Eight Reasons People Are Leaving Denominational Churches for Non-denominational Churches

While working on an unrelated research project, I recently came across some data published by the Hartford Institute of Religion Research. Though the information was five years old, it still seemed highly relevant today. In essence, the data showed that non-denominational churches are now the second largest Protestant group in America. Only the Southern Baptist Convention is larger.

Here are some of the fascinating nuggets from that study:

  • There are more than 12 million people who affiliate with non-denominational churches.
  • The research found at least 35,000 non-denominational churches in America.
  • Non-denominational churches are in 88% of the counties in the United States.
  • Non-denominational churches are one of the top five largest religious groups in 48 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In light of the growth of these churches, I conducted an informal Twitter poll and asked why people are moving to non-denominational congregations from churches affiliated with denominations. Here are the top eight responses in order. There is obvious overlap in some of the responses.

  1. Denominational churches have a negative reputation. Some respondents used the phrase “negative brand” to communicate this reason.
  2. Denominations are known more for what they are against than what they are for.
  3. There is too much infighting and politics in denominations.
  4. The denominational churches are too liberal. From what I can tell from these respondents, they are current and former members of mainline churches.
  5. There is a general waning of institutional loyalty in institutions such as denominations.
  6. Denominations have inefficient systems and organizations. They are too bureaucratic.
  7. Some of the respondents could see no perceived benefit to belonging to denominations.
  8. Denominations are not good stewards of their financial resources.

I plan on doing a second poll in the near future to see how respondents view denominations positively. In the meantime, let me hear from you.

Posted on April 22, 2015


With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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191 Comments

  • I am emphatically sharing the truth that the worship is great in the denominational churches , there is sanctity why because the Church is the place only meant for praise ,preaching and practicing faith . The place is holy whereas the other groups hire buildings which are used for many other purposes drinking dancing etc , so where is holiness GOD SAID BE HOLY AS IAM HOLY . .Don’t you think the God whom we worship is a Jealous GOD . Personally I feel these kind of members from these congregations will not be blessed. Friends if you don’t believe me then please check it for you self Iam sorry but I think I got some intuition and I shared. In all the churches there are differences of opinion , but if you carefully notice the proper church building meant for HIS worship — has the members who are blessed . Dr Hemant Kumar Bilaspur CG India

  • I am emphatically sharing the truth that the worship is great in the denominational churches , there is sanctity why because the Church is the place only meant for praise ,preaching and practicing faith . The place is holy whereas the other groups hire buildings which are used for many other purposes drinking dancing etc , so where is holiness GOD SAID BE HOLY AS IAM HOLY . People have parties there ,they drink and what not .Don’t you think the God whom we worship is a Jealous GOD . The people are organizing Christian services in places which also are being used for partying drinking and what not . Personally I feel these kind of members from these congregations will not be blessed. Friends if you don’t believe me then please check it for you self Iam sorry but I think I got some intuition and I shared. In all the churches there are differences of opinion , but if you carefully notice the proper church building meant for HIS worship — has the members who are blessed . Dr Hemant Kumar Bilaspur CG India

  • tawnya kees says on

    I don’t know if this forum is still open due to dates. I left the church many years ago as a teenager. Baptist religion was shoved down my throat. There was so much Hypocrisy in the church. My father was Church of Christ and my sister and I were forbidden to go there with him. After years of being away from the church. I have recommitted my life to Christ As He is my Savior and only he and my relationship with him is what matters. It’s what he did for me at the cross. There is nothing I can do to earn his love, he simply loves me . I am the women at the well . He met me where I was. I did nothing to deserve His grace. God is love period. Searching for a church I came across this blog. No wonder I left the church. One thing missing here is the focus . Our focus is to be on Jesus . NOT THE CHURCH. Going to church every Sunday no more makes you a christian than sleeping in the garage makes you a car. How can non believers Come to Christ when there is so much discord amongst denominations ? Jesus is the only way , not the church or it’s rules and regulations. Are we the scribes and Pharisees that crucified Christ? Only have faith in him and not in man . From What I have read here as when I left the church , you are putting the cart before the horse.

  • In reference to the “ekklesia” community I am always reminded of what the biblical scholar F. F. Bruce once said, “I wonder what the church would be like today if it had no walls?”

    Pastor Royle,
    http://www.jasoneroyle.com

  • If your listening and silence in the heart is missing the body, mind and soul will stray to a nondenominational church where the strings to hang on to are lots weaker and where the feeling to ‘just might as well fall off’ from despair will prevail. With flaws and scandals I rather stay where I am at because the Church I go to is the only one instituted by Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago. To my understanding all the others are Off-Shoots from It, yet, trying to reinvent the 2000 year old one. Pastors from non-denominational churches are not ordained but self proclaimed. Usually their sermons are for those wanting a motivational lift rather than a Spiritual lift. Regardless of flaws I would feel I left an arm or a leg, and all benefits to my soul should I go to a nondenominational church that I am not in Communion with. This is why I dont understand why Non-Denominational Churches exist. Listen, be silent and still, have Reverence and all will come to you and you wont want to stray.

