Common Reasons People Do Not Attend Church/Sunday School

Here are a few of the more common reasons that many people cite when asked why they do not attend church or Sunday School.  This is a list from my own experience with others as well as myself.

I know some seem silly, or seem like just an excuse to not have to get off one's butt and actually do something on Sunday.  Nevertheless, these feelings and expressions are very real.

---I don't know what to wear
---Wear something comfortable.   

---I don't like to have to dress up
---I don't either, so I don't

---I am not knowledgeable about the bible and would be embarrassed in front of the group
---Most people either don't know much about the bible or they know a lot less than they think they do.  But don't give it a second thought, for you will not be quizzed.  Relax and enjoy

---If someone asked me to say a prayer in front of a group, I couldn't do it
---No one with any class at all will ask someone else to say a prayer unless it has been agreed upon in advance.  Relax and enjoy

---A church is a business, and I hate being hit up for money all the time
---You don't have to give any money.  But give this one some serious thought.  If the church is providing something to you and the community, shouldn't they receive the means for continuing their good work?  Besides, is your money really yours?

---My spouse doesn't like to go to church, and I don't want to go if he/she isn't going with me
---This can be tough.  But the answer is this:  you really are in this world alone...except for God, who is always with you if you will allow Him to be.  You will find spiritual benefits from church you cannot find anywhere else.  The chances are that your spouse will see your growth and want to experience it as well

---I don't know anybody there
---Don't worry---you will soon, and the people you meet in church can have an incredibly positive impact on your life

---I feel self-conscious to have to sit by myself
---My own experience with this is that sitting alone allows me to be more contemplative and focused on the service and God's Word

---If I visit, people will start calling me at home and pestering me to join
---You almost assuredly will not be pestered.  But remember that the only thing worse than being called at home by someone asking you to be part of their group is not being called and not being wanted.  Ha.

---Even if I do go and decide I would like to join, the church requires new members to stand in front of the congregation to affirm their commitment.  That is too embarrassing for me to do!
---The least you can do for a God who has given you life and talents is to commit to Him publicly.  But many churches allow new members to join in the privacy of the church office.  Personally, I don't approve of this, but it is what it is.

---Preachers always carry on too long.  Why can't the service just last an hour and end promptly so I can get home to take care of domestic business?
---Find a church that has a pastor who is organized to the point where the service ends on time.  I would not go to a church whose service runs past the scheduled time allotted

---I get spooked when the preacher starts talking about hell and satan
---Ha.  So do I.  But the devil does exist and needs to be discussed

---I always feel like the preacher is speaking directly to me when he is talking about sin
---Ha.  Me, too

---I don't understand all those terms they speak about, like Eucharist, Lent, Pentecost, etc, etc, etc..........
---Don't worry about it.  No one knows that you don't know.  A lot of people don't know.  You'll learn

---If someone asked me to read something from the bible, I'm not sure I could pronounce all those words correctly
---Probably no one will ask you to read anything without pre-arranging your approval, but if you can't pronounce something, gloss over it with a chuckle.  Pronunciation is not important

---I don't need to go to church to commune with God
---No, you don't.  But getting together with other Christians generates friendships and accelerated growth in faith

---I work all week and it is too hard to get up on Sunday mornings
---But what is most important in your life?  Think about this long and hard

---I worry about Communion---what is it all about?  What am I supposed to do?  What am I supposed to say?
---You worry too much about appearances.  Communion is one way Christians stay close to Jesus, remembering what He did for us by giving His life for our sins.  You don't have to say anything.  The wine (grape juice) and bread symbolize the body of Christ.  As you eat and drink, remember all that He has done for you and give thanks

Church Street United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

Church Street United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

After a good bit of exploration and discussion, Cindy and I have decided on a church---historic Church Street United Methodist Church in downtown Knoxville.

