The 2023 Church of the Nazarene USA/Canada worship attendance statistics have been posted and as expected the numbers are not good. You can read all the stats here. All seven regions in the USA experienced decline. Of the 73 districts in the USA only nine experienced growth. Four of the five districts in Canada experienced modest gains (Canada Pacific District reported the same numbers as last year). The total decline for the USA church was 22,220. Maybe more telling of the dire circumstance is that there were only 23 new churches started in the entire USA. Only the South Central Region (SNU) had more churches at the end of the year than the beginning, These numbers are troubling. They are the current reality for the USA church..
How did we get here? The three most quoted theories:
- A shifting cultural landscape. The USA is a different place than it was in 1964 (as Dr. Busic’s recent sermon has reminded us). It’s true. A lack of confidence in the church and traditional understanding of scripture regarding issues like LBGTQ+ issues are changing. But this doesn’t explain why other churches (See: Assembly of God) have not experienced the steep decline that the Church of the Nazarene has endured (see AG stats here). Others seemly have navigated the shifting culture waters without watering down their message.
- The over politicization of the church has turned off many people. Too often the church has hitched it’s wagon to political parties. In a country, nearly evenly divided politically, any church identifying closely with one party is going to put off the other half of the populace. Only the Mormon church voted more Republican than the Church of the Nazarene in the 2020 election. But politics alone can’t account for the steep decline.
- John Maxwell famously stated that “everything rises and falls on leadership.” Is our problem with our leaders? At the general level? The district level? As in all levels of management, some individuals are more competent than others, but to state that the church’s problems are based totally on leadership seems to be an easy cop-out-like answer. Our general church leaders are more than capable. No doubt, there are district superintendents that would be better suited in other roles, but not all of them. In fact, some DS’s that by my evaluation (probably skewed) are the most capable have also experienced the biggest declines. Maybe Maxwell was wrong.
The answer to the free-falling USA attendance, especially the dramatic post pandemic decline, lies in looking deeper into the mirror. The Church of the Nazarene’s stated mission is to “make Christ-like disciples in the nations.” That’s the goal, but we haven’t done it. We haven’t made Christ-like disciples. Or more personally stated, you and I haven’t made enough Christ-like disciples. Can you name a person you helped to make into a Christ-like disciple?
Would the attendance decline be lessened if we had made more and better disciples? It makes sense that it would. Christ-like disciples attend worship when able. Christ-like disciples serve. Christ-like disciples invite their friends to also participate in worship and service. Christ-like disciples are generous. Christ-like disciples are the backbone of the church. Christ-like disciples weather a shifting culture, political biases, leadership issues, pandemics and everything else.
The Church of the Nazarene’s failure to make Christ-like disciples on a consistent basis for the last decade or two has resulted in our attendance slide. We need to get back to not simply making declarative statements about Christ-like disciple making but actually make Christ-like disciples.
Dr. Jerry Porter was right. He preached a sermon I heard so many times, I could have preached it. He asked two simple questions relevant to our demise: Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling? The USA Church of the Nazarene attendance decline is NOT the result of culture, politics or leadership, it’s something much more personal. We (you and I) have not been making Christ-like disciples. The Solution to our demise is simple: Let’s personally live into our mission statement. You and I making Christ-like disciples.
My Two Cent Offering 
I wholeheartedly agree Rob. And it is leadership at a local church level that must model and prioritize discipleship. People listen to what we say, but they follow what we do.
Well,,,,,White is white ,truth is truth, what are we going to do about this.i agree but All 3 points are a symptoms of the greater problem.
Jerry Boron
Rob,
I agree that making disciples has fallen by the wayside in many churches. However, I wonder if this is really the surface or presenting problem. I wonder if our churches are organizationally prepared to make disciples and if our people are taught how to make disciples when they are not in a structured program.
What do you think is underneath the issue of disciple-making? What’s missing at the local, district or national levels?
I think the Jesus model of disciple training is a good method. It’s being together, eating together, serving together and along the way teaching life lessons. There aren’t short cuts to disciple making. It’s not classroom alone. It’s life. It’s doing life together– even when messy and complicated. Through it all, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide, bless, challenge and direct.
I think there is also a decline in the understanding in entire sanctification. Our identity is missing. This affects our ability to lead others.
