The 3 Top Reasons Why People Are Leaving The Church
Mar 10, 2010 Author: godvertiser | Filed under: Church, Ponderings
Sometimes the ministries can become consumed with who comes in through the front door of the church.
Our churches build out extensive outreach campaigns, coordinate home visits for new comers, employ direct mail and other church marketing tactics.
But there’s another door that goes unguarded and it’s becoming a big problem. In fact, it’s big enough that 52,000 people a week leave the church through the back door. That’s a lot of people. No wonder our pews, especially in the mainline denominational churches are becoming a little bit more spacious every Sunday. This is exactly why the church is dying, some may say.
Once you’re paying attention to the mass exodus out the back door of the church by existing members and attenders, I’m sure it is easy to guess why. But do your guesses match-up with reality?
Here are the top 3 reasons why thousands of frustrated people are leaving the church in droves.
- They do not believe they are being told the “gospel truth” by their pastors
- They do not believe the church provides true Christian fellowship and community; and
- They do not believe their individual giftedness and spiritual purpose on earth, as part of a body, are recognized.
“In short, American Christians increasingly feel like strangers within the church that is supposed to be the body of Christ,” according to W. Hendricks, author of Exit Interviews
What is your church doing specifically to guard against #1, #2 or #3 above? Please share your thoughts with us and leave a comment right now.
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9 Responses for "The 3 Top Reasons Why People Are Leaving The Church"
I wonder if the top three reasons are the same today as when published in 1993? I would like to see a revision of "Exit Interviews". Would be interesting to compare.
That's still the same reasons I left and its 2010 all three of them absent in 4 different churches I attended in the last 10 years so I'd say not a whole lot has changed. Said but true. I still believe God has a church and he is building his army and showing those who really hunger and thirst for righteousness the real truth instead of this waterdown stuff we get these days. I still trust in God just not in man anymore.
People are tired of Religion. They are looking for a real relationship with Christ. Religion is a system based upon obligation and performance, I know, I was in full time ministry 12 years. People are looking for something real. It took me leaving the institution to find how to live in Fathers Love. Living loved and loving others doesn't mean you don't have fellowship with others, in fact I have more community now with fellow believes than I ever have. Living loved and understanding that is how Christ intended it. Galatians 5.
Thanks for the comments Dan.Do you have any topline suggestions for pastors reading this post? Where can they look to change their ministry practices to affect some real changes WRT what you mentioned above? Or do you think it is hopeless?
kkcoolj,
Is it hopeless? NO can we change the institution? NO What Father wants is for us to learn to live loved and love others. That is not accomplished by a simple 10 step process or 5 points, that begins when we have a relationship with Father and we live in that relationship.
20 million people in the US left institutional church life because of wanting something more. What is that more?
God has put us on a journey where we experience him daily, walk with him, talk with him, and learn to trust him each step. Sunday for me is no different than Monday. I don't purpose to do anything but what Father wants me to do. As I live loved Father brings people into my life and I love them where I am and where they are.
If my stats are right between 1500 and 1700 pastors leave the ministry a year. They leave feeling like they have let Father down, the church the people etc., The truth of the matter is there is such a great burden put on the pastor to perform and deliver, the weight is simply to much. Since I have left the institution, I have pastors everyday call and want to talk, share their burdens and frustrations about how it is so overwhelming to continue on. Most of the time they are there worst enemy because they feel like they have to perform, accomplish all the church wants them to, when in reality they only have to do what Father wants them too.
Here is a great site to start listening to:
http://thegodjourney.com/
Wayne and Brad both pastored, there are excellent podcasts that will help pastors that are ready to throw their hands up.
Ok, now for books:
1. Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola – will really rock your world when it comes to what the institution is doing and how it really is.
2. So you don't want to go to church – Fiction but really good about a pastor and his conflicts with the institution. by Wayne Jacobson
3. He Loves Me – an awesome book by Wayne that shows God's love in a wonderful way.
Thanks,
Dan
The reason why they are leaving the Churches is because satan is now ruling the churches as God has said in the Bible Matthew 24: 5When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
2 Corinthians 11: 14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
go to http://www.familyradio.com, http://www.wecanknow.com, http://www.ebiblefellowship.com to learn more
Our church formed in November 2010. Our pastor tried to deal with the concerns that you cite at my former church.
Half of the congregation at the former church made life miserable for him as he continued to stress our need to take our faith more seriously and become more involved. [Not just show up on Sunday mornings when nothing else conflicted].
It is a joy being a part of this new congregation. But most of the members of the church we left do not have much regard for the stand that we took.
Sounds like a split–and that’s what the former church likes to call it. But the reality is that the association we are part of was wanting to start a new plant in our community that would have a more contemporary approach [methods would be different, message would not change].
We took it upon ourselves along with the associational leader to become that new plant.
Please keep us in your prayers.
I have never been happier at any point in my Christian walk.
Wow…how "14 weeks" in time can change perspective. I hope you are okay Shaan Phillip. God loves even if you have been misled by false teachers.
I don't see how going to a packed out bldg. looking at the back of the person's head in the pew in front of me, then leaving after hearing a self-focused and not Christ-centered message is what the early Church Fathers had in mind.
The top 3 reasons nailed it to a tee for me!
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