  • There is no perfect

    • I am a Catholic and after going to church in the morning I attend a non-denominational church coz they dance alot

  • Gods true church is not a denom it is not organized religion its not genealogy what it is, a body of believers that keep his commandments and have the faith of his begotten son. 3 steps to the truth 1. Accritly I.D your biases. 2. Aquire an maintain the ability to set your biases aside.3. Except the truth as it is given. even if you dont like it. You must love his truth. Im 61 iv studied with many denom over the years and the day I set my heart to keep his commandments my life changed I now have the faith that will not fail.go back to the beginning of your doctrine. Back to babalyon the mistery religon the look at all the pagan practices in your church . Christmas, easter, the list is long.we are to worship God in truth and in spirit .remember the sabbath to keep it Holly .with the Internet there’s mo excuse for not knowing who changed the sabbath from his holly day to a pagan sun worship day.the truth is what sets us free, his word is truth .Google simon maguss. Do your oun home work , trust no man with your salvation.

    • Ed, you may want to know that there is a difference between sabbath observance and gathering of two or three or more people in the name of Jesus. We don’t hear of it after creation, nor with the fathers of our faith(Abraham, Isaac, Jacob…) until its institution in the wilderness as a perpetual covenant with the children of Israel, together with the instructions on how to observe it – a shadow of the rest to come. Concerning the early Gentile converts into christianity, of the new covenant it is written, ‘one man esteems one day above other days, another esteems all days alike. Let each one be convinced in their own minds. Let no-one therefore pass judgement on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come.’ Forget the extravagant claims made by some institutions on their authority of changing the observance from one day to another.Blessings.

  • Right with you. There’s only one truth-and that is God. Denominations are groups that misinterpret Christianity and leave out verses they despise. They’re the ones leading people astray and who the Bible warns against denominations since they divide the Church.
    i.e. Paul warns against this “division” in Scripture and many will perish as a result of following these denominations since they’re 100% fake.
    The only real “religion”/reality is God. There’s no such thing as religion (only idol worship or the truth-which is God/the life we’re living in).

  • For the most of my 65 years, I have attended Baptist churches. I have, always, felt that the best doctrine and the worst doctrine comes from the Baptists. I attended for the purpose of hearing God’s word taught and using my spiritual gifts for the betterment of the body. As of recently, it seems that the Baptists have more interest in teaching denominational beliefs than all aspects of the Word of God. The changes in the Baptist denomination have made me decide to seek other churches. I have tried, 3 other denominational churches only to find that the teaching is more of “trying to prove the other denominations wrong.”

    A few visits to Non-denominational groups has shown nothing but entertainment, social programs, feel good, cupcake sermons and little truth. Also, I don’t remember reading about multi million dollar pastors in the Book of Acts. Justify it anyway you want, it is not there. A “double measure” yes, a 200 measures, nope.

    This is my 5th week, in a row, of not going to church. I can’t remember missing an assembly in 25 years, other than a vacation here and there. I know what some are thinking “forsake not the assemblies” and don’t get your eye on people. As of now, I admit that I am struggling, struggling to find an honest, scripture teaching “Assembly” that is not afraid to teach “EVERY Word that proceeds from the mouth of God”. It is difficult to “not focus on people” when the people are focused on denominational beliefs and not the truth resident in the Scriptures.

  • Ashley Mohabir says on

    Being non-denominational to me simply means, you believe in God, Son, and the Holy Spirit. You believe God loves the world so much that he sent his one and only son to die for YOUR sins (John 3:16). When you believe in the resurrection you believe in eternal life. Life after death, which everyone will be judged before God and will either be condemned to an eternity in Hell or will live a victorious eternity in Heaven (Matthew 12:36). The Holy Spirit was sent down from God and in turn that Holy Spirit guides us in our walk with the Lord, kind of like our gut instinct (John 14:26). In my church we don’t change up anything in the bible and you abide by what it says and believe in it whole-heartedly. We believe in salivation for everyone, no matter what sins you have committed. Come to the Lord as you are and he will love you for who you are. The non-denominational belief is (rather, should be) based on love and truth. You are to be as Christ and accept one another just as he has done for you; with open arms and hearts (Romans 15:7). Another thing I will mention is that the Church and the people in it make up the body of Christ, you need to work together instead of tearing each other down (Romans 12: 4-5). Everyone has a role they play 🙂 you just need to search for it (1 Corinthians 27-31). Personally, as I’ve grown it’s less of a denomination and more along the lines of, “Hey, I love the Lord. They love the Lord. Let’s love the Lord together!”, the basis of Christianity is glorifying the one thing that brings us together as humans; God. I see it as a way for everyone to connect in the name of Jesus. I’ve always told people as they are contemplating to give their life to the Lord that God isn’t a way out of life’s struggles; your problems don’t magically disappear. But in those troubled times you have a friend to lean on and you aren’t alone in the battle. Basically, God is love (1 John 4: 7-8). He is the reason we can believe in going to our eternal paradise called Home or as the bible calls it, Heaven. If you have any replies on what I have just stated I will gladly answer any questions you have. 🙂

  • Denomination or non-denomination, I believe what should be important to a Christian is what you are doing to contribute to the prosperity of God’s Kingdom where you worship God. It takes committed Christian to have any of those churches to provide what makes them what they are. Contribute your quoter to growth and expansion of God’s kingdom instead of hopping from one church to the other.
    The Lord is coming.

  • I am a member of the original non denominational church, the catholic church and I am happy Jesus Christ put me there.

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