In my mind “Christ-like” disciples are entirely sanctified disciples. I agree we could do a far better job in teaching, modeling, living out holy lives and thereby making holy (wholly) devoted followers of Jesus.
We have also become a detached society; keeping people at “arms length.” Gazing at our neighbors’ homes this morning I ponder why two of our neighbors have made it known to the neighborhood they prefer to be left alone. Have they been hurt, too busy, too risky, feeling unworthy or unloved, or could it be us? Have we been hurt, too busy, too risky, feeling unworthy or unloved?
It’s got more to do with the fact that your anti LGBT hateful policies and hateful politics in the USA are such that people can’t reconcile them with a loving God. Most people think of evangelicals as hateful, brutal , theocratic bullies who would not be out of place in Margaret Atwoods: THE HANDMAIDS TALE. You want to oppress women’s rights and control them and criminalise their right to control their bodies…
And you’re surprised that people want nothing to with church?
Your perspective of how evangelicals are perceived by many is probably close to the truth. But what I’ve found is that most people with that opinion like Jesus. They would not describe Jesus as “hateful, brutal, theocratic bully.” I want to be like Jesus, Blake, not like those you’ve described.
Then campaign for the rights of the oppressed, take action against the harmful and divisive politics ( Trump) and fight for an equal society.
After a lifetime of being a Christian I have been able to continually realize that I can have a personal relationship with Jesus on a daily basis. Over the past ten years in our country I have seen how so many could be Christians take positions of following political leaders that are not remotely tenants of Christian or even common decency. Every American is not uninformed to what is going on in our country. People that attempt being Christian are able to see this huge gap. I have taken the position that when I get to heaven I may get slapped in the head by Jesus and he says Kenn I did not mean LOVE every one, I meant just LOVE some people. And I mean LOVE them like I LOVE YOU…there are NO BUTS…
Love like Jesus. That’s it, Kenn! That’s why my emphasis is on “Christlike” disciples. We need more people acting, thinking like Jesus!
Or it also could be that no self-respecting adult wants to be treated like a project, aka “disciple”. When you as an organization have postulated that your way is the only way, and anyone who thinks/believes/acts otherwise is to be “converted” or “discipled” into your ways (which again is presented as the only right way or else *hellfire*), it’s a massive turn off. Especially when we see your organization and your individual members actively oppressing and belittling those whom they perceive to have different views or lifestyles. There’s no room for that in your narrative, we’re just “wrong” because your ancient holy book says so. Nevermind all the other ancient holy books that claim to have The Truth, they’re apparently wrong to, simply because yours says so. It’s an uneducated and immature way of approaching the world.
Your “discipleship” narrative carries an air of superiority, a heavy-handed guilt trip, and a lack of tolerance & respect for any view other than your own that is causing your numbers to decline. Those who have left have grown out of that way of thinking.
Bottom line is that no one wants to be a part of your exclusive club anymore. Once you accept that and quit trying to recruit new members to buy into your archaic and oppressive views, then and only then will you be free to love humanity as we all are- travelers through this life on equal footing trying to do our best with this one life we have. Respect my views and I’ll respect yours. No need to convert or disciple me. Pretty simple, actually.
Stop twisting yourself into theological and dogmatic knots trying to come up with some other reason than the ones expressed to you by the very people you’re talking about. We’re not hurt. We don’t want to “sin”. We don’t need more programs or classes or better songs or bigger buildings. We’ve simply grown past you and learned how to do better, therefore we don’t need your “discipleship” anymore.
Once you accept our answer to your question that as the actual answer, I think you’ll enjoy yourself and your members a lot more instead of having all this angst that you’re not popular and growing anymore, which isn’t a good look and doesn’t compel anyone to join you.
-Signed, someone who grew up as a PK, was a children’s pastor, was married to a pastor, and now is non-Christian thanks to open minded education.
I’m sorry for the hurt you’ve experienced at the hands of those who have claimed Christ.
