In their 2023 book, The Great Dechurching, Jim Davis and Michael Graham point out that 40 million adults used to go to church in the United States but no longer do. They list a plethora of reasons people used for quitting church, including bad experiences with church leadership, mingling of faith and politics, loss of faith, simply not looking for a new church after a move, intolerance of diversity, and being busy. Using sociological tools, the authors extensively studied these Americans and concluded that many who left the church would be open to returning. Many still have faith. They are seeking reasons to explore their spirituality within a community of believers.
Church historians have noticed that there is a periodic 500-year pattern dating back to at least 1,000 Before the Common Era, where the Judeo-Christian tradition has undergone significant institutional change. The last change is dated to roughly 1517 when Martin Luther’s 95 theses sparked a Reformation. Each change evolved over a 50-80-year period, which is why this pattern is only visible by studying religion over a very long span. The church is in an institutional period of shake-up right now. Churches and denominations are changing. In a new era, the church is evolving to guide the spiritual lives of the faithful in a new context. Some Christians are mourning the loss of the old ways. Others are celebrating the new. In this period of transition, there are opportunities for people who have been dissatisfied with the old ways to return to church and help transform it into what it will become.
In his book, The Irresistible Community, Bill Donahue used the metaphor of the table to describe church life. The Communion Table is a central symbol in most churches. He said that people need to come to the table. But people need to be at different kinds of tables within a local church. The kitchen table is where we are fed and find acceptance in small groups. The conference table is where decisions are made. The negotiating table is where we resolve conflict. The coffee table is the place to gather in community to take a break from daily stress. The seminar table is where we go to learn about new possibilities. The operating table is the place where surgery on the soul removes bad thought and theology. And the changing table is where we clean up after messes. At each table, a certain set of table manners dictates our behavior even when our views differ from others at that table. Donahue’s metaphor of the church as table is a good way to describe church life in an era of change. The church needs everyone at the table, even those who struggle with where the church stands right now. Donahue concludes his book by asserting that when we come to the table in love seeking unity, we can become an answer to prayer.