It's funny how we settled on this church.  Cindy, who grew up in this area, had always wanted to visit this church because of its beauty and prominence in Knoxville.  She had mentioned to me that, before we chose a church to attend regularly, she would like to visit just to get the flavor of the place.  We had given no real thought to actually joining because it is located downtown, which seemed so far away---especially with other nice churches located all around our home.

Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

So---six weeks ago we drove to Church Street Church for the early Sunday morning service.  I was surprised when I discovered that it only takes 11 minutes to get to the church from our home.  That, plus the fact that everyone was friendly while we were there, made us agree that this would be the right place for us.  We plan on officially joining in a few weeks.

Procession at the Beginning of Sunday Worship

For the past few Sundays we have been trying to find just the right Sunday School class.  My friends, if you have not gone through this drill recently, you probably have forgotten how utterly taxing and befuddling the process can be.  Consider these factors:

---There are 18 adult classes
---We selected three to visit.  We tried to choose those that concentrate on scripture-based instruction
---The first class we attended had everything we want.  Everyone was friendly and we came away with the warm fuzzies.  Only consideration:  Cindy and I are 10-15 years younger than most of the class members.  We are concerned about a generation gap.
---The second class we visited was basically our age range, but cliquish.  When we entered, only 3 or 4 people introduced themselves to us.  Only two people actually talked to me before class.  Everyone else stood around in groups of four to six people and conversed with each other.  Few people wore name tags, which is very helpful to newcomers.  We were asked to give our contact information---phone number and E-Mail addresses---but we have not been contacted regarding membership or given an invitation to ask questions about the class.
---The third class we visited (yesterday) was our age range.  People were friendly.  But no one asked for contact information. 

Each class has its pros and cons.  The class with the older membership was actually the best-run class.  The members were the friendliest and most outgoing.  But---there is that age difference, and Cindy and I don't know how big a factor that could be in relating to everyone.  We are praying about it.

The second class reminded me of the class we were members of in Texas.  It is fairly large.  I was somewhat turned off by the constant referrals to members of the class and how important everyone seems to be.  "See that man over there?  He is a federal judge.  And that lady over there is a doctor.  And The fellow over by the window is CEO of XYZ Company."  I started getting the feeling that maybe I wasn't important enough to belong in that class.  Ha.

The third class had an attendance of about 20.  But if they didn't care enough to take down our names and E-Mail addresses, do they really want new members?

To anyone experiencing a new church and going into Sunday school classes where everyone and everything is unknown, there is a certain amount of stress.  I understand that choosing a class and trying to fit in is a process, but the process could sure be helped by a recognition on the part of class members that visitors need to be welcomed by all and made to feel at home by everyone.

And it wouldn't hurt to call the visitors the following week and let them know they are wanted.  If they are, of course.

A Church or a Country Club.......

I was surfing my television channels the other day when I came upon a program featuring a sermon by the great Baptist preacher, Dr. Charles Stanley, senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia. 

Dr. Stanley is a no-nonsense preacher who sticks to scripture in his sermons and relates that scripture to today's world.  I like that very much.

Part of his sermon dealt with how one should handle the all too common problem of their church becoming liberal---moving away from scripture and the tenets of Christianity in favor of the popular views of today's world.

Jesus said we must all build "on Rock".  He said the wind will blow and the rain will fall, and if we are built on sand---or anything other than solid Rock, our structure will fall.  That is just as true of the church as it is in our own personal lives.

He likened the liberal-leaning church to a country club, where it has become primarily a social organization.  Wow---did that ever hit home!

Cindy and I moved from a church recently where our large Sunday school class had become mostly a group of clubbers.  The lessons, which at one time were usually scriptural in nature, had devolved into a joke---"Religious Beliefs of the American Indian", "Yoga" (bring your own mat), "Muslim Beliefs", "Going Green", "Snake Handling", "The Joys of Grandparenting", and the beat goes on...and on.  Not much is said these days about Jesus or scripture.

Then there are the parties.  Oh, the parties.  Nothing wrong with a party, of course, but when you dedicate about five Sundays a year to socializing at the expense of building faith, you have further diluted the faith.

