Few people will argue that church attendance in many churches in America is declining. Our own research indicates that the majority of churches in our country are not growing.
Most of us have our own ideas why attendance is declining. Many have suggested that our nation is shifting away from its Christian roots, and thus the churches are declining as a smaller proportion of our country are believers in Christ.
I certainly will not argue with that premise. Certainly attendance declines are related to massive cultural shifts in our nation. But I would also suggest that one reason for declines has a greater impact than others.
The Frequency Issue
Stated simply, the number one reason for the decline in church attendance is that members attend with less frequency than they did just a few years ago. Allow me to explain.
If the frequency of attendance changes, then attendance will respond accordingly. For example, if 200 members attend every week the average attendance is, obviously, 200. But if one-half of those members miss only one out of four weeks, the attendance drops to 175.
Did you catch that? No members left the church. Everyone is still relatively active in the church. But attendance declined over 12 percent because half the members changed their attendance behavior slightly.
This phenomenon can take place rather quickly in an individual church. And leaders in the church are often left scratching their heads because the behavioral change is so slight, almost imperceptible. We really don’t notice when someone who attends four times a month begins to attend only three times a month. Nor do we typically catch it when the twice-a-month attendee becomes a once-a-month attendee.
Five Possible Approaches to the Problem
Of course, the heart of the problem is not declining numbers but waning commitment. As I addressed in my book, I Am a Church Member, church membership is becoming less and less meaningful in many churches. As membership becomes less meaningful, commitment naturally wanes.
While I don’t want to suggest there is a magic bullet to this problem, I do want to offer some approaches to address it. These five have proven to be the most helpful in hundreds of churches:
- Raise the expectations of membership. You may be surprised how many church members don’t really think it’s that important to be an active part of the church. No one has ever told them differently.
- Require an entry class for membership. By doing so, the church makes a statement that membership is meaningful. The class should also be used to state the expectations of what a committed member looks like.
- Encourage ministry involvement. Many members become less frequent attendees because they have no ministry roles in the church. They do not feel like they are an integral part of the church.
- Offer more options for worship times. Our culture is now a 24/7 population. Some members have to work during the times of worship services. If possible, give them options. One businessman recently told me that he changed congregations to a church that offered a Saturday worship time because his job required him to catch a plane on Sunday morning.
- Monitor attendance of each member. This approach is often difficult, especially for worship attendance. That is why the traditional Sunday school approach of calling absentees was so effective. Perhaps churches can incorporate that approach in all groups. Members are less likely to be absent if they know someone misses them.
When Church Membership Becomes Meaningful
People want to be a part of something that makes a difference. They desire to be involved in something bigger than themselves.
Unfortunately, in many churches membership has become less and less meaningful. Until we get our churches back to the committed membership the Apostle Paul mandates in 1 Corinthians 12, we will continue to see declining attendance. But when membership becomes truly meaningful, our churches will become an unstoppable force for the Kingdom and glory of God.
Posted on August 19, 2013
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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280 Comments
Question, so the biblical prophecy of “The Great Falling Away” is kind of lining up with the Last Days events, and there will be declines from this also, but how much do you believe the Great Falling away is contributing to the decline in attendance? Does that link to the statement you gave about America “moving away from” it’s christian roots?
I often wonder if one of the serious reasons for decline in church is not the choices itself. The World Christian Encyclopedia (Barrett, Kurian, Johnson; Oxford Univ Press, 2nd edition, 2001) estimated at least 33,000. “Denomination” is defined as “an organized christian group within a country”. It has become easy to shop for a churches and because of this and other reasons many churches have become socially conscious leaving the “consumer” to search for a church that preaches what they want to hear, offers the services they want, and they fits them socially. what do you think?
hi.getting away from all these church attendance slash strategies per say.it is very good to do this and gain knowledge and also attendance.i agree.just to add the old er churches then where i grew up in .had tighter family slash jobs close by within close range,just like the small prairie farm for example.the farms go,the church attendees go take it from there
testing//
I BELIEVE WE ARE ALL IGNORING THE “ELEPHANT” IN THE ROOM ON THIS ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CHURCH’S IN OHIO AND FLORIDA AND HAVE HAD PERSONAL EXPIERENCE WITH PASTOR’S, THAT THROUGH THIER ACTION OR INACTION HAVE CAUSED PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH. THESE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURED IN LARGE AND SMALL CHURCH’S. I SEE PASTOR’S FAILING TO TAKE THE PROPER STAND AND CORRECT A PROBLEM THAT HAS COME TO THIER ATTENTION. WE ALL NEED TO PRAY FOR THE “LORD” TO OPEN THIER EYES AND GIVE THEM THE STRENGHT TO TAKE THE “RIGHT” STAND, EVEN IF IT IS NOT THE “POPULAR” STAND. I HAVE SEEN THESE ACTIONS CHASE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CHURCH. I HAVE LEFT A CHURCH BECAUSE OF THESE EVENTS. WE “ALL” NEED TO TAKE OUR CORRECTION IN GODLY MANNER AND NOT TRY TO STAND ABOVE IT BECAUSE OF OUR POSITION.
Interesting article. I tend to view church decline very differently than most of you.
Great reasons why people go to services infrequently or leave their local congregations:
#1 Religion: The vast majority of churches are all about living a meaningless religious church service life; and very little about fostering home groups for daily/weekly fellowship and growth
#2 Denomination pride: The vast majority of churches are stuck on their doctrines and belief system (Baptists, Assemblies Of God et al.) and value Jesus’ teachings very little (although they use Jesus’ teachings for their own purposes e.g. Entertain or scare people into keeping their churches filled)
#3 Arrogance & Pride: religous leaders assume Christians need their preaching every Sunday (it comes across in their sermons). The truth is people truly don’t. Some are better off praying with friends and reading their bibles alone.
#4 Deceitfulness: Most churches are irrelevant and boring (because they are all about religion. It doesn’t matter how big or how fancy your church and everything in it looks. People can tell plastic hearts, rehearsed lines and fake smiles).
#5 Vision: Most churches are doing literally and unashamedly everything they can to keep “growing” at whatever cost. If they simply did what God is doing, they wouldn’t have to. People hate to be coerced, forced, toyed with, lied to and manipulated. These are blind guides. Their vision of growth revolves around their business and not God’s. From pulpits they call them souls, but behind closed doors they are numbers, who translate into dollars.
#6 Business: Godly people can’t stand most churches because it’s nothing more than a business, as the author above treats it. Funny enough, the author apparently has built his business for desperate pastors of the church business.
It is wonderful church attendance is in a steady decline. It is wonderful God’s people are not blindly going through the religious motions set by their entertaining and many times indifferent pastors anymore.
This is terrible news for these religious businesses but great news for God’s Church and His kingdom.
Ps: it really was Jesus greatest commandment to build mega churches and fill them at whatever cost with whichever tactics wasn’t it? If your bible colleges only spent more time showing the type of life the disciples lived and why, you wouldn’t be so caught up going after these embarrassing antics
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