Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
General Christian
Home and Religion
The Church: Why People Are Leaving the Building but Not God

The Church: Why People Are Leaving the Building but Not God

Last updated on: September 15, 2026 at 12:00 pm by Electi A Deo

0 Comments

The Church: Why People Are Leaving the Building but Not God 2026-09-14T05:25:05-04:00 Electi A Deo

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The church service in this picture represents what many people experience every week.

The church service in this picture represents what many people experience every week. Photo by Clive Thibela on Unsplash.

The Church

A Non-Negotiable Part of My Life?

The church is etched in the fabric of my life and many Christians’ lives. From attending Sunday morning worship services and Bible study to serving in various ministries, church attendance is non-negotiable.

That said, many who have a personal relationship with God are leaving the building but not forsaking Him. Why is this the case?

Below, I’ll reveal several reasons why people are walking away from church and the changes leaders can make to help congregants stay. But first, I’ll explain what the church is, how it functions, and what those who leave love about it.

What is the Church?

More than A Building for Sunday Service

What comes to mind when you hear the word church? For some, the church may be the place they attend weekly religious services. While this is true, the church is more than a building people visit week after week.

Scholars refer to the Greek word Ekklesia to highlight a group of called-out ones who assemble for the Lord’s purpose. The Lord’s purpose for his people is to be an assembly of born-again believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit.

As such, they exist for his glory under the direction of Scripture to fulfill the Great Commission. This commission instructs believers to follow three instructions

Make disciples.
Baptize new converts in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Teach believers to obey all of Jesus’ commands.

Dr. Elmer Towns claims only individuals who are saved, baptized, and wholly committed to obeying God’s word are considered the church.

Additionally, the church describes those who have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside them. After all, Acts 2:1-4 shows the New Testament Church manifest at Pentecost after the Spirit fills 120 souls in the Upper Room. The church’s birth fulfills Joel’s prophecy and Jesus’ promise before ascending to heaven.

Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will empower believers to be his witnesses throughout the ends of the earth.

How Does the Church Function?

This description is important because the church functions as a body with Jesus Christ as its head. Under Jesus Christ, this “body” functions as the universal church and local assembly. Thus, the universal church includes everyone who professes Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

For example, believers who attend worship services in Chicago and congregants who go to an assembly in Japan. Though they reside on different continents, they’re all a part of the universal church because of their shared faith in Jesus Christ.

The local assembly also includes saints who hope in Jesus for salvation and eternal life. However, local institutions only involve those who attend a specific congregation in one location. For instance, my local assembly includes congregants who attend Mt.Sinai Baptist Church in Washington, DC.

Despite these distinctions, both aspects of the church exist to fulfill the Great Commission until Christ returns for his bride. When Christ returns for his bride, he’ll be embracing the universal church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish.

The universal church becomes spotless as local assemblies help believers mature in their faith and repent of sinful lifestyles. Maturation happens as believers realize the spiritual gifts and the callings God places on their hearts.

These assets help the church function as one body with many members. To ensure the body functions properly, local assemblies and denominations appoint leaders who submit to Jesus Christ’s Lordship while overseeing various ministries. These leaders fulfill instrumental duties related to a denomination or church’s vision and mission. Leadership positions include

Administrators.
Bishops.
Deacons.
Ministry Leaders.
Pastors.
Sextons.
Teachers.
Worship leaders.

Why Should I Go to Church?

A Biblical Explanation

After defining what the church is and why it exists, it’s important to discuss why believers should go there regularly. The main reason is to obey God’s word.

Hebrews 10:25 instructs believers not to neglect meeting together, but to encourage one another as the Day of the Lord is coming soon.

Biblical scholars suggest this verse, along with Hebrews 10:24, shows believers have an obligation to meet regularly with other Christians to encourage and stir each other up to do good works.

Similarly, attending church regularly has practical benefits too. Gloria Murphy Carroll, author of Refine and an evangelist, says going to church has several benefits (2023, p. 43). These benefits include becoming one with a body of believers in

Care.
Fellowship with them and God.
Love.
Sharing the faith.

Additionally, she says the Body of Christ prepares Christians to live under the instruction of God’s word taught by preachers (2023, p. 44).

Why People Like Attending a Specific Congregation

Benefits like knowing how to live under the instruction of God’s word provide a solid argument for regular church attendance. That said, discussions about leaving the church are incomplete without mentioning what people like about their local assembly.

