Michael Graham and Jim Davis: What ‘The Great Dechurching’ Means for Church Leaders
Jun 21, 2023
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Michael Graham and Jim Davis discuss 'The Great Dechurching' in the largest religious shift in U.S. history, highlighting reasons for leaving churches and the impact of historical events, internet, politics, and COVID. They share action steps for church leaders, emphasize community, student ministry, mental health, and encourage embracing influence from the margins in Christianity.
De-churching in the US is a result of shifting political and cultural landscapes within various religious traditions.
Understanding the categories of de-churched individuals (casual de-churchers and casualties) can help church leaders tailor approaches to engage and bring them back.
Deep dives
Understanding the Scope of De-churching in America
Over 40 million American adults no longer attend church regularly, with de-churching primarily happening in the last 25-30 years across various religious traditions. The de-churching trend started with mainstream denominations shifting to the left in the 1980s, followed by Catholics, and then evangelicals leaning more to the right in the mid-late 1990s. This shift highlights the increasing disengagement from organized religion in the U.S.
Categorizing De-churched Individuals
De-churched individuals can be categorized into casual de-churchers and casualties. Casual de-churchers intentionally drift away due to changing life priorities like sports, work, or family commitments. On the other hand, de-church casualties experience pain points such as church abuse or ethical issues, leading to their disconnection from churches. Understanding these categories helps tailor approaches to engage and potentially bring them back to church.
Impact of Education and Historical Shifts on De-churching
Historical events like the end of the Cold War and the rise of the internet in the 1990s contributed significantly to the de-churching trend. The collapse of Soviet communism allowed Americans to separate their national identity from Christianity, leading to increased freedom in spiritual affiliations. Higher secular education levels surprisingly correlate with lower de-churching rates, challenging misconceptions about education's negative impact on faith.
Encouragement and Evangelistic Opportunities in De-churching Trends
Despite de-churching trends, there is hope as over half of surveyed individuals are willing to return to church, with many expressing a desire for better relationships and connection to healthier church institutions. Identifying different de-churched profiles, such as cultural Christians, mainstream evangelical de-churchers, and ex-vangelicals, allows for targeted approaches to address their specific needs. Recognizing the discipleship opportunities in understanding why people are leaving can lead to fruitful ministry and evangelistic endeavors.
Michael Graham and Jim Davis join “The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast” to reveal findings from their study on “The Great Dechurching”—the largest and fastest religious shift in U.S. history. Their data is sobering, but also encouraging, and highly relevant to American church leaders.
What is the culture like at your church? Barnabas Piper recently spoke with us about why church leaders are responsible for creating a culture of belonging and practical ways they can do so.