Shifting Demographics and Community Engagement in Churches

What will the next several decades of American Christianity look like? Are the factors that led to the decline of mainline church attendance the same as those leading to decreased interest in evangelical congregations? Why are Gen Z women leaving religion at higher rates than their male counterparts? 

These are the questions that Russell Moore and Ryan Burge—author, professor, and writer of Graphs about Religion Substack—address in this episode. They consider shifts in the Southern Baptist Convention, the relationship of politics to religious participation, and whether or not churches are expected to close by the thousands in the years to come. And they remind listeners of what it looks like not only to speak the gospel but to live it as members of a community that welcomes others, volunteers in meaningful ways, and embodies the beauty of what the church can be.

Resources mentioned in this episode include: 

• The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going by Ryan Burge
• Graphs about Religion
• Billy Graham 
• Dobbs v. Jackson
• Obergefell
• “Young Women Are Leaving Church in Unprecedented Numbers”
• “Religion Has Become a Luxury Good”
• Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam
• Asbury University

Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com.

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“The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today 

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper 

Host: Russell Moore 

Producer: Ashley Hales 

Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill

Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens

Audio engineering by Dan Phelps 

Video producer: Abby Egan 

Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton

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