The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast
CNLP 718 | When Christians Become the Minority: Warren Bird and Adelle Banks on The Shifts Needed To Make Your Church Future-Ready and the Surprising Reasons People Give for Not Attending Church
Mar 25, 2025
Warren Bird, Senior Vice President of Research at ECFA, and Adelle Banks, an award-winning journalist, discuss making churches future-ready in a post-pandemic world. They dive into the surprising reasons for declining attendance, especially among younger generations. The conversation highlights the importance of evolving church leadership and fostering inclusivity to reach the 'nuns'—those without religious affiliation. They also explore innovative community engagement strategies, emphasizing collaboration over traditional pastor-centric models.
01:26:36
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Quick takeaways
- Church success metrics are shifting from attendance to engagement, emphasizing active participation for spiritual growth.
- Demographic changes necessitate churches to adapt outreach and support to diverse family structures for better inclusivity.
Deep dives
The Shift from Attendance to Engagement
Recent research indicates a significant shift in how church leaders perceive success, moving from traditional metrics of attendance to a focus on engagement and commitment. A survey revealed that 92% of senior pastors believe that depth of engagement is a more effective measure of a church's success than attendance numbers. This paradigm shift suggests that in today's ministry landscape, creating a community where congregants actively participate—such as volunteering, giving, inviting friends, and being part of community groups—is more crucial than ever. The emphasis is on contributing rather than merely consuming, supporting the idea that engaged members are more likely to experience spiritual growth.
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