The latest findings from the LifeWay Research area of LifeWay Christian Resources give the top 10 reasons adults switch churches.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The latest findings from the LifeWay
Research area of LifeWay Christian Resources give the top 10 reasons adults
switch churches.
This study builds on LifeWay Research’s
2006 study of the formerly churched, which explored the reasons adults stop
going to church. The current findings explain why people change churches and
how these situations differ from those in which the individual does not resume
church attendance at all.
Church switchers are defined as
Protestant Americans who have attended more than one church regularly as an
adult.
“There are two types of people who slip
out through the back door of the church,” said Scott McConnell, associate
director of LifeWay Research. “One group is probably leaving church
permanently, and the other group is going to find a new church.”
To understand why adults choose to change
churches, 415 “non-mover” church switchers – who changed churches for reasons
other than changes to their residential location – were surveyed in December
2006.
The study results indicate that overall,
those who change churches for reasons other than moving are more likely fleeing
their previous church rather than being drawn to another. Fifty-eight percent
of study participants said the greatest impact on their decision to switch
churches was “my need/desire to leave my previous church.” The other 42 percent
left because of the desire to join their current church.
Not meeting needs
The top two specific reasons people leave
their church have to do with their needs not being fulfilled by their previous
church.
Of all reasons churchgoers choose to
leave their previous church, the No. 1 specific reason is because the “church
was not helping me to develop spiritually.” Twenty-eight percent of non-mover
church switchers indicated this as the reason.
Another 20 percent of respondents said
they left because they “did not feel engaged or involved in meaningful church
work.”
Disenchantment
Another common element among church
switchers is disenchantment with church members. Eighteen percent of
respondents indicated “church members were judgmental of others,” as a specific
reason for switching.
Other member-related reasons for
switching are “members seemed hypocritical” (15 percent), “church didn’t seem
to be a place where God was at work” (14 percent), and “church was run by a
clique that discouraged involvement” (14 percent).
Disenchantment with the pastor is also a
common reason churchgoers switch. Sixteen percent cite the “pastor was not a
good preacher” as a specific reason for leaving their previous church. Also in
the top 10 are the following: “pastor was judgmental of others” (14 percent)
and “pastor seemed hypocritical” (13 percent).
Unwelcome changes
Sixteen percent of survey respondents
said too many changes in general drove them to switch churches.
One respondent said, “The pastor of my
previous church left and the new pastor was radically different, and the music
switched from traditional to rock music.”
According to McConnell, “These church
switchers leave because they are unhappy with changes in the overall direction
of the church. Respondents had the opportunity to select specific changes they
did not like, such as worship style, teachings, or a staff member leaving, but
the largest proportion selected too many changes in general – the culmination
of many changes in the previous church they did not like.”
Different from
before
Church switchers’ disenchantment and
disappointment with their previous church’s failure to meet their needs differ
from those who do not return to church.
The prior LifeWay Research study of
formerly churched adults indicated that the primary reasons given for leaving
the church are changes in life situation.
While 59 percent of the formerly churched
cite this category of reasons, only 21 percent of church switchers leave their
previous church because of life changes (excluding moving).
Implications
Brad Waggoner, LifeWay’s vice president
of research and ministry development, expounds on the church switcher study in
a companion article (available at www.lifewayresearch.com) and offers
suggestions for church leaders who desire to build stronger, healthier
churches.
“Of all of the reasons for leaving the
church, the top two are ‘the church was not helping me to grow spiritually,’
and ‘I did not feel engaged/involved in meaningful work in the church,’”
Waggoner writes.
“These are actually very encouraging
findings. The fact that the majority of church switchers express a desire to
grow spiritually and become active in service should strike a chord of optimism
for leaders.
“…[T]he most helpful response any leader
can make to this study is to allow these findings to fuel the desire to
disciple and involve every church member,” he writes in the article.
“With few
exceptions, a pastor who possesses solid leadership skills and a passion to
disciple and involve others will see this happen in the church.”