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Why Evangelicals are quitting church

Posted by tom | Sep 5, 2008

The other day, I had an extended conversation with a pastor from a sister congregation which returned again and again to the theme of crossing the line of commitment to God and the people of God.  I shared my recent musings regarding college serving in some manner as a form of Rumspringa, for which the local assembly prepares youth and after which young adults make a decision regarding whether they will remain part of the people of God.  Local assemblies are committed to their youth in this process and if one chooses to become part of the community of faith, one embraces the shared pursuit of holiness and the creative cultivation/transformation of individuals/culture. 

So when I came across these thoughts by Miller on Why Evangelicals are Quitting Church, see Sunday Morning, Staying Home, I found them of interest and turned to prayer/reflection/action.  It is with great joy that I can testify to Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ being a place for quitters to be welcomed to the people of God. To God be the glory and may He continue to bestow His grace upon our local assembly.

Several comments in that article on quitters are on target:

(1) most churches do not have the community needed, do not reflect the deep fellowship prescribed in john 17:  "that we might be one even as Jesus and the father are one" someone at a conservative/evangelical church told me that her church is the last place she would go to share any real personal problems she is struggling with...

(2) very little discipling takes place in churches..they're mostly places to go to for a sunday program; few know how to disciple others, it takes too much time and commitment...nominal believers would say they're too busy for that...or that maybe  it's the pastor's job

(3) preaching can be generally biblical, but not prophetic...pastors need to rethink the gospel in the context of close relationships with the congregation...and talk in common language...

(4) pastors easily fall into a routine schedule...doing what church people expect of them... meetings, committees...not much different than business people...very little time or gifts for knowing their congregation

Reflections on drawing closer to Christ | Comments (6) | Trackbacks (0)

6 Comments & 0 Trackbacks of "Why Evangelicals are quitting church"

    Have you read George Barna's Revolutions? (or maybe it is called Revolutionary?) I really liked it - and found myself described on a number of pages - though not in the golf conversation towards the beginning of the book.

    Posted by Jon Daley, Sep 6 2008, 15:52

    Yes, you gave me a copy of Barna's inspirational "Revolution." I always knew you were "one of them" ... or should I say "us" ;-)

    I particularly enjoy when Barna touched on families as the foundational place for the growth our children's faith, the high value on Christian community (being wary of viewing it as utopia), and spiritual maturity as a process. Each generation, each family, and each person must decide whether to be open to be fully embraced by the Father, the Word, the Spirit, and the people of God, i.e., confess brokenness/sinfulness and surrender to the God Almighty in all aspects of life.

    A book which more fully expresses the "revolution" of which I am part is Andy Crouch's Culture-Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. Note: my next post Students uniformly negative view of Christianity highlights Kinnaman's unChristian (2007) ... another helpful book from the Barna Group.

    Posted by Tom, Sep 6 2008, 20:47

    Ah, good. I had a bunch of them, but can't remember who got them - I didn't get many responses from people - so I don't know what most folks thought. Actually, now that I think about it further, I think I only got negative responses from people who I gave the book to.

    Posted by Jon Daley, Sep 7 2008, 21:12

    Dear Jon, Press on w/the "revolutionary" labors of the children of God which comprise the "upside down kingdom" seeking direction as they seek to love God, neighbor, the creation (as part of the process of restoration to the intended order), even self (by offering all that one is to God to become who one desires to truly be) ... Such 'lovers' are seldom appreciated or understood in their day, not surprising since our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ "came to His own People and they knew Him not." But be encouraged for "He will never leave (as part of the people of God) nor forsake you." Your brother in Christ, Tom

    Posted by Tom, Sep 7 2008, 21:30

    For Jon -- what reason do people give for their negative responses? I can understand people disagreeing, but why do they reject the message? (Which is what "negative responses" implies to me.)

    Posted by Daryl Climenhaga, Oct 29 2008, 21:39

    Not sure exactly - I suppose it is too critical of the mainline denominations.

    One guy said he thinks any of the "new" thinkers are rejecting too much of old orthodoxy. Which I think is true to some extent, and there are some things which we shouldn't forget - but I also think there is a lot that some folks hold too highly, perhaps even over scripture.

    Posted by Jon Daley, Oct 30 2008, 01:25
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