CNLP 600 | Jim Davis on The Great Dechurching, The Fastest and Largest Church Attendance Exit in U.S. History, The Future of Small, Medium, and Mega Churches, and The $24 Billion in Giving That Left the Church
Sep 28, 2023
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Jim Davis discusses the largest church attendance shift in US history, the $24 billion in giving that disappeared from the church, reasons for decreasing church attendance, addressing personal wounds and lack of meaning, detachment from traditional church practices, characteristics of de-churched individuals, battle against indifference, reasons for leaving church among different age groups, and strategies to reach unchurched and de-churched people.
The de-churching trend in the US is the largest church attendance shift in history, with 40 million Americans leaving since the 1990s.
There are different groups of de-churched individuals, including those who still hold orthodox beliefs but have left due to pain points in the evangelical context, and BIPOC individuals who de-churched due to feeling uncomfortable in these environments despite high incomes.
Overcoming indifference is a key challenge in engaging de-churched individuals, and focusing on the value of church community and building empathy can help address this.
Deep dives
De-church mainstream evangelicals
This group of de-churched individuals consists of about 2.5 million people who were formerly part of evangelical churches. Despite leaving the church, they still hold strong orthodox beliefs, with 97% affirming Jesus as the Son of God. They are open to returning to church and often respond positively to invitations. Reasons for their de-churching include moving, life transitions, and inconvenient attendance. While they engage in personal religious practices such as prayer and online resources, family worship may not be prevalent.
Ex-vangelicals
This group consists of individuals who have intentionally left evangelical spaces due to pain points such as abuse, heavy-handed leadership, spiritual abuse, or political syncretism. They still hold a belief in Jesus, but have grown uncomfortable in the white evangelical context. Ex-vangelicals, around 2.5 million in number, are open to different church expressions, such as mainline and historic black churches, but are unlikely to return to their previous evangelical churches.
BIPOC Affluent De-churched
The BIPOC Affluent De-churched is a group that predominantly includes African American and Latino individuals who had de-churched from evangelical spaces. Despite their high income levels and educational background, their orthodoxy scores are low. Reasons for their de-churching include feeling uncomfortable in evangelical environments. While open to reconsidering different church expressions, they would require a significant divine call or prompting to return to church.
Indifference as an underlying factor
Underlying the various reasons for de-churching is a sense of indifference. Many individuals do not see value in attending church or may not miss it yet. Overcoming indifference becomes a key challenge, as people are more likely to engage in activities they perceive as valuable. Focusing on the significance and value of church community, as well as building empathy and relational wisdom, may help address this indifference.
The Impact of De-Churching and Reasons for Leaving
De-churching among young adults, particularly in the 20 to 40 demographic, is a significant trend in the church. Factors such as discontent with church experiences and difficulty maintaining faith during major life transitions contribute to de-churching. Among the mainline Protestants and Catholics, de-churching accelerated in the 1990s due to events like the fall of the Soviet Union, the rise of the internet, and the perception of Christianity being associated with the far right. However, there is hope as over half of the de-churched population is willing to come back to the church.
The Importance of Medium Walls and Engaging De-Church and Unchurched People
The concept of medium walls, which balances high and low walls, is advocated as an effective approach for engaging de-churched and unchurched people. This approach involves actively listening and understanding the experiences and hopes of individuals, emphasizing the goodness and beauty of Jesus, and showing how faith finds its fulfillment in him. There is potential for reaching de-churched people who are often willing to return to church and can serve as a valuable resource for the mission. Additionally, understanding the changing cultural context and adapting preaching, discipleship structures, and community outreach are crucial in effectively engaging de-churched and unchurched individuals.
Jim Davis joins Carey to discuss the massive research project he and his team have done to explain the exit of 40 million Americans from the church since the 1990s.
He talks about why this shift is the largest church attendance shift in US history, why the right is de-churching faster than the left, the $24 billion in giving that disappeared from the church, why it's not just cultural Christians who are leaving, and much, much more.
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