Keep in mind that most mainline Protestant churches in the United States have lost membership steadily over the past 40 years.  Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, etc have all lost membership---even as the population of the nation grows steadily.

There are reasons for this.  A church that tries to satisfy the trends of the day is not built on Rock.  And it will fall.

The Methodist Church of Today....

Like a straw that finally breaks the camel's back, it hit me last night as Cindy and I conversed over dinner.  Do you know that, for several years now, our church has encouraged membership by allowing new members to join in the church office---not in front of the congregation? 

This is astounding.  This is one symptom of many that the Methodist church is in trouble.  Do you know that this church, with such a proud heritage, has seen its national membership fall to a level on a par with its membership during the 1940s?  This, while the U. S. population has increased by well over 100% in the same time frame.

Our church---and many other Methodist churches---is now so desperate for membership that it does not require an appearance in front of the congregation by prospective new members.  Apparently, standing in front of fellow Christians for two minutes and saying "I will" and "I do" is just way too intimidating for a whole lot of folks.

My questions are these: 

---I know the church is a "business" and needs members, but what kind of members do you have when they are afraid to proclaim their faith in front of others? 

---Does it matter that members of the church not know when someone has joined?

---What does this policy of "sneaking in the back door" say about our individual committments to our faith?

This policy galls me.  It is a horrible thing.  Apparently the church feels that it is important to get members any way it can, and making it "easy" is the way to go to achieve that.

The church is wrong (refer to the abysmal membership growth numbers above).  The reason the church is dying is BECAUSE of this kind of approach.  The church needs to stand for something, and needs for its members to stand for something.

The Muslim faith has exploded in growth.  Agree with Muslims or disagree with them; the fact is that they KNOW what they believe  and practice it and proclaim it loudly.  We could all learn from their example in this regard.

To be fair, it is not just the Methodist church that is declining---basically, all "main-line" Protestant denominations are on the wane.  And there are many reasons for that---but this business of joining the church on the sly is too much.

Contrast this with the fervor of the early disciples:

---Apostle Paul...beheaded
---Judas...suicide by hanging
---Andrew...crucified
---Bartholomew...crucified
---James, son of Alphaeus...stoned to death
---James, son of Zebedee...beheaded
---John...died of old age
---Matthew/Levi...uncertain
---Simon/Peter...crucified
---Thomas...killed by impalement
---Philip...crucified
---Simon the Zealot (Jude)...died of old age
---Thaddeus/Judas...uncertain

We know from various sources ( such as Paul's letters and Pliny's letters to Trajan) that all these Christians needed to do to avoid a horrible execution was to denounce their Christian faith.

And now you can join the church by sneaking in the back door, without even a public proclamation of your loyalty and belief.

Does Prayer Really Work?

When a strip joint opened just down the road from the Nazareth Baptist Church in Bishop, Oklahoma, the enraged congregation tried every way they knew to have the establishment legally closed down.

After talking with the mayor, the town council and the chief of police, they found that there really was no legal way to make the sex business close.

So, the congregation turned to prayer, asking the Lord to intervene on their behalf and shut the strip club down by Providence.

Three days later, at 2:00 AM, a raging fire destroyed the strip club completely. 

The congregation, of course, was happy that their prayer had been answered, and that no one had been injured in the inferno, and were proud to tell everyone who would listen that God had intervened on their behalf.

But, the owner of the strip club was not stupid.  He got lawyered up and sued the Baptist church for asking God to destroy the club.

The church lawyer responded by stating unequivocably that the church congregation had had nothing whatever to do with the fire that destroyed the building, and that it was not possible that their prayer had caused the fire.

After deliberating the case, the judge stated that, while she did not approve in any fashion of the kind of business in which the strip club engaged, it was very curious to her that "Here we have a church, whose members obviously believe in God and the power of prayer, who now deny the possibility of God's intervention on their behalf after He had answered their prayer."