Before you scream at me, I believe the church has a calling to be God's light for the world and I am part of a church because I believe it is relevant. But I don't think we always do it the way God intends. We had a discussion on this blog about whether people see hope for the world in the churches. I still wonder: If so, then why is attendance and church affiliation declining? Is it because the old paradigm of church membership is fading? Are more people finding fewer reasons to believe? Are more children growing up in families with no church affiliation? Or has the church itself strayed from being the light of the gospel for the world?
This is not one of the questions in Banned Questions about the Bible. Nor is it what I planned for discussion this week. However, it is a question that I ask more and more. Call it “Banned Questions about Church,” if you will. I don’t want to dwell on “Why is it this way?” but on “What do we do about it?” We probably won’t fully answer that question here, but this isn't the last time we’ll visit it either.
In his sermon on Sunday (10/4), Jay mentioned a recent survey in which one in five Americans reported no religious affiliation. You can read the report from The Pew Forum by clicking here. Some who chose “none” for their religious affiliation still believe in God (68% with varying degrees of certainty), consider themselves spiritual (55% described themselves as religious or spiritual but not religious), and pray (41% said they prayed daily, weekly, or monthly). Jay asked whether believing, praying, and practicing spiritual discipline away from a church community was enough, contrasting that with what Jesus considered true discipleship (Mark 8:34-37).It was a good sermon, but I want to look at the question from another perspective.
Two-thirds of the unaffiliated identified in the Pew poll said that religion was not important in their lives. And most said they were not searching for a spiritual home. Why? Here’s what the Pew report said:
“The unaffiliated also are not uniformly hostile toward religious institutions. They are much more likely than the public overall to say that churches and other religious organizations are too concerned with money and power, too focused on rules, and too involved in politics. But at the same time, a majority of the religiously unaffiliated clearly think that religion can be a force for good in society, with three-quarters saying religious organizations bring people together and help strengthen community bonds (78%) and a similar number saying religious organizations play an important role in helping the poor and needy (77%).”
I can't speak for everyone in the poll, but here are some things I hear from non-Christian friends:
- They hear way too much from the church about how they should be living their lives. The church isn't the only place that offers advice on how to live a good life. Besides, there are enough examples of Christians gone astray to suggest that the church's advice is no better than what anybody else is saying.
- They wonder why many Christians don't show the same level of outrage for greed and inequalities in the world as they do for things of a sexual nature.
- Christians aren't the only ones trying to make the world a better place. In fact, many organizations are reaching out in areas that Christians have ignored.
- Christians seem too obsessed with hell and Jesus seems little more than something they cling onto to save their own selves.
- Some friends think that being affiliated with the Democratic party or liberal causes or being a scientist precludes them from being a Christian.
These observations don't apply to all Christians (or even many Christians), but there is truth in them. And, in all that noise, the gospel message is missing. We can blame the media (a good villain for so many things), the actions of a few rogues, or the distractions of society. Or we can ask: What can we, as the body of Christ, do to change that perception? More importantly, how do we share the same good news that draws us to Jesus?
Here are a few more questions to consider: If the church is losing its relevance in society, how do we adjust? How much of it is of our own making, of weighing the Gospel down with our own trappings? What is the good news of Jesus at its very essence? Is that a message that still offers hope in the world? If so, how does that message get heard?
You may not agree with me on this, and that's fine. Or you may have some ideas of your own. Either way, I look forward to hearing from you. Please click on “Comments” below to share your thoughts and to read what others are saying. Come back often to continue the conversation!
I don't know many people my age that go to church to begin with so I can tell that the church is indeed losing popularity. Secondly, I can tell that many people assume I am extremely conservative because I go to church, and are guarded around me. Anyhow, common responses I hear are the following:
ReplyDelete1. Christians are only nice inside the church but once they walk out the door they are the first ones to talk trash about you behind your back.
2. They always help in a way that humiliates people, that accentuates the difference in socio economic status. Like, "here I am the rich person that God loves....helping you the poor unfortunate soul. Aren't you so thankful for me?"
3. Churches that have a hierarchy of power are no good. Everyone is power hungry.
4. Going to church makes you feel guilty about your lifestyle
5. Churches don't actually do a lot in the community. They are also very selective about who they help.
6. Everyone is judging each other constantly
There are more but I will stop there. What is so concerning to me is that the real purpose of attending church is a beautiful thing that the spirit truly benefits from but people are getting the wrong message about Christians and church. We aren't seen as humble or trustworthy anymore.... We aren't seen as servants.
Don't stop there. What are the other responses you hear?
DeleteI stopped because I was writing on my phone and it was difficult! But now I am at a computer. I think I am going to break down my responses by the people who gave them:
ReplyDeleteThose who identify as Christians but do not attend church:
1. People are very judgemental even though Jesus said, 'do not judge'.
2. Those who go to church don't follow their own advice.
3. The church is always asking you for money and they make you feel very guilty if you can't give as much as the next person.
