The church I used to attend has maybe 25-30 people there on Sunday. They are all really old folks. When they are gone, I think the church will be gone, too. Young people don't seem to have a need for religion.
There are lots of churches in my town and the closest one has a big attendance. I really don't know if attendance is on the decline everywhere.
I don't know either but I have read on several occasions that in Catholic churches and Southern Baptist churches, attendance is in decline.They are probably two of the largest denominations in the country and I would think that being the case, most major denominations in the US are in decline. I was in my late thirties, maybe early forties when I quit going to church. As someone has said, only the gospel / charismatic churches seem to have a growth spurt.
I attend a non denom church for everyone, we have grown into 3 services on Sundays, possibly due to we are so different in what we offer, our motto is we listen. We bring like minded people together with things they like and enjoy. Very rural type people for the most part. Just our shooting groups in the last 8-9 years we have had over 700-800 in them alone not counting all the livestock activities, roping and penning we do weekly. We offer LTC classes, have monthly shooting matches, hunts for members, outdoor services on horseback in cooler months, you name it we probably do if it is outdoors. Oil change Saturdays for members you bring the oil and filters, at cost pet shots and the popular help a member fix it day where we help others in need, all the regular religious services also but I do not go into that as so many believe differently. well trained doggy well bring it if you wish! Several usually there. Sone wanted an early service so our 1st is at 0700, we listen!
According to 2018 Gallap poll data, overall church membership has declined about 20% over the past 20 years (from 70% to 50%). With different numbers, Pew research data also supports a declining trend. This reflects both fewer believers going to church, as well as a growing proportion of non-believers. It should come as no surprise that church membership is declining in this country - along with Christianity. This is an inevitable result of the secularization of America that has occurred primariliy within the past 50-60 years - a post in itself I hope to eventually write. I would like to politely disagree with any notion that most (professing) Christians believe the same important doctrines of faith. The difference in belief, worship, and salvation between Catholic doctrine and Protestant doctrine is quite significant. It's also a sad reality that a majority of Christians don't believe in the Holy Bible's accuracy or authority anymore. By rejecting the Genesis account of creation, Noah's global flood, and other miraculous events, they essentially discredit the authority and accuracy of the Bible. In my personal experience, I find many professing Christians, be it friends or ones I meet on the street, pick and choose their religious doctrinal beliefs. It's taught me that Christianity is a very loosely defined term by many, and it may include all sorts of un-biblical beliefs. Not all misguided beliefs lead to Hell, but it speaks poorly for the many people claiming to the faith but not accepting the holy scriptures that define that faith.
I think that part of the problem is that while they claim to be Christians they've probably never read through the Bible.
I really started to get tired of the labels of this christian, that christian etc etc. I keep company with good spirited, good hearted, giving people. I know and knew a lot of atheists/agnostics in my life. No church needed here. And the bibles, none in the church I was born and raised in, catholic, but believe got a good foundation with the 10 Commandments.
Al: Why don't more work on learning to "live and let live" and allow people to speak their opinions .. I don't attack you. You ask WHY I post, I was a follower for most of my life until I started to study other's info on all this stuff. Many will not do what I've done. They continue to go with the flow and it suits them. I've developed a very curious mind/brain in my life, thank goodness.
Joy, I think a curious mind and willingness to study or question the religion you were raised with is prudent. I gather that people and issues tied to the church give you many objections to religion (like others too). But, may I ask what faith doctrines or Bible issues you discovered as legitimate reasons to reject Christianity?
I never read the bibles, and I've found so many of the most hypocritcal people around to be bible thumpers. To me it's phoney, but to them I suppose it's their way. A lot of closed minds down there and a lot of bibles. On this same NC topic, a dear friend I worked with in San Jose CA at a point and he's gay, and when he retired from the company we worked for, he moved to NC thinking he would be accepted there and have a less expensive cost of living...he's kept me posted on life for him down there and it's been "H***, so now he preparing to move to Chicago area, where he's got friends and knows life will be easier and less $ than CA housing. I once thought about moving to NC and on a trip down there for a couple weeks, came running back to CA and it was a point in my life of some discontent so thought running there would be the answer, no way. As I said the 10 Commandments say it all on being a Good Human Being. We've come a long way, but our country and people still have a long way to go on ACCEPTANCE and RESPECT of others.