Category: Culture
No Shows
The Decline in Worship Attendance
by Lovett H. Weems Jr. | The Christian Century | Sept. 22, 2010
Many people assume that there has been a steady decline in worship attendance for all the mainline denominations since the mid-1960s—the era when most of them began to see their memberships decline. But trends in attendance—usually thought to be a better indicator of church vitality than trends in membership—have actually followed their own patterns.
For example, the Episcopal Church reported higher attendance in 2000 than in any year since 1991, the year the denomination began recording attendance figures. The United Methodist Church reported worship attendance figures in 2000 that were higher than those in the mid-1980s. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America had relatively flat attendance rates in the years before 2001, and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in the 1990s had several years showing modest gains in attendance.
Church attendance patterns are subject to greater fluctuation, at least in the short term, than membership figures. The relatively strong attendance of the 1990s did not carry over through the next decade. A renewed interest by denominations in reaching beyond traditional racial and class constituencies and in reaching younger people may lead to an increase in worshipers. But it’s also possible that these denominations are approaching a tipping point: with fewer and increasingly older members, the shrinking attendance will make many congregations unsustainable. In the 21st century mainline churches will face perhaps their greatest challenge since they faced the American frontier of the 19th century.
Worship Space
It may sound odd for someone who serves in youth ministry to question the growth of what I call “big box” Christianity as well as the theology that supports it. If you can transform a place in the woods or a poorly decorated youth room into sacred space for worship should it matter? No and Yes. If it is drawing people, particularly young people, for worship and to the faith should it matter why they attend or should we question the theology? Yes. My sociology minor and curiosity in anthropology encourage the questions. My advocacy for children and youth as the Church today and my ordination covenant requires it.
With few exceptions these “cathedrals of praise” rock out with bands, professional lighting, video, and sound. The atmosphere is “comfortable” and the theology is an orthodox to conservative to evangelical to fundamentalists expression of Christian faith. But, there are few symbols of faith beyond a cross or the ministry slogan or logo. I worshiped with a congregation yesterday in their sanctuary. That space has all the symbols that indicate something important, mystical, is suppose to happen here even when the place is silent. Stained glass stories, communion table, candles, pulpit, and bible. Well placed video screens in the balcony for those that wish to sing of the screen rather than hold a hymnal. Fewer attend that service than do the service downstairs in the fellowship hall with the praise band, little symbolism, and round tables rather than seats or pews. Sitting there in the quiet space of an “ornate” Disciples of Christ sanctuary I pondered how the de-churched, un-churched, or bored ten year member could prefer “praise rooms” rather than set aside sanctuary space. It may be something as complex as a sanctuary representing institutional oppression, imperialism or another institution that has or is failing the public. It could be person’s self esteem and sense of worthiness. It may be a hospitality that is deeper than clothing or music that speaks to the spirit and inner conversation of a person.
Here is what I know about myself and how I have been conditioned. I would walk into the historic sanctuary of another denomination for silence and meditation rather than a converted warehouse, praise room, auditorium, or big box Church. The symbolism, even one that represents a Christian theology I no longer believe, helps me center, listen, and be still. It is personal, but it is also corporate. It is what I think we need to be offering the children, youth, and young adults among us if our expression of Christian faith, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is to remain relevant.