4. They are always asking you to do things (no consideration for your personal life). It is very draining. It feels like going to work.
5. They go there because they want to seek out a position of power, they like to be in charge of others.
6. I give money but the church never starts the programs or missions I am interseted in.
7. Churches are for 'those types' of Christians... the ones who are arrogant, racist, homophobic. The Westboro Baptist types.
8. Church is boring.
9. There is no one like me at church.
Those who identify as Athiest:
1. Why would you want to go somewhere that tells you how to live your life?
2. Religion is for those who are afraid of going to hell, Spirituality is for those who have already been there.
3. Religion is a way to control people, churches are places where people can seek out power to control others.
4. Churches waste all of this money decorating their buildings instead of actually helping the poor.
5. Churches don't really care about everyone. They won't stand up for the LGBTQT community.
6. If you have a serious life-threatening or life-alterating situation and you go to a church for help, they just tell you to pray, as if that is going to help anything.
I have had many converstaions about church and have been asked why I go numerous times. Some of the responses above are not true for me, some are, even though I go to church. The reason I go is because I like to be a part of a community that tries to do Jesus' work because I believe in Him and His message. I like being in groups and asking quesions. I love doing mission work. However, there are things that trouble me, that don't seem like they would be part of His plan. I think the outside world focuses on those things. They wonder why Jesus' message says one thing, and we are doing something else inside the church.
However, I don't think a decline is necessarily bad. Maybe the church is pruning the vines, which I think is good. The future churches aren't going to look the same at the ones from 50 years ago or even today. They are going to be more interactive, less heirarchical, more modern, use less rituals, meet at various times (not only Sunday mornings), more diverse...etc. That is the kind of thing the younger generations are into.
Thanks for adding to your observations. A couple of quick thoughts (I'll probably have more later as this settles in).
DeleteFirst, the world could use a few more Christians who practice humility and treat each other (not to mention the rest of the world) with the the same kind of genuine love and concern Jesus showed while he was on earth.
Second, churches could benefit from listening more to what the people who don't attend church are saying about church. we might do things a bit differently for the benefit of the world beyond our buildings. Could be part of what Jesus meant when he told us to deny ourselves.
*hierarchical
ReplyDelete1. Two trends among younger people affecting church affiliation are that they aren’t inclined to join any institution and we live in an information age where bad news about peoples’ imperfections spreads easily. When those imperfect people are publicly affiliated with churches, the word spreads and synchronizes with peoples’ general distrust of institutions. When you don’t know those imperfect people, it’s easy to ascribe motivations such as greed or power thirstiness to them. One possible response is a media marketing campaign. Have you seen the “I’m a Mormon” videos pop up on YouTube? Being Presbyterian, we should have a natural advantage to play up since we’re not tied to a literal interpretation of the Bible. We would just have to highlight our inclusiveness and the fact that we know that we’re not perfect. Also, we could play up all the good things we’re doing and how efficiently we deliver those services due to all the volunteer labor. In the end, it might not amount to much more than putting a band-aid on a sucking chest wound, but who knows?
ReplyDeleteMy little sister works in a Presbyterian church in a suburb just south of San Francisco that went through a deep decline but is now brimming with young families. They turned things around I think by filling young couples’ needs for their children. They bought an inflatable bounce house for kids and set it up at community events; they also washed cars there too, and refused donations for both. They set up a mother’s day out program which basically provided a few hours of daycare at the church on Fridays. They have a program called Kingdom Club, which is similar to GANAS, but it runs each Wed night. Even in a place like the Bay Area which isn’t exactly church friendly, they’ve made some significant gains. It is possible.
2. Ultimately, I have to agree with La Misionera that the future churches aren't going to look the same in exactly the ways that she enumerated. So what do we do? Just like any other organizational change, take it in three steps: (1) Know the present environment and where we are now (doctrinally, what resources we have, how we’re organized, etc.) (2) Know where we’re going (3) Make a plan to get from where we are now to where we’re going - but don't expect the transition to be comfortable or easy.
The critical thing is to know where we’re going. Tim Keller, Pastor of the 6,000-member Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC is heavily into church planting. He’s not duplicating mega churches, but instead plants less formal, small churches in cities globally. There are two here, Church of the Resurrection and Grace DC (nice name, huh?). Ironically, they both have a traditional church building. However, they meet at odd times and have a number of small groups that meet during the week. Maybe that’s the way forward. It might be interesting to check them out.
Maybe more churches need to re-think "membership" and maybe even what makes it a church. It's not the number of people who sit in the pews each week, but the relationships - with each other and with the people outside the doors. It's not so much how many times you show up for worship, but how our relationship with God and God's grace and love energize our life (I happen to believe this happens so much better in a community of believers). It's not so much what we do inside the church building but what we do outside the walls that makes it a church.
