The Casual Christian - The Deplorable State of the Church and What You Can Do About It

Consider the following facts regarding the modern church:

· Average church giving is 2-3% of income and only 6% of church-goers give 10% or more of their earnings to the church.

· Seventy one percent of born again believers are reluctant to share their faith with others.

· The three least popular sermon topics in the mega-church are: preparing for the second coming of Christ (1% of all sermons preached), stewardship of time and money (5%), and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (11%). All topics concerning what God expects from me.

· The most popular topics are God’s love and care, personal salvation, personal growth, and practical advice for daily living. All topics regarding what I can expect from God.

· Sixty four percent of pastors admit to struggling with pornography and secret sexual activities.

· Nearly four out of ten non-churchgoing Americans avoid church because of negative experiences with church people.

· Only one out of five church attendees see the value of community for spiritual growth. Could this be a reflection on the quality of community in the church?

· Ninety two percent of church visitors never return because they do not feel welcome.

· Mega-churches have been growing at an annual rate of 5% while overall church attendance has been declining by 11%. The trend towards bigger and better is really hollowing out the church in America.

· Few people come to Christ in church yet the vast majority of church ministries take place inside the building.

· The number of Americans that identify themselves as Protestant dropped below 50% for the first time in 2005.

· By the year 2035 the majority of Americans will identify themselves as ‘non-Christian’.


I could go on to talk about my own experiences of abandonment and betrayal by the church, of the mission board that covered up the sexual abuse of my son by one of their members, of the pastor’s daughter who cheated on me with her boss and turned my children against me, or of the Christian family that eagerly embraced their son’s ex-wife and the man she lured away from his dying wife.


Should the church be exempt from the kind of scrutiny that other institutions face? Why do we treat church leaders with kid gloves? Is it because we are afraid we might tarnish the name of Christ? Isn’t it rather our behavior that sullies His name?


How do you feel about the role of criticism toward the church? Is it appropriate under any circumstances or is the church different from other institutions that we hold accountable to legal, moral and ethical standards? Let me hear your opinion.