Why Are People Leaving Your Church?

Researchers continue to seek the reason for the New Exodus among churches. Each year about 4000 churches close their doors forever. Each year thousands of young adults quit attending church. Only a handful of evangelical denominations continue to see growth, but even those have noticed the downward trend in church attendance.

Based on the most recent research, hundreds of Christian writers will begin to suggest what these results indicate for the church. The fact that these so-called experts do not agree with each other is indicative of just how serious of a problem the Church has in reaching the younger generations. I believe that the reason that we cannot see the whole picture is because most Christians have chosen to take their eyes off of God and instead turned them to their own selfish desires.

There is nothing the enemy loves more than to see us fighting against each other.

Every time a prominent Christian leader is attacked by other prominent Christian leaders we suddenly see a frenzy of Internet buzz about it. The dirt is slung around faster than a political debate. Men and women that are focused on doing God's will are suddenly forced to defend themselves against these accusations. Not to protect themselves, but to lessen the damage that is being done to the Kingdom work.

Individuals that seek to tear down spiritual leaders do not speak for God. Prominent Christian leaders, such as Rick Warren of Saddleback, make mistakes as humans, but what they have done for the Kingdom of God is without question something that has honored God. When someone who hates large churches or someone who is jealous because they do not have as large of a church tries to malign one of these leaders, they are causing damage that hurts all churches.

Every time another round of worship wars begins, we see selfish people lining up to proclaim that the only biblical style of worship is the one that they prefer. Suddenly worship is no longer for God, but it is for whatever style we prefer. God loves to hear the praises of His people, whether it is the psalms, the old hymns, or the new spiritual songs.

Individuals that claim that any one style of worship is wrong for the church do not speak for God. Worship is intended only for God, not to suit the needs or desires of the individuals who attend the church. We should not only sing hymns just because the older generation that tithes the most prefer hymns. We should not remove hymns just because the younger generation that is leaving the church cannot relate to hymns. The church needs to focus on training Christians how to worship and stop fueling the fire of their own selfish desires.

Why are people leaving the church? I don't think it has anything to do with liturgical vs. non-liturgical, hymns vs. praise songs, historical stability vs. modern freedom, or Calvinism vs. Arminianism.  I believe that people are leaving the church because they are tired of the church fighting with each other over these issues.

People, young people in general, are hungry for the truth. They may not even recognize that in themselves, but they want honest, real, genuine religious leaders. They are fed up with a church that allows sexual predators to destroy the lives of children. They are fed up with churches that spend hours debating the minutia at business meetings. They are fed up with churches that expect them to change who they are on Sunday as if it is all just part of a big show.

Not only are they fed up, but they are tired of the status-quo. They are tired of fake Christians that  continue to have prominent positions in the church: pastors, worship leaders, teachers, leaders. They are tired of churches that focus more on building a bigger church than caring for the community around them. They are tired of Christians that focus more on their rights as an American than on their responsibilities as a Christian.

People, even millennials, want to see the church leading the way. They really do want the church to be that source of morality, but they do not want the church to force that morality on non-Christians. They want the love of Christ to be shared, but they do not want the judgmental attitudes from the Pharisees and Sadducees. They want the church to stand strong on Biblical principles, but they do not want the church to condemn other religions for doing the same based on their faith. In essence, people want the church to do what God called them to do: go, teach, and baptize.

Millennials attend church. They really do. They just may not attend your church. They can be found in large numbers at churches that focus on the Great Commission. These churches might sing hymns regularly or they might only do contemporary music. These churches might use liturgy or they might do something different every week. These churches might dress up on Sundays or they may come relaxed in jeans and t-shirts. None of those unimportant issues matter to them, regardless of what the experts are saying.

Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (HCSB)