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Declining Church Attendance: Five Reasons Why Millennials Have Stopped Attending Church

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Declining Church Attendance: Five Reasons Why Millennials Have Stopped Attending Church Liberty University School of Divinity Declining Church Attendance: Five Reasons Why Millennials Have Stopped Attending Church A Thesis Project Submitted to the Faculty of Liberty University School of Divinity in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Ministry by Charles Sumpter Lynchburg, Virginia June 13, 2019 Copyright © 2019 by Charles Sumpter All rights reserved ABSTRACT Declining Church Attendance: Five Reasons Why Millennials Have Stopped Attending Church Charles E. Sumpter Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary 2019 Mentor: Dr. Malcolm Hester During the past decade, every denomination has recorded a decline in church attendance despite a continual increase in the US population. Research organizations including the Barna Group, Pew Research, and the Hartford Institute of Religion Research conducted an untold number of surveys providing statistics that ascertain reasons for declining church attendance and why people are leaving the church. Failure to address the issue of declining attendance will lead to more church failures and an increased number of people with no church affiliation. This research document will review data from the Barna Group, Pew Research, and the Hartford Institute of Religion Research that provides statistics to ascertain reasons for declining church attendance among Millennials. Surveys of Millennials, specifically the unchurched, will be conducted to outline reasons why they have stopped attending church. Finally, this research document will outline five top reasons for the decline in church attendance among Millennials and offer solutions that will help make the worship experience more palatable. Words: 164 Acknowledgements This research study is dedicated to the memory of my mother, Aline Sumpter. She never completed her primary education but made sacrifices to provide a nurturing caring and loving home for the family. Her sacrifices also allowed me to pursue my undergraduate and graduate- level education. Thank you, Mother; you will always be my inspiration. The motivation to address declining Millennial attendance in the church is directly attributable to my two daughters, Jasmine and Briana, and their apathy toward the traditional church worship experience. Although raised in the church, like many other young adults, they demonstrated indifference toward the traditional worship experience. My motivation for selecting this research topic was to understand why they had lost interest in God. What I found was that they still believed in God but needed a church that addressed issues relevant to their generation. I thank God that they have found such a church where they attend regularly. I am grateful to the Rawlings School of Divinity for allowing me to further my graduate- level studies. I offer a special tribute to Dr. Charlie Davidson and Dr. H. L. Willmington, who were inspirations to me during this journey. Further, I recognize my former pastor, Dr. M. L. Ford, who demonstrated that education is not antithetical to serving God and can enhance our knowledge of God. Further, I offer a special recognition to my grandmother, Pastor Betty H. Altmon, who taught me the power of faith in Jesus Christ. Additionally, a special thanks to my mentor, Dr. Hester, who continuously offered words of encouragement and advice during this journey. Finally, I am appreciative to my wife Lynn and our two daughters for their patience and understanding and yielding to my inclination to complete this graduate-level training. Thank you for your patience. Above all, I am grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who showered me with grace as I completed this assignment. He is the source of my passion for studying God's Word. It is only by his grace that I have persevered. Contents Figures............................................................................................................................................ ix Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................1 History of the Church ...........................................................................................................1 Decline in Attendance ..........................................................................................................1 Who are the Millennials? .....................................................................................................4 Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................5 Limitations ...........................................................................................................................8 Theoretical Basis for the Project ..........................................................................................8 Statement of Methodology ...................................................................................................9 Chapter Review ..................................................................................................................10 Literature Review ...............................................................................................................11 Books ......................................................................................................................11 Reports ...................................................................................................................21 Articles ...................................................................................................................23 Scriptures ...............................................................................................................26 Chapter 2: Meet the Millennials .................................................................................................30 Demographics ....................................................................................................................30 Contrasting of Generations ................................................................................................31 Social Economic Influences ...............................................................................................32 Shaping a Generation ............................................................................................32 Societal Diversity ...................................................................................................34 vi The Millennial Effect on Politics ...........................................................................36 Diversity in the Church ..........................................................................................36 Marriage, Family, and Church Attendance ...........................................................38 Why Millennials are the Most-Educated Generation ............................................44 The Millennial Perspective ................................................................................................47 Religion ..................................................................................................................47 Discipleship ............................................................................................................49 Secularization and the Rise of the Nones ...............................................................50 Theories Why Nones are on the Rise .................................................................................53 Generational Replacement .....................................................................................53 Political Backlash ..................................................................................................54 Delays in Marriage ................................................................................................55 Broad Social Disengagement .................................................................................56 Secularization ........................................................................................................56 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................57 Chapter 3: Millennial Survey .....................................................................................................59 Research Process ................................................................................................................59 Analysis of Millennial Survey Questions ..........................................................................60 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................81 Chapter 4: Reviewing and Analyzing Data ...............................................................................82 Millennial Demographics ...................................................................................................83 Does College Education Undermine Religion? .................................................................84 vii Religion and Belief in God ................................................................................................87 Relevancy of the Gospel ....................................................................................................90 Trust in the Church ............................................................................................................93 Trust in God .......................................................................................................................97
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