Unchurched Population Nears 100 Million in U.S.

Rufus_1611 · Mar 19, 2007

Unchurched Population
Nears 100 Million in the U.S.

(Ventura, CA) - Life in America has changed greatly since 1994, with massive changes in technology, global politics, lifestyle choices and family dynamics. But one constant has been the proportion of adults in the population who are unchurched. During that period there have been noteworthy shifts in religious behavior, but the percentage of adults who have steered clear of churches for at least the past six months has remained stable since 1994.

A new survey released by The Barna Group, which has been tracking America’s religious behavior and beliefs since 1984, reveals that one out of every three adults (33%) is classified as unchurched - meaning they have not attended a religious service of any type during the past six months. While that figure is considerably higher than the one out of five who qualified as unchurched in the early Nineties, it is statistically unchanged since 36% were recorded as having avoided religious services in the company’s 1994 study.

Some population segments are notorious church avoiders. For instance, 47% of political liberals are unchurched, more than twice the percentage found among political conservatives (19%). African Americans were less likely to be unchurched (25%) than were whites (32%) or Hispanics (34%). Asians, however, doubled the national average: 63% were unchurched! Single adults continued a historic pattern of being more likely than married adults to stay away from religious services (37% versus 29%, respectively).
Click to expand...

Massive Numbers

When these statistics are projected across the aggregate adult population, the numbers are staggering. An estimated 73 million adults are presently unchurched. When teens and children are added, the total swells to roughly 100 million Americans.

To put that figure in context, if the unchurched population of the United States were a nation of its own, that group would be the eleventh most populated nation on earth (trailing only China, India, the churched portion of the United States, Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Russia, Japan and Mexico).

Included among the unchurched is an estimated 13 to 15 million born again adults and children.
Click to expand...

It would seem that one of our larger mission fields may be in our back yards.

Pastor Larry · Mar 19, 2007

The idea that going to church once every six months qualifies as "churched" is the most troubling thing here. Where is the discernment and maturity in the church if we accept that kind of thinking?

JFox1 · Mar 19, 2007

I'm the only one in my family who currently goes to church. One family member is of another religion, another isn't interested in church, one used to go to church but quit, and one doesn't go to church for fear of getting involved in "church politics." :BangHead:

2 Timothy2:1-4 · Mar 19, 2007

I believe that not only America but American evangelical churches are in more need of God than any other place on earth.

guitarpreacher · Mar 20, 2007

I think his numbers are way off. Maybe it depends on the definition of unchurched, but we have done demographic studies of our community show that on any given Sunday only about 10% of the population attends a worship service. And that's based on the attendance reported by the churches, and we all know that's never been exagerated, right ??

Unchurched Population Nears 100 Million in U.S.

Rufus_1611 New Member

Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
Site Supporter

JFox1 New Member

2 Timothy2:1-4 New Member

guitarpreacher New Member

Useful Searches

Unchurched Population Nears 100 Million in U.S.

Rufus_1611 New Member

Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b> Site Supporter

JFox1 New Member

2 Timothy2:1-4 New Member

guitarpreacher New Member

Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
Site Supporter