In 2021, Lisa Fields of Jude 3 Protect held a panel highlighting why four panelists have left the church. Before addressing this matter, she asks them what they love about the church. Their responses include factors like

A strong sense of community and family.
Being around people with similar views.
Food.
Friends.
Leadership privilege.
Traveling to different places for ministry.

By the same token, Pew Research Center adds to these responses, suggesting those who attend religious services at least twice a month do so to

Grow closer to God.
Give their kids a moral foundation.
Become a better person.
Find comfort in troubling times.
Listen to valuable sermons.
Participate in a faith-based community.
Continue their family’s religious traditions.
Adhere to their religious convictions.
Socialize and meet new people.
Make their family proud.

I agree with these reasons, as I love going to church because I like the family atmosphere at my local assembly. I also like visiting other congregations every so often to experience worship and preaching styles.

Why the Exodus?

Leaving the Church but Not God

While there’s a lot to love about attending church, several factors also cause people to leave. Panelists from the Jude 3 Project say they have left the church for the following reasons

An inability to engage in culture and help improve social issues.
An inability to help them develop professional skills, like starting a business.
Feeling like their identity is undervalued among congregants of another race and sexual orientation.
Legalistic tendencies.
Not allowed to ask certain questions or question procedures and traditions.
Sermons don’t align with personal beliefs.
Targeted preaching that throws shade at congregants
The stress of being a ministry leader.

The Pew Research Center 2018 survey mentions other reasons people don’t go to church. Participants who completed the survey provide the following data (many offer more than one response)

69% say health challenges cause a hindrance.
63% say there’s no church in their area.
58% can’t find a church that suits them.
56% practice faith in their own way.
48% don’t feel welcomed.
37% don’t like the sermons.
18% say they are no longer Christians.

I’m not surprised by this data because I’ve heard believers say these are the reasons they’ve changed churches. Similarly, health challenges prevent many elderly members from coming to my church as often as they’d like.

Changes the Church Can Make?

Thankfully, the church can make some changes to address many of these issues. For individuals with health or mobility challenges, churches can encourage them to watch services online.

They can also use platforms like Zoom so members can participate in Bible study and attend important meetings or conferences. Church deacons serve them communion, and others can contact them regularly.

This helps them feel loved and appreciated. Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Washington, DC, does a great job serving those with mobility issues in this way.

In addition to helping elderly members stay connected, churches can improve by being a safe place for younger generations. Dr. Rasool Berry says they can do this by giving them the freedom to ask questions openly or privately.

Whether it be about Christian doctrine, church traditions and protocols, or other religions, the freedom to ask questions will help them grow. If a leader doesn’t know the answer, this presents an opportunity for discipleship. This is because the leader and congregant can learn together.

Likewise, leaders can also learn by addressing issues like people not liking the sermons or feeling their identity isn’t valued. This can happen if the pastoral staff is willing to meet with different age demographics in the congregation.

These meetings allow leaders to hear how their teachings may be failing to connect faith with congregants’ racial and practical needs. Leaders can also assess their members’ spiritual maturity. Do their members dislike the sermons because they’re boring, or are they irritated by being challenged to grow?

More Adjustments?

Therefore, if the answer to the latter question is yes, then congregations must accept a harsh reality. Sometimes people reject the truth within sermons because they enjoy their sins. Unfortunately for those who love their sin, the church must uphold sound doctrine. Consequently, those who teach Scripture must discuss our transgressions in sermons.

This means they can condone transgressions like premarital sex, same sex relationships, gambling, drunkenness, and much more. That said, they could discuss them in a stern yet gracious manner that tugs at their hearts without devaluing their humanity.

When people go to a sanctuary where they’re being devalued, they will leave in search of appreciation. But when people feel valued, they’re more likely to return even when conviction makes them uncomfortable.

However, when people are uncomfortable because they don’t feel welcomed, that’s a problem. Churches can solve this problem by reminding congregants to be hospitable and treat others how they want to be treated.

Choosing to love others despite their appearance or differences will lead sinners to Christ and help the body be more unified.

Unfortunately, even with all these changes, some may not return to a traditional church setting. Realizing this reality, churches can host gatherings like home Bible studies or other events so people can stay connected and grow spiritually.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading the latest post from the Electi A Deo Experience! Feel free to leave a comment and share this article with someone you know. Be blessed and have a great day!

Home and Religion

Lisa Fields & the Jude 3 Project

The Great Commission

Previous Post

September 8, 2026

Will Anderson Jr., Texans DE: Places His Boast in God Alone