According to the US census bureau, the number of people who acknowledge attending a weekly religious service has gone down slow but steady since 2008. But those who disclosed that they never attend church has risen dramatically (see graph).

This explains the decline in attendance in most churches. The “regulars” are coming (although not quite as regularly); the “once-in-a-whiles” are not coming at all. 

Why did the “some-timers” become “no-timers”? Studies will show that there is not a single factor which has led to this decline in the de-churching of America. There are plenty of reasons. Some valid. Some not. 

Here’s the problem: If people have this life to determine their eternal accommodations, then there is no time for a detailed review of all the variants and subset reasons why the “some-timers” became “no timers.” Let the PhD candidates wrestle with those questions in their doctoral research projects. In the meantime, the situation is more like a building fire than a specimen to be examined. We are not afforded the time for analyzing the circumstances that led to the fire; it’s time to rescue the perishing (wasn’t there an old hymn by that name?). It’s time to go on the offensive. But how do we do that? How do people who have never come or don’t want to come or who have been hurt in the past by the church start coming or come back to church (and discovering Jesus)? 

The attractional method stopped working. “Build it and they will come” doesn’t work either. Christmas Cantatas, bus ministries, and cold calling on neighbor’s doors armed with the four spiritual laws might be met with someone armed with a Colt 45.  Most of the things that worked pre-2000s don’t work today, yet churches still want to play by the 1990’s rule book.

What works? Relationships work. Love works. Getting the church into the community, not asking the community to come into the church. That works. Blessing the community in as many ways as possible works.  Many in the world don’t think they need the church (or Jesus), it’s time for the church to show the world all the good and love the church (and Jesus) provides. When the church does that– it’s beautiful. It’s attractive. “No-Timers” become “One-timers,” then as they see authentic love within the pews, the “once-in-a-blue-moon-timers,” discover Jesus (or rediscover Jesus) and become, glory upon glory, “all-most-always timers.” 

Reversing the downward trend is as simple as Jesus instructions, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  It’s living into Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For Christ’s love compels us.” As we are compelled to bless our community with Real, Authentic, Love—they will see Christ and His Bride in their beauty and return once more.