Wheat And Chaff: A Three-Year Post-Mortem On Evangelical Church Attendance

Ben ZeisloftFebruary 9, 2023

The first pages of the New Testament open with John the Baptist likening the ministry of Jesus Christ to the work of a winnowing fork: a tool used by farmers to toss stalks of grain into the air, separating the wheat that would fall to the ground and collected into the farmer’s barn from the unwanted chaff that would be blown away with the wind and later burned.

American evangelical ministers concur that the advent of government lockdown mandates and the social justice movement that began nearly three years ago and continue to reverberate across the nation’s cultural landscape ultimately served to sift their congregations. According to a survey, attendance had dropped to 85% in Protestant churches before lockdown. However, almost every other church in the country resumed regular worship services. Study Lifeway Research. A third of Christians who professed faith said that they went to church four times a month or more prior to the lockdowns. However, this number fell to 26% in spring 2022.

According to statistics, the proportion of the population who don’t attend worship services has also increased from 25% to 33% between 2020 and 2022. Research From the American Enterprise Institute and University of Chicago

Even as George Floyd died and leftist activism swept the country, Christians began to reject biblical teachings on social issues. The most recent biennial State of Theology Survey According to Ligonier Ministries, the percentage of evangelicals who believe was a staggering 65%. “gender identity is a matter of choice” Between 2020 and 2022 the percentage of people who believe increased from 22% to 37%, while the share who do not believe decreased by 20% to 11%. “the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behavior doesn’t apply today” From 11% to 28%, more than doubled

Theological convictions that were held by the church’s founders, the evangelical movement, began to be rejected by those who profess them. A survey by Ligonier Ministries found that 15% of respondents believed this. “the Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true” The figure rose to 26% in 2020 and to 26% in 2022, which shows a rapid decline of commitment to the inspiration, authority, and authenticity of Scripture.

While millions of churchgoers were lost, some redirected their priorities to seek membership in churches that would maintain a strong commitment to doctrine and fidelity in a volatile cultural moment. One such congregation was Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, where Pastor John MacArthur peacefully resisted the state’s lockdown orders and reopened services. Later, the church was reopened. You won A lawsuit against the state government has been filed “added hundreds of new members every month” for nearly three years, according to Pastor Phil Johnson, who works as executive director of Grace to You, the church’s teaching ministry.

“Numerous Southern California churches stayed closed for months even after retail stores and other businesses had reopened, and people who were frustrated with the closures, starved for fellowship,” Johnson told The Daily Wire that Johnson had also mentioned this to him, adding that “lots of people from other churches came” When they heard about Grace Community Church in the news. “We received a large influx of new attendees, starting shortly after we resumed regular services in 2020. It seems most of those people have stayed, and many of them have become members.”

Pastor Josh Buice of Pray’s Mill Baptist Church in Douglasville, Georgia, noted in an Article According to The Daily Wire, his first few years as the leader of the congregation saw a decline in numbers as he implemented reforms. The paradoxical result was that the trend reversed itself after lockdowns inflicted on the nation. “While many churches struggled to survive, we started to see a steady numerical growth,” He wrote. “During the last two years, we have added more new members than any recorded two year time period of our church’s history.”

The article ends with a recommendation for ministers to be patient and obey the Lord’s call as He builds the church regardless of whether the congregation has more or less members. “To the pastor who is faithfully serving God and seeking to obey the Scriptures as a faithful pastor, just remember that God sees your faithful labor and knows the needs you have personally and corporately,” He went on. “Continue to be steadfast in the faith and the Lord will remain faithful.”