Churn. It’s something that businesses talk about all the time in terms of employee turnover. Guess what? Churn is a reality for the Church as well. So much so that the number of Americans who now say they are religiously unaffiliated is up to 26%. That’s up five percentage points from a decade ago.

I read those numbers from a recent Public Religion Research Institute survey with a mixture of ambivalence and sadness. My ambivalence stemmed from the fact that I was pretty confident I knew what the survey would show before I read it. But still, it is sad to have to admit that fewer and fewer people care anything at all about the God who made them.

It all causes me to ask a question: if you are a churchgoing person, what would make you happy? What would it take to motivate you to commit to a local church, stay there long term, and actually get involved in serving those around you?

The Minority-Majority Conundrum

I have attended a lot of churches in my 58+ years. I grew up Catholic, having attended a single church until I turned 18. Later on, when I became a born again Christian, I spent several years in a fundamental Baptist church. God eventually moved our family on to what I consider our general church home: Calvary Chapel.

I can confidently say that, with one exception, every church I have ever attended for more than a few weeks has exhibited the same conundrum. I call it the minority-majority conundrum. It’s a situation in which a small minority of church members is responsible for a majority of everything that goes on – from Sunday services to outreach to evangelism and youth programs.

I have also observed constant churn. People show up and attend for a while. But a month or so later, you notice they are gone. Some last a little bit longer, but not by much. It’s the same story wherever you go. By the way, all of this is just an observation. My intent here is not to be negative.

The One Exception

The one exception to all of my observations is a church I pastored in Rochester, NY. No doubt we had our fair share of churn in the early years. But by the time we reached the fourth or fifth year, all of the tire kickers and gypsies had come and gone. We had a core group of people who were genuinely committed. Everybody was faithful to their attendance. Everybody was involved in at least one ministry – most were involved in more than one.

I often think back on those days and wonder what made that congregation so different. It was nothing that I had done, I can assure you of that. My job was simply to teach the congregation as the LORD taught me. I listened for his voice and passed on what I heard.

There was something truly unique about that congregation. The families that still remained after the first few years were there because they wanted to be. They participated and served because they wanted to, not because I manipulated them or tried to bribe them with incentives. It was an amazing time serving with some amazing people.

Other Churches Can Be the Same Way

I’m not sure how we ever got to the point at which we found ourselves when the LORD told me it was time to move on. But when my wife and I said our goodbyes, we left a strong and vibrant church for which we have yet to find a legitimate equal.

Though I don’t know what made that congregation so special, I know that it doesn’t have to be unique. Other churches can be the same way. But how? I think it’s a combination of two things: pastors getting back to the simplicity of the Word and church members making the decision to be content in whatever state they find themselves in.

As a church goer, what would make you happy? Do you even know? I encourage you to spend some time in prayer and fasting. Let the LORD grab hold of your heart and mind. Let him satisfy you rather than you depending on the church to do it. Maybe that’s what you’ve been missing all along.

Posted on: April 2, 2024