Charisma magazine has a lengthy report on Christians who opt to stay home on Sundays. The article presents the issue as a growing trend, and not limited to twenty-somethings. The biggest motivation for skipping out on church seems to be disaffection with the church, though several experts agree that if church isn’t working, we need people to stick around and fix it, not leave it for dead.
The article also cites research that the more churches expect of people, the more they get involved. People may be opting out of church because they don’t have a role, because they aren’t being challenged to get involved.
Finally, the article points to the importance of a standard marketing technique: the exit interview. “In the commercial world companies learn a lot from past customers who leave them,” says New Zealand pastor Alan Jamieson. “Surely we in the church can do the same thing.” (link via DJ Chuang)
Anthony
April 6, 2005
The article is very detailed and also very disturbing. God created the church. It is not some “gift” whose time has passed away and is no longer necessary. Although God does lead people from one church to another (He never leads them away because of offense) He does not lead them away from a church to just “commune with Him in nature”. Think about it — God does NOT contradict Himself and His Word is QUITE
explicit on the subject:
Hebrews 10:25
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
I agree that the church does need to make some Godly changes — but hey, the church and NOT the lodge or civic group or charitable organization is THE body of Christ.