Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What Does Declining Church Attendance Mean for Our Society?

Again, why is it important to identify an objective source for these shared values?

Cite chapter and verse please

I see the sharing of the Word not as a threat, but as a lifeline. Your motivation is known only to you.

For the first time in 80 years, the number of Americans with dedicated church attendance has fallen below 50%. According to a Gallup poll released Monday, only 47% of those polled confirmed that they are members of a religious body. This is quite a decline from previous years of polling, which saw the number hover around the 70% mark for several decades. Unsurprisingly, the downward trend began around the dawn of the new century.

In the past few years especially, the secular religion of politics has become an obsession. On the Left and Right, adherence to a political philosophy can overshadow, or at the very least compete with, all other long-held beliefs. While the shift didn't suddenly begin in 2008, it was certainly pushed further along by Barack Obama's presidency. In response to his eight years in office, the Right searched for an answer that would stem the tide of progressivism. President Donald Trump created his own revival among the GOP faithful. Many religious conservatives even found a deep connection between his election victory and the idea that God would save the nation through him. But political allegiance isn't the same as spiritual, no matter how closely they resemble one another.

Americans seem to be finding a religious-type fervor in things outside the walls of the church, political or otherwise. Added into the mix is a pandemic that has discouraged attendance, and churches are emptier than ever. The global health crisis upended life as usual, and even committed attendees had to change their habits for safety reasons. At the start of the pandemic, nearly every church in America shut its doors to in-person services. By the end of last year, roughly 80% had opened back up for these regular services. But attendance is still incredibly low compared to pre-pandemic levels.

According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans who consider themselves to be nonreligious or unaffiliated is now at 29%. This has been a somewhat rapid rise from the 17% who said the same in 2009. As those who identify as Protestant or Catholic decrease, the so-called nones, as Pew describes them, have risen.

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This shift toward a less religious American landscape is a loss for society. Beyond the chief reason for church, communing with God, and meeting with those of like-mind, church attendance brings other benefits. Religious communities are important players in cities and towns. A 2019 study by Pew shows that those who attend and are actively involved in church tend to self-describe as happier and more civically involved than their counterparts. It's not a mystery as to why this is the case. Connecting with others who share similar beliefs in a regular setting brings a strong sense of belonging. The camaraderie is unlike anything else found in other community organizations.

Our national discourse is fraught with anger and tension. There has been great struggle, sacrifice, and sadness over the past year. There is uncertainty surrounding both economic and public health. With challenges still remaining, there is no better time to seek spiritual guidance and hope at places that foster relationships and fellowship.

Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.

Church and Church work sucks the life out of the 10% that do all the work. That’s why not many want to go.

Hey antlers,

that is one Beautiful church you have there.

Did it cost the parishioners much to build?

I bet anyone can attend too.

Exactly, these values are not the exclusive domain of Christianity and pretending they are does a major disservice toward their achievement.

Huh? What?

Worship and Praise for Eternity?...Is that written somewhere, and if so, tell me how that sounds like a wonderful way to spend forever?

But isn't that true with almost any organization? Your gun club, for instance?

No, jack, those values aren't exclusive to Christianity. But the notion of inevitable suffering and the fact that suffering doesn't have to be in vain IS exclusively Christian.

The rest of the World is running around chasing good times and doing all they can to avoid pain & death. When those good times end, they have nothing. They have lost their highest value. It's very sad.

Truth.

I can even like Antelope Sniper and pray some day he'll buy me a steak dinner. What a heavenly thought. I can even pray we have that dinner in Heaven together. Yep, and with the great guy Gunner too.
Well, a guy can dream, cant he?

I see you don't know a thing about Buddisism.

But isn't that true with almost any organization? Your gun club, for instance?

In our neighborhood, small midwestern towns are simply drying up, and blowing away.

Many of the young people have moved away, and the old folks are dying off.

[quote=IndyCA35]For the first time in 80 years, the number of Americans with dedicated church attendance has fallen below 50%. According to a Gallup poll released Monday, only 47% of those polled confirmed that they are members of a religious body. This is quite a decline from previous years of polling, which saw the number hover around the 70% mark for several decades. Unsurprisingly, the downward trend began around the dawn of the new century.

In the past few years especially, the secular religion of politics has become an obsession. On the Left and Right, adherence to a political philosophy can overshadow, or at the very least compete with, all other long-held beliefs. While the shift didn't suddenly begin in 2008, it was certainly pushed further along by Barack Obama's presidency. In response to his eight years in office, the Right searched for an answer that would stem the tide of progressivism. President Donald Trump created his own revival among the GOP faithful. Many religious conservatives even found a deep connection between his election victory and the idea that God would save the nation through him. But political allegiance isn't the same as spiritual, no matter how closely they resemble one another.

Americans seem to be finding a religious-type fervor in things outside the walls of the church, political or otherwise. Added into the mix is a pandemic that has discouraged attendance, and churches are emptier than ever. The global health crisis upended life as usual, and even committed attendees had to change their habits for safety reasons. At the start of the pandemic, nearly every church in America shut its doors to in-person services. By the end of last year, roughly 80% had opened back up for these regular services. But attendance is still incredibly low compared to pre-pandemic levels.

According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans who consider themselves to be nonreligious or unaffiliated is now at 29%. This has been a somewhat rapid rise from the 17% who said the same in 2009. As those who identify as Protestant or Catholic decrease, the so-called nones, as Pew describes them, have risen.

Eviction moratorium is unconstitutional, federal judge rules
This shift toward a less religious American landscape is a loss for society. Beyond the chief reason for church, communing with God, and meeting with those of like-min

I hope youre at Sunrise Service RIGHT NOW. with some skin-in-the-game.
Sure put my time in. For many years. Then cooked breakfast for hungry ass Boomers.

Not today, I slept in. Saving up for the friggin ‘Easter egg hunt’ that happens at 11am up there.
The wife has the unfortunate draw of getting “nursery duty” today. Wonder how many brats will shît their onesies.

Church and Church work sucks the life out of the 10% that do all the work. That’s why not many want to go.

Theyre tired of taking care of lazy pew warmers that just to be coddled and have someone read to them and make them feel good. They don’t like sermons about commitments, church edification, kingdom work, discipleship and the Great Commission.
Just lolly gaggers. Checking their watch, till it’s time to go stuff their pieholes agains at the catfish house or pizza buffet.

In that, you are saying that you can "do good" yourself into heaven. If that is the case then Jesus died for nothing.

In reality, there are none who can merit going to heaven without Jesus' righteousness imparted upon us None! It's the work of the cross not our own good works. No matter what you (or I) do, we will never be good enough to go.

Romans 3:23 NIV ..... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Isaiah 64:6 ...... But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness [good works] is as filthy rags

I see you don't know a thing about Buddisism.