Mikewww.pewforum.org). If you don’t recognize the Pew name, you will recognize their research. They are the organization that has done in-depth research documenting the rise of the “nones” (people who have no religious affiliation) in America. Our time with Greg was fascinating and eye-opening. The decrease in affiliation with organized religious groups isn’t a surprise to you. So what made this presentation so interesting? Here are three ideas that I’m continuing to ponder:
- More than half of the “nones” believe in God. This despite the fact that they say that they are not Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or any other form of religion.
- While they believe in God, they are not looking for a church. They are generally satisfied with their faith lives – or lack thereof – just as they are. If they’re not looking for us, then a great new worship experience or slick marketing isn’t going to attract them. The only viable strategy is to go to them.
- We will need different ways to assess ministry effectiveness in the future. You shouldn’t expect to see rapid growth in worship attendance if a church (or worship service) is focusing on the “nones.”
