Declining Church of the Nazarene Worship attendance is not just a USA (and Western Europe) reality. I thought it was (Canada churches saw a modest gain last year). When examining the worship attendance numbers from the six regions for the Church of the Nazarene, only the Africa region has shown an increase over the totals posted pre-covid. 

Here are the numbers:

Region                         2023 Attendance        2020 Attendance         Incline/Decline %
Africa                                387,730                       367,490                            +5.5%
Asia-Pacific                        64,814                        99,064                           -34.6%
Eurasia                               117,065                       214,622                            -45.4%
MesoAmerica                   214,316                       250,459                            -14.4%
South America                 163,274                       196,456                             -16.9%
USA/Canada                     329,900                      423,529                             -22.1%

At the release of the 2023 statistics, the General Secretary’s office touted the positive numbers: increases in membership; new Nazarene’s and profession of faith numbers. I would probably try to find a silver lining too. The reality is that the numbers are bad. Really bad. On-line attendance numbers were counted in the 2023 records (in prior years these numbers were not tallied), makes the hit seem less severe. (Full confession: The church I pastor has a healthy group of people who join on-line each week that cannot attend in person for one reason or another). Still, the in-person attendance free fall across the globe is staggering and should be the cause of major concern.

My assumption that the major decline was only a USA/Canada (and maybe Western Europe) thing, probably reveals a North American bias in me. The report shows that USA/Canada and Western Europe are not the only tough mission fields. These days everywhere seems tough. Asia/Pacific and Eurasia are apparently in worse shape than USA/Canada. 

Each region has its own unique challenges. There are wars in Eurasia. Asia/Pacific has had natural disasters. South America is dealing with failing economies. MesoAmerica has had violence and disruption. USA/Canada is fractured by politics and a shifting cultural. As such there isn’t a cookie cutter, one-answer-fits-all solution for a global church.

What can be done to overcome the global institutional decline in the Church of the Nazarene? Is there any recovery to pre-covid numbers? Do the numbers only reflect the negative impact of the pandemic or is it a Nazarene problem? Is the problem with the Nazarene message, methods, structure or something else? The most important question: Are the people gone forever?

A portion of the answer for a declining global church is a renewed call to prayer and disciple making. No matter where one is in the world, all Nazarenes should be praying and making disciples. Getting back to its roots of serving the most needy of society, but, not simply serving, also pointing the lost and needy to Jesus. It’s serving with a purpose of sharing Jesus. New converts are then trained in the ways of Jesus. The need for today, no matter where one is in the world, is the same as when P.F. Bressee hung the “Church of the Nazarene” sign above the Glory Barn. The way of “holiness unto the Lord” compels the church to “make Christlike disciples in the nations.” 

The declining attendance numbers across the globe need not be the last story, but should be a reality that vaults the church into action. It’s a wakeup call. There is work to do in the world. A lot of work to do. People still need Jesus. Will the church rise to the challenge or continue to slide into obscurity?