Americans leaving churches in droves

Very good outline and I went the route too (since the 60')s. Now we are just occasionally going to a small town UM CHURCH because we like the pastor and her word. Lots of people now have to work too many hours and days to survive. Christianity is personal and when "religion" took over it has become just between me and God. The over spectacularizing of "church" is leaving God in second place in most mega's. The Toronto thing and others like it actually turned a lot of people off due to their mis-interpretation of the WORD.

I have researched the issue extensively and this is what I found. The pattern of church organization is not what the Lord intended. The early gatherings of believers were organized in a way that each person could contribute, and share. One or a few people did not dominate the service. The 5-fold ministry was very important; these were set into place for a reason, so that there would be a well rounded development of the believer. Churches that have the ministries have often become professional; the whole idea of hearing from God and being called into a particular ministry by God has become obsolete. This relates to the Greek thinking mindset of modern western societies. Something that should be seriously addressed by individuals seeking God. They should get before the Lord and seek Him and ask Him to show them the Truth, while respecting others and walking in love towards others. If you love God with all your heart, as directed by the Bible, you cannot but love people. Today a pastor may be also a teacher or an evangelist and the church feels the void where vital ministries are missing. It is also not biblical to have one or a few people bear the whole responsibility of ministry. One group can have several pastors (those with a shepherding heart) who can have closer contact with smaller groups of people. Leaders feel threatened and often have fear of being exposed, and our reluctant to share leadership with others. They are not intent on building God's kingdom, but want to secure theirs! I often tell ministers who pressure their congregations for money, that they should close shop...If it is God's will He will pay the bill. If He doesn't, they shouldn't be there anyway. I was saved in a foreign nation, and was taught that you give, only as God leads you. You were warned against being emotionally manipulated into giving. I would leave my check book home, when I went to church, and give after prayer, and when I was out of the hype! The bottom line, is that people should radically seek God, discard without hesitation self-serving ministries and trust that God will lead them. Read their Bibles, spend time with God and be willing to hear Him speak. If He structured the father-child relationship, and is more perfect than any other earthly father, will He not speak to His child. Seek and you will find...don't fall into the fallacy of assuming the worse and the darkest, and then deceiving yourself into not even seeking God.

That's a tough one. Why would people be leaving the Church in droves? You don't suppose the CHILD MOLESTATION thing could have anything to do with it? Do you? You know, the whole PEDOPHILE PREIST thingy? Or maybe all of these openly GAY and LESBIAN MINISTERS? Hmmm. This IS a tough one. What could it be? How about the FREAK Far Left "Men of God", like 'Father' Pfleger? Or REVERENDS, like RACISTS Wright, Jackson, or SHARPTON? Am I getting warm? I feel like I'm on to something. Eh, maybe not. I've gotta go. I'm going to church. And on the day it turns in to a FREAK SHOW, I'll walk out of there, and never return, Get it?

As a cradle Catholic, I have had my dark night of the soul with the Church. However, I have chosen to return and remain because I will not leave Jesus because of Judas. Our Lord told us that this falling away, the seeking after false doctrines, even perfidy of the clergy, etc, could happen. But we are called to remain faithful to Him and to stand up for Jesus Christ. May God bless all of us on our journey through life on this tired old earth.

My first experience with christianity and christians began at the age of six when I began my first year at a mission school on the Indian reservation in the southwest where I was born. Yes, I am a First American and yes, I am old enough to have attended a mission school . . . back in the pre-1978 days when the Federal government -- in direct contravention of the First Amendment to the Constitution and largely at the behest of American christians -- still prohibited the practice of Native religions. My memories of the school are not good and I can still hear the christian teachers calling me and my younger sister "the little heathens" because we were not shy about expressing our (supposedly suppressed) Native beliefs and because we had the audacity to ask questions they did not want to hear. The teachers of those days preferred docile little "i-n-j-u-n-s," not the uppity kind as my sister and I were prone to be. Fortunately, my father had the good sense to take my sister and me out of the mission school and send us off to a public school, thereby enabling us to escape the clutches of the (so-called) christian teachers at the former. Because of my experiences in the mission school, I harbor to this day nothing but contempt (not to be confused with hate) for religionists of the christian variety. Perhaps the words of M. Gandhi best express my feelings: "I like your Christ. I do not like your christians. Your christians are so unlike your Christ." Castigating little children is most definitely not the way to win hearts and minds.

