In this post, I will continue to share the books I have been reading recently. My primary focus is The Great Dechurching because it gives so much insight into the people we want to reach in our outreach. Developing outreach ministries, improving worship, and planting churches depend on our knowledge of the de-churched and unchurched.
The Great Dechurching
I recently read The Great Dechurching by Jim Davis and Michael Graham, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about why people leave the church. The book delves into the intriguing question, “Who’s leaving, why are they going, and what will it take to bring them back?" Initially, I anticipated a sad, disheartening narrative. However, as I delved deeper, I discovered that those who have left the church haven't necessarily abandoned their faith. Their reasons for leaving are more diverse and less catastrophic than I had assumed. This book has the potential to challenge your perspective, as it has done for me.
The research for this book was collected in three phases: How big is the problem? Who is leaving and why? And what is happening in Evangelicalism? The de-churched are people who used to go to church but no longer attend worship services regularly, if at all. The authors write, “About 40 million adults in America today used to go to church but no longer do, which accounts for around 16 percent of our adult population.” (Pg. 3). More American adults in the United States now don’t attend church than those who do. They further shared that in 2019, only one new church was planted for every three closed churches.
It seemed that the primary reason given for leaving the church was relational. It’s not that they no longer believe in God or the primary doctrines of the church; many still hold the beliefs they grew up with, including the need for weekly worship attendance. Our society has become a lonely place to live, and it is the same within the church. However, the church can be a place where people connect with God and each other. Building relationships and connecting with those within the church and those outside our doors is essential.
This book has been a source of encouragement for me. The authors, Jim Davis and Michael Graham, have conducted comprehensive research, provided insightful assessments, and offered clear explanations. Their work has significantly enhanced my understanding of those who have left the church. I highly recommend this book for the valuable insights it provides. Like me, you will likely find yourself feeling hopeful about the church's future after reading it.
Building Worship Bridges: Accelerating Neighborhood Connections Through Worship
What kind of worship will attract new people to our churches? Several members of our outreach team have been asking this question. In their book Building Worship Bridges, Cathy Townley, Kay Kotan, and Bishop Robert Farr attempt to answer this question. The authors begin the book by describing the collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis. They then warn the reader, "The service that is not a bridge is like the collapsed I-35W bridge of 2007. With a collapsed worship bridge, worship does not provide people to flow in and out of the church narrowing the gap between the churched and unchurched." (pg. 19)
This book does not promote contemporary or traditional worship but quality, authentic worship. Worship should be focused on the church's purpose of making disciples, and the worship service should be designed with that goal in mind. Pastoral leaders must plan a worship service that is passionately devoted to the mission rather than the personal preferences of church members. Sunday morning worship should lead people to engage in a worship journey, our relationship with God 24/7. It needs to be reconsidered if we are not inspired to extend our worship experience to a worship lifestyle.
If the worship service is designed only for members and regular attendees, visitors will conclude that they are not welcome and will not return. Members will not have the opportunity to disciple new people. The authors offer a separate workbook for the worship design team to develop worship appropriate for their surrounding community. This book has convinced me that quality worship is necessary regardless of the size of the church. Even small churches can change their worship services to welcome visitors and give opportunities to make disciples. And it may be just what they need to do to become successful churches that create disciples who make disciples.
Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing
These recommended books will be helpful for church teams to read and implement in their current situation, but they are simply tools that can be utilized. Behind implementing new practices must be a love of God and others. No worship plan will be successful if the worship leaders are not committed to serving God and sharing God's love with those who walk through their church's doors. Authentic worship comes from genuine, deep love of God and his people.
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