched adults still tithe—that is, they donate at least 10% of their annual income to charities!
As Barna writes, “A large and growing number of Americans who avoid congregational contact are not rejecting Christianity as much as they are shifting how they interact with God in a strategic effort to have a more fulfilling spiritual life.”
While I am gratified to learn that those who have apparently given up on the church are not, in fact, giving up on Christianity, I can’t help but think of something that John Wesley once observed—namely, “There is no such thing as a solitary Christian.” After all, the vast majority of the New Testament is addressed not to individuals but to communities of believers. If you ask me, something vital is lost when Christianity becomes merely a home correspondence course in self-improvement.
Granted, churches don’t always reflect the kingdom of God as well as they should. But those who reject the church because it is filled with sinners and hypocrites make the erroneous assumption that we, in the church, are embarrassed by our clientele. The church is no more embarrassed over our collection of sinners than a hospital would be ashamed of its sick people.
To be part of a congregation is not to suffer from delusions of sainthood (actually, I have never met anyone in the church with that alleged fantasy). Rather, it is to admit bravely and boldly that we have weaknesses and shortcomings—and more to the point, we wish to work on those in the company of others, instead of continuing to pretend that we can handle life all on our own!
Of course, the big question is, “Why are they all leaving the faith?” And the answer, as it turns out, is that they aren’t! According to Barna, many of the unchurched continue to identify themselves as Christians and remain spiritually active. For example, two out of every ten read their Bible weekly, four out of every ten watch a worship service on television or over the internet, six out of every ten pray to God, and nearly one million unchurched adults still tithe—that is, they donate at least 10% of their annual income to charities!
As Barna writes, “A large and growing number of Americans who avoid congregational contact are not rejecting Christianity as much as they are shifting how they interact with God in a strategic effort to have a more fulfilling spiritual life.”
While I am gratified to learn that those who have apparently given up on the church are not, in fact, giving up on Christianity, I can’t help but think of something that John Wesley once observed—namely, “There is no such thing as a solitary Christian.” After all, the vast majority of the New Testament is addressed not to individuals but to communities of believers. If you ask me, something vital is lost when Christianity becomes merely a home correspondence course in self-improvement.
Granted, churches don’t always reflect the kingdom of God as well as they should. But those who reject the church because it is filled with sinners and hypocrites make the erroneous assumption that we, in the church, are embarrassed by our clientele. The church is no more embarrassed over our collection of sinners than a hospital would be ashamed of its sick people.
To be part of a congregation is not to suffer from delusions of sainthood (actually, I have never met anyone in the church with that alleged fantasy). Rather, it is to admit bravely and boldly that we have weaknesses and shortcomings—and more to the point, we wish to work on those in the company of others, instead of continuing to pretend that we can handle life all on our own!
posted by Dr. Robert Crilley at
1:30 PM
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