The biggest reason for my own deconstruction is the wild difference between the God I have known and continued to grow in relationship with and the church body I have always called my family. I found myself asking why words and actions didn’t seem to match once we left the church building. Hypocrisy is spread through whole congregations, including the leadership. As a critical care RN, the pandemic was the nail in the coffin for me. I was so hopeful when it all first started. This was our chance to show the world that the Church is not confined to the buildings. Our chance to actively show people love, grace, kindness and care when they were most afraid and many suffering. Instead I saw people to church buildings and worship schedules in fear and sometimes outright defiance. The nastiest and most violent interactions I experienced as a nurse were from people quoting scripture and loudly proclaiming their Christian beliefs. Many of these people had once been my friends and fellow congregants. I got off of social media because I couldn’t stand to see the memes calling for violence and/or abuse against healthcare workers from the very people who led worship and were in positions of leadership in the church. These weren’t just one or two churches. This was everywhere. Somewhere along the line, the Church I knew has started to look less and less like Christ and more like the society they have warned about. It isn’t my faith that is in question at this stage in my life. I know who God is. I know what I believe and why I beljeve. My faith has not been deconstructed. It is my relationship ship with the Church that is deconstructing.
I’m sorry for the hurt you’ve experienced by those who have claimed Christ.
Not sure I fully agree with Maxwell but I do think leadership starts at the top and the church has no opportunity for growth if leadership fails. At the same time there are many churches that have great leadership but failed because the church did not buy into leaderships vision.
I have two wonderful adult sons who do not attend Church. Their ability to navigate the world through the internet has challenged their beliefs. I encourage them to seek the opinions and teachings of those well-studied and qualified to speak about topics. Many times, a self-appointed expert expresses themself well and their words are taken as truth. I challenge others, that if you doubt that God exists, study Science and Archeology. You cannot ignore the History of the Jewish people, otherwise you are calling them all liars. If you doubt Scripture, learn Hebrew and Greek to read the texts in the original language. If you doubt Jesus, travel to the Israel. Don’t just sit at home and watch videos of what someone thinks. Learn for yourself.
Brilliant article on church attendance decline in the Church of the Nazarene in the USA and Canada by Rob Prince. It was fascinating to learn that in the 2020 election only the Mormons voted more Republican than Nazarenes. I would slightly disagree that culture and politics have absolutely nothing to do with the loss of church attendance and membership among the Nazarenes or similar Protestant (particularly Wesleyan based sects) denominations. Just witness the split between “conservatives” and “liberals” in both the United Methodist Church and the Southern Baptist conventions. If the main Nazarene mission is defined as making “Christ-like disciples in all the nations” (Mark 16:15-17), perhaps both the church leadership and laity are looking at the mission in a wrong way. Personally I believe it will be Jesus Christ who will ultimately determine TRUE disciples, not so called “White Christian nationalists” or purveyors of a radical Leftist “social gospel.”
Excellent commentary by Pastor Rob Prince. However, I take issue with the central thesis of the article that church decline in membership and attendance in the Church of the Nazarene in both the USA and Canada is NOT related to significant cultural and political issues of our times. Witness the huge splits between conservatives and liberals in both the Wesleyan United Methodist Church and the Calvinist Southern Baptist Convention. According to theologian and political scientist Ryan Burge, since 2006 only 44 percent of White Christians in the USA vote for the Democratic Party in national elections. Perhaps Nazarenes in both the USA and Canada need to focus on making Christ-like disciples worldwide in accordance with Mark 16:15-17, but the divide between self-styled “Christian nationalists” on the Right and purveyors of a “woke Social gospel” on the Left is a reality in our current sin-driven secular world!
Clearly culture and the politicalization of the church are playing a role in the decline of the church. My oversimplification 700 word essay could have made that more clear, no doubt. My point, we also haven’t been discipling people in the ways of Jesus.
One should also look to the University system for the Nazarene Church. From my experience with my grandson at NW Naz. in Idaho, some professors have gone Woke and pretty Liberal. I was VERY disappointed in the movement away from God and the Church that happened to my grandson.
A lot of the comments are negative against the Church of the Nazarene as a whole. I been a part of the denomination for sixty-eight years. So far I highly endorse the churches doctrines and policies. If you have aught with the church, fine. Go in peace and I trust you will find the perfect church. But the question still begs to be answered. What are YOU personally doing to fulfill the biblical mandate to, “Go and make disciples.”?
That hurt like mercurochrome on an open cut. Thanks, Rob.
Rob, very candid diagnosis of at least one of the main causes for the symptom of decline we suffer. I believe Dr. Sayes would be pleased you make this connection with the lack of true Christian education in line with failure of overt Discipleship efforts as a denomination. Perhaps more leadership effort should be put towards what used to be called “Sunday School” and the focus wholistically for all ages and stages of the life of His Body locally gathered. Thanks for speaking out…