Turning Points in Christian History 8
Al Krummenacher
Turning Points in Christian History 8
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Turning Points in Christian History 8 - The Text
Turning Points in Christian History. The Great De-Churching
Americans who Attend Worship. (Once per Week In-Person)
1850 = 16% (Est.) 1900 = 36%. 1959 = 69%
2007 = 40% 2024 = 25%
Is This Declining or Reverting to the American Norm?
Attend a Worship Service Once per Week In Person (as Tracked by Cell Phone Location). 2023 = 14%
Attend a Worship Service Once per Week Online
2021 = 11% 2024 = 5%
Sources
Pew Research Center U.S. Religious Landscape Study Barna Research Group Public Religion Research Institute Gallup Public Opinion Surveys
2024 U.S. Adult Population 347,280,000 Identify As : Mainline Protestant 38,200,800 11% Evangelical 79,874,400 23% Roman Catholic 69,456,000 20% Mormon 6,945,600 2% Orthodox 3,472,800 1% Jewish 8,334,720 2.4% Hindu 3,472,800 1% Buddhist 3,472,800 1% Muslim 4,863,920 1.4% Historically Black 17,364,000 5% Other 14,5 85,760 4.2%. Atheist / Agnostic / Nothing 100,711,200 29%.
Monthly Weekly < Monthly Few Times per Year Seldom / Never All U.S. Adults 33% 25% 67% 18% 49% All Religiously Affiliated 45% 35% 54% 21% 32% Christians 48% 37% 51% 21% 30% Other Religions 23% 15% 76% 22% 54% Unaffiliated 3% 2% 96% 9% 88%
In-Person Worship Attendance
Monthly Weekly < Monthly Few Times per Year Seldom / Never All U.S. Adults 33% 25% 67% 18% 49% All Religiously Affiliated 45% 35% 54% 21% 32% Christians 48% 37% 51% 21% 30% Other Religions 23% 15% 76% 22% 54% Unaffiliated 3% 2% 96% 9% 88%
Monthly Weekly Less Than Monthly A Few Times Seldom / Never Christian 48% 37% 51% 21% 30% Protestant 51% 40% 48% 19% 29% Evangelical 60% 50% 39% 16% 23% Mainline 34% 23% 65% 24% 41% Black 46% 33% 52% 22% 30% R.Catholic 40% 29% 60% 27% 32% Orthodox 37% 23% 62% 23% 39% Mormon 76% 69% 24% 13% 11% Others 23% 15% 76% 22% 54% Jewish 23% 15% 77% 26% 50% Muslim 46% 39% 54% 22% 32% Buddhist 17% 6% 82% 26% 56% Hindu 35% 18% 65% 36% 29% Unaffiliated 3% 2% 96% 9% 88% Atheist 1% <1% 99% 4% 95% Agnostic 1% <1% 99% 8% 90% Nothing 5% 3% 95% 10% 85%
Protestant Church Decline
(As a % of the general population) 2007 – 2024 Mainline 18% 11% Evangelical 26% 23% Non-Denominational 6.2% 14% Historically
Black 7% 5% Roman
Catholic 24% 19% Orthodox 1% 1% Mormon 1.8% 1.2%
Mega-Church Attendance
(Over 2,000 Attendees Weekly)
Approximately 1/2 of American Churchgoers attend the largest 10% of Churches (Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Mormo
65% of Mega-Churches consider themselves to be “Evangelical”
40% of Mega-Churches consider themselves to be “Non-denominational”
8-9% of Protestant Churchgoers attend a Church of over 1000 attendees (Approximately 1875 Congregations)
46% of Churchgoers attend a Church with Less than 100 attendees
Median weekly worship attendance for a U.S. Protestant Congregation is 60-65
Presbyterian Churches in the USA
Presbyterian Church (USA) has 8,432 congregations, including three Mega-churches
(Peachtree in Atlanta, Fourth in Chicago and Christ in Minneapolis)
PCA has 1964 congregations, four are Mega-churches
EPC has 626 congregations, two are Mega-churches
Is there any good News?
Do you believe in god?
1960 = 92% Say they believe in God
2024 = 83% Say they believe in God
Current Worship Attendance by Generation
Silent Generation (1925 – 1945) Attend.9 x Month
Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964) Attend 1.4 x Month
Gen X (1965 – 1980) Attend 1.6 x Month
Millennials (1981 – 1996) Attend 1.8 x Month
Gen Z (1997 – 2012) Attend 2.1 x Month
Why have people left?
What the Surveys say
• Change in Life Circumstances
• Competing Family Priorities
• Change in Personal Beliefs
• Preference for Self-directed Spirituality
• Change in Pastor / Church programming
• Church Scandals & Clergy Misconduct
• Lack of Personal Friendships
• Offended by a Church Member or Staff
• Disagreement with perceived Political Bias
• Negative views of the LGBTQ community
• Positive views of the LGBTQ community
• Lack of Leadership Roles available to Women
• Theological Disagreement with the Pastor
Changes in American Society contributing to Church attendance Decline
• Demand for Instant Gratification (BoA, First Credit Card in 1958)
• Demise of state “Sunday Blue Laws” (Washington, 1966)
• Emphasis on Personal Achievement ( Individualism vs. Teamwork)
• Religion removed from list of “Polite Conversation” topics
• Decreasing Social Stigma for not attending Religious Services
• Television /Radio /Internet /Social Media religious programming
• Churches adopting Business Practices over Spiritual Disciplines
• Tension created by “Cultural Wars” over diverse lifestyles
• Highly Publicized Church Scandals
• Widespread Erosion of Trust in all Public Institutions
What Lies Ahead?
• Fewer Houses of Worship (all faith traditions)
• Fewer Opportunities to be Blessed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ
• More online and electronic resources for Spiritual Growth
• Less singing / art / theological reflection / bad coffee
• Increased Isolation and Depression and Self- Absorption
• Longer wait-times for your favorite Sunday Brunch restaurant
• Loss of a Sense of Belonging to something Significant
• Lack of Spiritual and Ethical Accountability
• Increase in misappropriation of Religious Teachings and Traditions (Heresy)
• Decrease in Clergy Sexual Abuse and Church Financial Fraud
• Lack of Spiritual Support during Times of Hardship
• Decrease in overall Charitable Giving
• Decrease in willing Community Service Volunteers (Meals on Wheels, etc.)
• Loss of Intergenerational Connections (Mentors for Youth / Support for Elderly)
The New Apostolic Church
• Society will be ambivalent to all religious faiths (occasionally hostile)
• Fewer people who identify as “Christian”
• Church becomes a movement instead of an institution
• Decentralized decision-making
• Greater Diversity in Style, Leadership, Mission, Music, and Beliefs
• Emphasis on “Core Teachings of Jesus” instead of fringe issues
• More reliance on the Holy Spirit and less on the Manual of Operations
• More on-line Spiritual Resources accessible to more people
• Less “Culture Wars” and more Compassion
What Should we do?
Worship Regularly
Forgive those who have Hurt you
Pray without Ceasing
Be a Good Friend to Someone
Examine your own Heart
Share the Gospel in Word and Deed
Give Generously of Yourself in Everyway Possible
Be an Advocate for the Poor and Oppressed
Demand Justice and Refute Lies
Trust God