DeleteWhen I started going back to church (here at Grace), I was amused at how many people would ask when I was going to "join." I was already involved in service/mission projects, helping with a Sunday school class, and participating in a covenant group. So I wasn't sure what part of "join" was missing. But in true Presbyterian fashion, there's an official procedure to be counted as a "member" of a congregation. Someone finally came up to me and said, "Okay, we'll make it easy for you. Just show up Wednesday for Session meeting, answer a few questions, and you'll officially become a member." I thought it was an odd way of doing things, but finally gave in and jumped through the hoops. The very next day, I got a call asking me to become an elder. I realized there was a bit of a hidden agenda in getting me to make it official. I realize the church depends on volunteers to run but I also understand why some folks are reluctant to join, particularly when it likely means they're being asked to join so they can be plugged into some committee or another.
I'm glad to see the work being done on planting new churches. Sometimes I think the Presbyterian church could benefit from re-planting some of the older existing churches.
I can't tell you how eye opening this blog has been for me. Sometimes, I sit up in my corner of the balcony and wonder if I am the only one who has these doubts and questions; everone else sems so sure. The thing that draws me to church is the sense of community and the.opportunity to make "Christianity" an action verb. I think that the kids are really learning what it means to serve God by serving others. That being said, often I go to service hoping to feel God's presence or find a message for my life and it just leaves me a little cold, more like a history lesson or a busness meeting. I'd love to find more Spirit, more joy, more that relates to my life and more ability to ask questions. I can separate Faith and Religion pretty well so I can continue to believe and attend church even if I don't agree with all of the tenents of the religious institution. Kevin has a harder time with that and really struggles. I can easily see how people with no affiliation might feel that they had to be a certain way or believe every aspect to be part of a church. I would be gret to find a way to welcome "seekers" or have a time at service after a short lesson to ask questions and share insights. I have gotten so much out of this blog becaue I can here everryons questions as well as there answers, and I can do it on the train, and no one fusses at me for being late :-) Though I do needto learn to type faster; I keep losing replys in the tunnels!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this whole conversation, my thoughts are going in various directions:
ReplyDelete1) In NYC in June, I was able to attend one of the services of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (see Dave Retherford above). What I sensed there in that rented space in a college auditorium was a humility and shared purpose of service to the city. I might express it as "being church", not "doing church".
2) In a social gathering some time ago, we started talking about why people did not attend church. One friend told about growing up so poor that there was no food on the table; instead of offering assistance, the church (a Catholic church) was after the family to pay their expected part of church support. Another friend told about unceremoniously being removed from church rolls during a time of personal stress with no communication at all about any difficulty she might be going through. It's very revealing to find out why people around us do not attend church.
3) Maggie, I like the blog, too. I agree that the church needs to be open to "seekers" and be comfortable with questions. And I don't think the seeker role ends once we become a part of a church. Won't we always be seeking in a world of faith that is so much bigger than our understanding? Perhaps our questions are at our growing edge.
So nicely put Judy. "Our growing edge" I love that concept!
ReplyDelete"Spiritual" or "Religious"???
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly do we mean by these words? I've been thinking about this a lot in response to our discussions here. Thoughts came back just this morning as I watched a YouTube video sent by some old high school friends. What do you think? It's at http://www.youtube.com/embed/EBYPlcSD490?rel=0.
"Spiritual" and "religious" probably mean different things to different people. I've seen the two used in a couple of different ways. Probably the most common is using "spiritual" to refer to a personal or private experience and "religious" to refer to a community or public aspect (such as the church). We have personal experiences that open our eyes to God or to God at work in the world or at least to something that goes beyond ourselves. I would say that the experience of those who helped rescue the whale in the video you mention had a spiritual experience. The community can be a place to share those personal experiences and to help each other become more attuned to those personal experiences. I also believe the community can provide more opportunities to have those personal experiences (I'm thinking about times I've been on service or mission projects through Grace, or talked with youth, or shared in small groups, and have had those aha moments when I realized God was present among us).
DeleteIn contrast, there's a growing number of people who say they're spiritual but not religious. They are saying something along the lines of "I believe in some kind of spiritual being, but I'm not part of a church." There's no interaction with a larger faith community either to share in that experience or to help understand it in context of a greater spiritual power at work in the world.
Another way I've heard the terms used is to distinguish between an institution that tries to impose its rules for living or its view of what God is and isn't on others (the "religious") and a belief in a greater power that isn't constrained by by someone else's vision. For instance, I have a number of friends who say they aren't "religious" because they don't embrace a conservative political agenda or don't buy into the creationism-not-evolution argument. It's not that they don't necessarily believe in a higher power, but they don't believe in a god that is defined by those bounds.
Often when people say they're spiritual but not religious, they mean that they see no role for the church or other faith community in their life. I think the church as a whole needs to be concerned with this not for the survival of the institution but for the perception others have on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus that is defined by a vocal but narrow view of the world. I believe a lot of people are missing the uplifting, redeeming, healing love that flows through Jesus because all they're hearing is what those who say they are Christians are against.