I wrote this response to Julia Duin below regarding her disparaging the Steven Curtis Chapman's family's response to still follow God after the tragic loss of their child. Frankly I don't think you can trust her commentary on the church, only realize that she is out to destroy the Christian church. Granted there are many things wrong with the Christian church but to take your tips from this lady will mislead you. Chapman response: I think Julia doubts that there is a God. If there is then He/She would have prevented the accident...like The Incredibles but all over the place. Supers that just fade back into the woodwork when the job is over. Nice huh? But think about that for a minute, a place, not too much unlike the Truman Show where all big pain is swallowed-up by the walls. How long do you think that would last before people wanted out? Julia do you want to bet your life...because you are, that there is no God and find out that He has expected something from you? If there is a God then He/She is sooo much bigger than you or I and it becomes a matter of trust that He/She does know what's best for you. Like freedom to choose. And that by giving that to you and me, means there WILL be pain. Not because He/She wants it...but because we as the human race started it. We just want and exception for us or for them and when we don't get it...then God is mean or non-existent. Because...we think the afterlife is way worse than here and now...or that there is no afterlife. Regardless of how the Chapmans acted to you on TV, it shows that they are not afraid to show their belief to others and be made fun of. In their hearts, I can image they are trying to give hope by showing their faith in God. Yes, Julia it's precisely because you doubt there is no life after death that the Chapmans are absurd for even bringing it up and that they should be private in their grief so it doesn't make us all feel so uncomfortable. Now, I suppose I've made you uncomfortable...you are after all, a commentator and get paid to be in the public arena. I hope somehow what I've written gets people to question if life is more than making big bucks, sending your kids to college and retiring to the country. And then you are discontinued. Life IS so much more than that but it is NOT free from pain. There is loss but that loss is not forever for those who believe...and I'm not talking about Peter Pan but the one, the only, Jesus. Instead of believing everything you hear from those who believe there is no life after death. I challenge you to explore and prove wrong the story of the Bible. You will get even much better answers than what I or the Chapmans could possibly articulate.

I stopped attending Catholic Mass when I called to arrange baptism for my second child and was reminded that I was lax in contributing and attending. Then they mailed a letter asking me to sign their petition to force a ballot question on the Massachusetts vote to ban Gay marraige. I beleive gays are God's people too, and they pay their taxes so they should have every right to a personal and legal relationship. I simply cannot fathom the hatred sponsored by any church against people who were born the way God made them.

I love Jesus Christ and His teachings ... what a beautiful man.

As a convert to Catholicism from an evangelical protestant persuasion, I find the idea of "shopping" for churches curious. Faith is a lot like marriage; once you make a commitment, you're stuck with it. A lot of catholics are disappointed in their parishes and individual clergypeople. But we feel an obligation to stay where we are. I think that is one of the great strengths (and possibly its great weakness) of our particular faith, i.e., it's institutional stability. Imagine where the Jesuits or the Franciscans would be if "switching" were an options. I think sometimes people have to learn to stay where God places them and try to make things better. One of the great challenges facing the evangelicals is this problem of maintaining the faith to the second and third generations; what happens when the enthusiasm fades and faith becomes a matter of a long uphill slog, which inevitably occurs in the lives of both individuals and communities? I liked this article and would like to hear more from the writer. Ben

Maybe they are coming to their senses.

The bad behavior of certain Christians you have encountered does not make Christianity any less true. In particular, the fullness of Christianity found in the Catholic Church. There have been murderers, rapists, pedophiles in the ranks of the Catholic Church to be sure...the actions of these sinful fallen Christians do not make the Church any less the True Church. They just provide a convenient excuse for those among us who are not being honest with themselves, and looking for a reason to reject it. The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ in the year 30 AD- not by some hothead with a complex and an ax to grind in the 16th century. An analogy: Just because some policemen and judges are corrupt does not mean we should disband the police force or invalidate the rule of law. The law isn't any less true because of their actions.

This doesn't sound like much of a book. How transparent of Mag 7 to use this for hatred and lies.The Catholic Church never inquires about the amount you donate. Nor do they check whether you attend.He is obviously a gay person who hates the Church.The truth is the gay pedifiles caused the present mess.They are gay men who abused boys.

Could it be that the current, material, me-first, self-absorbed middle-class American lifestyle is just not compatible with the true teachings of Jesus. I think that as the theological underpinnings of Christianity impose themselves on the American church-goer, they realize that they cannot integrate both their materialistic world and the selfless lifestyle of Jesus. If you truly want to follow the teachings of Christ, then you cannot function effectivley as a capitalist and avid consumer. Somewhere, your mind tells you that you must make a choice, and most people opt for the capitalist lifesyle.

Curious to know, if he is having trouble getting to church, how does he manage to go to Olive Garden and to work.

I am "Matt." Thank you for your deep concern, Cruz. As per your questions, in case you haven't realized it yet, there is this marvelous instrument in the Washington, DC area known as "Metro", which takes people to work, restaurants, and all sorts of other wondrous places. Use of Metro does NOT require the ability to drive. Regarding the article, it should be mentioned that the incidents/conversations Julia refers to occurred in the late 1990's. So I would like to offer an update of sorts. Through the kindness of several people within the congregation, several years ago I was able to begin regularly attending another large Refomred church in Northern Virginia. But today the transportation issue has been solved becuase the Lord graciously gave me a totally fantastic and wonderful Christian woman whom I married this past May!! Praise the Lord for His rich blessings!!