Subtitle: Because it was perishable.
Excerpt: US church attendance has declined, concerning for Biblical Christians who value the church for spiritual growth.
Theology on the Lighter Side—Is the church perishable? Only if the Lord is returning soon.
In the last few years, church attendance and participation in organized religion in the US have dropped, especially when you look at the last ten or twenty years. Evangelical Protestants still go to church more often than many other groups, but national surveys show that fewer people attend regularly than they did in the past.
Overall, the number of people going to religious services has gone down. Recent data show that about one-third of adults in the U.S. go to some form of religious services at least once a month, and only about one-fourth say they do so at least once a week. These numbers show a long-term drop compared to previous decades, even though the way surveys are conducted and what “regular” attendance means can change. When virtual attendance (online/TV) is added to the measure, participation goes up slightly to about 40%. However, these rates are still lower than they used to be. Adults in the U.S. are now more likely to participate only sometimes, or not at all.
Evangelical Protestants are one of the groups that go to church most often. About 60% of evangelicals say they go to services in person at least once a month, and a larger percentage (about 71%) say they do something to participate at least once a month, including online services. However, recent reports also suggest that only about half of American evangelicals go to church every week, and a large number say they rarely or never go to services. This shows that there is a difference between saying you are an evangelical and actually going to church regularly.
The number of people who identify as Christian in the U.S. has dropped from almost 78% in 2007 to about 62% in surveys from 2023 to 2024. The number of people who don’t identify with any religion (“nones”) has now grown to about 29% of adults. Even though the number of people who identify as Christians has somewhat stabilized in the last few years, the historical trend shows that both affiliation and active participation have gone down.
From a Biblical Christian perspective, this decline in attendance necessitates spiritual concern rather than mere sociological observation. The Lord makes the point through His Word that the church is a critical part of being a Christian. For example, Hebrews 10:24–25 says that believers should “not neglect to meet together” but should encourage one another as part of keeping their faith. The early church was all about prayer, fellowship, breaking bread, and learning from the apostles (Acts 2:42). As that foundation wanes, so too does Biblical literacy, Christian fellowship, and solid theology. In addition, Christians are said to be part of one body and are responsible for caring for, growing, and being accountable to each other (1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 4:11–16).
As the New Testament says, “Because of the growing lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). This is a sign of cultural and spiritual apathy. Believers are also called to repent and stay strong, holding on to Christ and each other (Revelation 2:4–5; 1 Peter 5:10). For the modern church, sound, Biblically based preaching, discipleship, and gathering are still important for helping Christians grow up in a time of cultural change.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. - Matthew 16:18
Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words
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