Today’s guest post comes to us from Cath Martin, writer for Christian Today. Cath presents some of the latest research findings on the unchurched by the Barna group.

New research by the Barna group paints an interesting picture of those who are aware of the church and even think positively of the Christian faith, but who, for whatever reason, feel that actively being a part of church is not for them.

‘Churchless’ is the title of Barna’s latest research into understanding today’s unchurched and how to connect with them.

The research reveals that the number of churchless Americans has risen sharply since the early 1990s, when only around two out of 10 adults were churchless.

That figure rose to three in 10 in the early 2000s and today now stands at nearly half the adult population (49 percent).

Those who do not currently or have never attended church make up 10 percent of the population but a far higher figure is the de-churched – those who were once active in church but are no longer – who make up exactly a third of American adults.

Eight percent of the population are “minimally churched” – they attend church “infrequently and unpredictably”.

“Not too many years ago, church attendance and basic Bible literacy were the cultural norm. Being a Christian didn’t feel like swimming against the cultural current. But now?” said Barna.

Churchless confirms that the world has, indeed, altered in significant ways during the last few decades. It’s not just your imagination.”

The younger the person is, the more likely it is they have never been to church and are ‘post-Christian’ – lack any Christian identity, belief and practice.

But the door hasn’t been completely shut, with two in three unchurched Americans describing themselves as spiritual, and six in ten churchless adults saying they prayed in the last week.

“The truth is, most of them are already looking for a connection with God,” Barna said.

Click here to read the full article.

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

P.S. –  It’s tough to see people walking away from the church. For over two decades now, I’ve been dealing with the personal pain of people leaving, the spiritual consequences of people leaving and the “failure feelings” that come when someone leaves. I’ve distilled all I’ve learned in a three-hour resource called “WHY PEOPLE LEAVE YOUR CHURCH AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT” – and I’d like to give it to you this Weekend for 50% OFF Today thru Monday, Nov. 17th. Click Here – Secure “Why People Leave Your Church” for Only $49 (reg. $99.95)

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About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.