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As a Christian, have you ever wondered why attending a church is so important? Going to church is essential for those who claim to be followers of Jesus because scripture teaches it is important for Christians to gather together to eat, worship, pray, and otherwise engage their faith as a community rather than simply as individuals (e.g, Acts 2:42, 46; Heb 3:13; 10:24–25). Going to church is about a whole lot more than just showing up to a building to listen to music and hear a spiritual TED Talk.
Gathering together with other believers is a means by which we carry out the “one another” commands of the scriptures (e.g., John 13:34, Rom 12:16, Gal 5:13) and demonstrate the love of Christ to all. This is why an important Christian characteristic is for us to “go to church.”
Of course, if someone doesn’t believe in Jesus or the existence of the Christian God, they aren’t going to want to attend a church worship gathering in the same way a Christian wouldn’t be interested in attending a Buddhist temple or Muslim mosque. That’s one sensible reason we have unchurched people in our communities—because we have plenty of unbelievers.
Beyond unbelievers there are also plenty of people who would claim to be Christians who also would qualify as “unchurched” as they never, or rarely, attend church services.
Though different kinds of people are technically “unchurched”—including Christians who don’t attend church. The typical understanding of an “unchurched” population represents a wide variety of people with differing views on religion, including atheists, agnostics, secular individuals, and those who might have spiritual beliefs but choose not to be affiliated with any specific religious group.
Because of their views, unchurched people are often not connected to any institutionalized religion. It is important to note that this non-religious population can be quite diverse in terms of their beliefs, practices, and reasons for not participating in organized religion.
We’ll dive into this a bit more deeply below, but it is important to note that unchurched people are not necessarily anti-religion and are oftentimes quite spiritual themselves, even if they never attend a Christian church or religious gathering of any kind.
Why is it important for followers of Jesus to reach people who are unchurched? Perhaps most literally, it is important for Christians to reach unchurched people because we’re commanded to do so in the Great Commission, which says,
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matt 28:19–20).
Beyond our responsibility to fulfill that primary command we have been given, reaching unchurched people in our communities is important because the gospel is true, its implications are beautiful, and inviting more people into our local church families is the most direct way we can expose people to the beauty and truth of the gospel.
These days, especially in America, it is a lot less culturally advantageous to be a part of a church or religious gathering of any kind. In fact, in many communities, being a part of a religious gathering could earn you more distrust than trust. Until the late 20th century in the United States, it was quite the opposite—being a part of a religious group and gathering (most commonly Christian) often earned you more trust and favorable public standing in your community.
It is no wonder, then, that the unchurched population is growing, especially in the United States.
According to a recent Pew Research study, “religiously unaffiliated Americans are projected to approach or exceed Christians in number by 2070.” In other words, the number of people identifying as “non-religious”—or “unchurched”— is growing much more quickly than those who identify as Christians.
Historically, as missiologists, statisticians, and Christian leaders have reviewed data that shows these troubling trends of increasing unbelief, many have assumed that this is a youth phenomenon. To be fair, there is some validity to that assumption. But Pew notes that this trend is far from exclusive to young people. They write in the summary of the study linked above:
…since the rise of the “nones” began in the 1990s, a pattern has emerged in which a measurable share of adults ages 30 to 65 also disaffiliate from Christianity. The Center’s analysis of U.S. and international data indicates that modest levels of disaffiliation among older adults could be a stage that Christian-majority countries go through when Christian identity stops being widely taken for granted…
Further, Pew notes that it would be inaccurate to say that this is some kind of massive cultural swing from fervent Christian belief to fervent atheism or even agnosticism. They explain in that same article, “Meanwhile, religiously unaffiliated Americans today are not uniformly non-believing or non-practicing. Many religious ‘nones’ partake in traditional religious practices despite their lack of religious identity, including a solid majority who believe in some kind of higher power or spiritual force.”
This insight leads us to our next consideration of the level of spirituality among the unchurched.
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Barna Research found that 80% of Americans believe in a spiritual or supernatural dimension, and 44% are “more open to God today than before the pandemic.” This aligns with insights from the Pew Research Center—a waning interest in religious gatherings or other acts of religiosity doesn’t necessarily mean a waning interest in spiritual matters.
The sort of “faith mantra” of many Americans today, especially (but not exclusively) young Americans, is “spiritual but not religious.” This phenomenon has been documented for well over a decade at this point, and it is only increasing in intensity.
The good news is that there are many people open to hearing about the gospel, similar to when Jesus was ministering here on earth:
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:35–38
Reaching and connecting with unchurched or non-religious people can be an important challenge for churches seeking to expand their impact. Here are five unique methods that churches can use to reach and connect with their unchurched neighbors:
Create community-focused programs that address local needs. For example, organize volunteer efforts, support local charities, or host events like neighborhood clean-ups or food drives. By demonstrating a passion to make a positive impact in the community, your church can help build trust and open doors to conversations about faith.
Churches can provide a wealth of learning opportunities and other such events that would be appealing to the broader community regardless of what those in the broader community believe or don’t believe. Historically, churches have provided financial workshops, marriage help, and other such events that would be helpful for people who don’t necessarily share the Christian faith of the church hosting them.
Imagine the unchurched young couples who could be served by a marriage class or a budgeting and financial planning workshop hosted at your church. Of course such a workshop could have some Christian elements, but if it is more practical, unchurched people could be helped by such an event. Events like these can go a long way toward helping people warm up to churches and Christians.
Online tools like social media can be used for both good and bad. Churches can reach people online to share relevant and inspirational content that resonates with a diverse audience. By encouraging transparent online conversations on social media, non-religious individuals can freely ask their questions and explore their curiosities about faith in a safe environment. This can help your church better connect with unchurched individuals on a personal level, and will hopefully lead those engaging online to participate in offline ministry opportunities your church provides.
College-aged students are often open to exploring and questioning their religious beliefs. A college ministry can provide a safe and supportive space for students to explore questions about faith, spirituality, and the meaning of life. Create an environment where students feel safe to ask questions, express doubts, and engage in thoughtful discussions.
A well-structured college ministry can also create a supportive community where students can build meaningful relationships, receive emotional support, and find a sense of purpose.
One underutilized method of reaching unchurched people is through the use of creative arts, such as music, theater, visual arts, or storytelling, as a form of outreach. Organize cultural events, art exhibitions, or music concerts that explore spiritual themes in a non-religious context. These events can attract individuals who may not attend traditional religious services but are interested in exploring deeper questions of life.
It’s important to remember that building connections with unchurched or non-religious people should be rooted in genuine care, empathy, and respect for their beliefs and perspectives. To create deeper connections, avoid rough or judgmental approaches, and focus on building relationships.
It is easy to get caught up in analyzing the culture and our specific communities, considering the characteristics of being a “worldly person” versus the characteristics of being “born again,” but it is important for Christians to remember that we are called to love others with the sacrificial, gracious love we have been shown in the person of Jesus Christ. The unchurched need a savior just as much as you do, no more and no less.
One way to provide opportunities for individuals to explore their spirituality and faith at their own pace is by creating a welcoming online environment they can access on their mobile devices, computers, and smart TVs.
Over 17,000 churches and organizations partner with Subsplash to share gospel content through beautiful church websites and customizable church apps. You can engage the unchurched by live streaming your church services, creating a searchable on-demand sermon library, having group chats, sharing church events, promoting small groups, and so much more—all on one platform!
To discover how your church can reach more people with Subsplash,[.blog-contact-cta] schedule your free demo today and learn more![.blog-contact-cta]
