Why is everyone leaving the church?

Talk about a string of bad press! In addition to a write up in the Christian Science Monitor [The Coming Evangelical Collapse], a cover article of the Newsweek Magazine entitled "The End of Christian America," a more readable and short article popped up last week on ABC News entitled, "Young America Losing Their Religion."

While these articles aren't great news, I must be a bad pastor because the news of this supposed major decline of Western Christianity aren't really freaking me out. In fact, I'm as hopeful than ever before. Why? News like this has the potential to awaken a slumbering church and forces us to re-examine the question: "Who is the church and what is our mission?" In addition, it confirms to me that while folks might be turning away from institutional religion as we know, all of these articles point to my conviction that people are still very spiritual and looking and searching for a deeper understanding of life, truth, and meaning.

The institutional ‘C'hurch may be struggling but may not necessarily mean the body of Christ is struggling. Might even be the contrary. Think about this from a commenter:

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