Traditionally, pastors could count on seeing a few faces on Christmas and Easter that didn’t show up much the rest of the year. These are the so-called “Christmas and Easter Christians.”
Like many pastors, I was of two minds about it. On the one hand, I would rejoice that they came to hear God’s Word and receive His gifts. On the other hand, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that I wouldn’t see them again for months.
Lately, many of my fellow pastors are noticing something new. Those once-or-twice-a-year folks? They’re not even coming anymore. Sure, a handful still drift in on holy days but not like before. Besides, they’re not the only ones skipping worship. Statistically, church attendance is shrinking across the board — regardless of denomination or worship style. So, where did they go?
There isn’t one answer or variable to explain declining attendance. The issue is complicated and multifaceted, but one of the biggest contributors to the trend is the shifting culture. For a long time in our country, people went to church because it was expected of them. It was part of what it meant to be a respectable person in your town or neighborhood. When applying for a job or to go to college, you’d note your participation at a local congregation. Whether running a business or running for office, being a Christian was a mark in the plus column.
Today? Attitudes have shifted dramatically. It is increasingly socially unacceptable to be a faithful Christian. Now that the culture and the church are more at odds, we find ourselves living through a shift from cultural Christianity to a post-Christian society, and we’re seeing the evidence in the attendance records.
So, who isn’t coming anymore? The answer may simply be those who were only loosely attached to the church to begin with. The Christian faith that was once stitched into the social fabric is fraying. As society drifts, it pulls some people further from the life of the church. In response, many have concluded that the church must change to fix this — whatever it takes to attract people again. But perhaps it’s not the church that’s changed – it’s the culture.
I believe the post-Christian era will bring smaller assemblies but stronger Christians. Like a sauce left to simmer and reduce on the stove, the volume goes down, but the flavor intensifies. We lose the fluff, but we keep the substance. Shallow affiliation will fade, and deep conviction will grow and be shared by those who attend, not out of obligation, but because they truly believe in God and desire what he offers there.
Now don’t get me wrong. We should never stop echoing the heart of God, who “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). Our mission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations remains. The church is for all people, regardless of how strong or weak their faith may be.
But for those lamenting the reduction, I urge you not to be anxious. The culture is moving further from God, but our task isn’t to chase people down with gimmicks or a watered-down theology.
Instead, proclaim Christ. Drop the pretense and return to the means our Lord gave us to reach and save the lost. He doesn’t need our help. After all, he conquered death and rose from the grave. He has fulfilled every promise, and he’s not done yet.
