WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNc)- A religious research released Monday which tracked trends in American religion shows that the U.S. Protestantism is in meltdown and headed for minority status.
We asked brethren for reactions.
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life published results from its “U.S. Religious Landscape Survey,” based on interviews with more than 35,000 Americans age 18 and older.
The survey revealed that “more than one-quarter of American adults (28%) have left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion - or no religion at all.”
If changes from one Protestant group to another were factored in, 44% have either switched their religious affiliation, adopted a religious affiliation after having none, or left a specific religious faith altogether.
One in four Americans ages 18-29 said they had no religious affiliation whatsoever.
American Protestantism is the great loser in the survey, with only 51% reporting they belong to a Protestant denomination.
One feature of the American religious scene is its volatility, what the survey called “a very competitive religious marketplace.”
The survey finds that constant movement characterizes the American religious marketplace, as every major religious group is simultaneously gaining and losing adherents. Those that are growing as a result of religious change are simply gaining new members at a faster rate than they are losing members. Conversely, those that are declining in number because of religious change simply are not attracting enough new members to offset the number of adherents who are leaving those particular faiths.
More men than women claim no religious affiliation. Nearly 20% said they have no formal religious affiliation, compared with 13% of women.
BNc has asked a number of brethren to evaluate the study and share their impressions of what these results mean for American churches of Christ and how this can and should affect their evangelistic and edificational efforts.
Most will likely add their comments below, so check back for updates with their perspectives.
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26 February 2008 at 3:53 pm
It is hard to argue that Lord’s church is not growing. And it seems true that many of the younger members are the ones that are leaving. When I look around my church of Christ I see many gray headed folks like me, and not many in their 20 to 30’s.
I think we need to look in the mirror to see the reason for this happening. I think we have let our children buy into the belief that society has today…God doesn’t care what church you go to, God doesn’t mind if you don’t go to church, we need to be more entertained in Church, the preacher shouldn’t upset folks with his sermon, the sermon went to long because we have other things to do Sunday, women have equal rights they should be able to be an Elder… The list goes on and on. We have let our children buy into these non-truths. And not only that, many of our so called Christian Colleges and professors teach our kids these things… And do I need to talk about what is on TV and movies that we let our kids watch.
I don’t see a turn around for the Church of Christ that I go to. We have lost a generation of members and potential leaders. It seems that if we don’t entertain the young folks with some type of interpretive dance or organ solo we won’t be able to compete. It seems that many are not interested in hearing the truth any more…. Sad day
26 February 2008 at 4:37 pm
Four things come to mind concerning this study as it relates to evangelism in Churches of Christ.
First, the fluidity of the religious landscape creates possibilities if we can reach these lost souls. People are seeking something to fill a void in their lives. We need to direct them to Jesus. We must be more vigilant in evangelism and present a very positive face to the gospel. Consistency between what we teach and how we live becomes even more important.
Second, while people seeking new churches present possibilities, it also creates dangers. The study discusses the marketplace aspect of the religious landscape. The problem is that no one needs to change their belief system because a so-called preacher/church exists who will foster any quirky doctrines that man can conceive of. However, we must stay firmly rooted in Scripture and let God sort out the rest. Nevertheless, we can find fresh ways of presenting truth that does not compromise Scripture.
Third, the lack of absolute truths presented in today’s churches facilitates the migration of young people from God. They see very little difference between the world and the church-businesses around them.
Fourth, the immigration factor proves that if Churches of Christ do not start learning Spanish, we will never have the impact that we should have as the years pass. Capitalizing on the Spanish speaking population could revitalize the church and produce an explosion of growth.
26 February 2008 at 11:54 pm
The Roman Catholic Church is making a concerted effort to reach lapsed Catholics and “separated brethren” (read “protestants” which by their definition includes us) by a special emphasis on what they call “the Eucharist” (*not* the same as the Biblical “Lord’s Supper”). This is proving to be very attractive to postmoderns who are looking for a “spirituality” that they can see, smell, touch, etc. The worship of the “host” (bread consecrated by the priest) is attracting multitudes even among non-Catholics. Among other things, we’re going to have to dust off our sermons on John 6 and teach folks what eating Jesus’ flesh & drinking His blood is all about.
27 February 2008 at 1:36 am
Muy buen blog