The Protestant Minority in America: What Shall We Do?

The Pew Forum

I read with great interest the report this week from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life stating, that for the first time since researchers began tracking the religious identity of Americans, they found that fewer than half of those polled said that they were Protestant. This represents a steep decline from 40 years ago when two thirds of American society claimed allegiance to the faith. You can read an Executive Summary of the report here.

This news comes as absolutely no surprise to me for I have written about the rise of the “Nones” over three years ago now in an article for my parish newsletter. “Nones” have become the second largest religious group in the nation. What researchers can tell us is that this group is largely left-leaning, tends to support a liberal agenda, affirm gay marriage and is passionately involved in environmental issues. This confirms what I found to be true in my own experience and what I wrote about in an August 2012 piece entitled: Entertaining Three Angels at an Irish Bar in Akron, Ohio. Click here to read more.

The New York Times reported this week that the “Pew report offers several theories to explain the rise of the religiously unaffiliated. One theory is that the young adults grew disillusioned with organized religion when evangelical Protestant and Catholic churches became so active in conservative political causes, like opposition to homosexuality and abortion.

“Another theory is that the shift merely reflects a broader trend away from social and community involvement, the phenomenon dubbed ‘bowling alone’ by Robert D. Putnam, a public policy professor at Harvard University.

“Another explanation is that the United States is simply following the trend toward secularization already seen in many economically developed countries, like Australia and Canada and some in Europe. The United States has always been the great exception to this secularizing trend, and it is not clear that Americans are necessarily moving toward the European model.” (New York Times, October 9, 2012)

What I found most interesting about the report is that the losses in the church were most significant among white Protestants and not as significant among black or minority Protestants. Over the course of the past five years, there has been relatively no change in, or losses to, the black or minority faith communities. It would be most interesting to have more detailed information as to why this is the case.

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Now that we folks in the Church have access to this impressive information, the question becomes what do we do with the findings?  Some will come to the conclusion that the "sky is falling" and the "end of the world" has begun. Others will continue to put their "heads in the sand" hoping beyond hope that all of the change currently under way in our culture and in the Church will disappear. Others will spend most of their time “fumbling around” trying to find news ways to proclaim ancient truths to which Diana Butler Bass believes is “a good thing” (I strongly disagree with her). I would urge caution to the first group; courage for the second; and challenge for the third.

As Christians, what we have in this report is an opportunity to not only engage the world in the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ but also a chance to seriously and honestly converse with one another about what is happening in our own communities of faith. There truly is no time for a lot of ‘navel gazing’ or establishing a committee to study the findings. This report is a call to arms. What must we do?



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First and foremost, leaders need to lead. What is all too apparent in so many churches today is that there are few leaders who have the conviction and nerve to stand up and boldly point the way to “green pasture.” Living out of fear, or the unwillingness to engage the fight, or trepidation that leading might cause ill for the fiscal bottom line, the leadership of the institution in many ways is in a state of paralysis. In a time of chaos, darkness, and uncertainty, there has never been a better moment, in my fifty years of life, for leaders of the faith to stand up and point others to the Light (John 1).

In order to engage this kind of leadership with integrity and conviction, it seems to me that the faith leaders of today need to spend more time on their knees listening to the voice of God and less time spent tracking “exit polling” or “hiding in the office.” What does God believe these numbers in this report represent? What does God want the Church to be and do in this time of amazing change and transformation? What does God desire for your congregation and what are you willing to risk in order to achieve that vision?

The example of leadership that I see unfolding for the Church future is a cross between an Alistair Begg and a Robert Marone. The first is the founding pastor of the Parkside Church in Bainbridge, Ohio and one of the finest biblical preachers I have ever heard. A man of great integrity and vulnerability, Alistair leads a faith community of over 10,000 members. What is impressive about his leadership is his constant challenge to the flock of engaging the Scriptures: of knowing the story, of understanding the text.

Perhaps the most serious problem plaguing the institutional church is that we are filled to overflowing with a bunch of biblical illiterates, thinking that this is somehow okay and should be tolerated. Simply put - it is completely unacceptable. Until the flock is once again nourished, engrossed, and, most importantly, transformed by the Word, we will continue to witness the death of the institution.

Robert Marone is also a brilliant preacher. But he brings to leadership an embracing style of welcome at the Community of Saint Peter’s in Cleveland. In addition, the liturgy at Saint Peter’s is second to none. There is an excellence, an expectation, a sense of the holy all done in a open space located in a renovated warehouse on Cleveland's Eastside. This breakaway Roman Catholic community is on the forefront of ecclesiastical renewal embracing the ancient truths in contemporary ways that nourish, encourage, and challenge the seeker to live out their faith.

Second, I believe that leadership for the future church will mean an end to “professional” clergy. More and more I believe this is a good thing. I have learned so much than I ever imagined about church and ministry over the course of this imposed exile. Being out in the greater community, engaging people on their turf and in their place of business has offered a perspective that was missing from my ministry. We clergy spend way too much time in the office, waiting for the phone to ring, hoping to rescue someone, with that narcissistic desire of wanting to be needed. Too many of us have taken on the role of CEO’s (which we were not schooled for or had the gifts for) and which was never the reason for embracing the call of God in the first place.

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Leaders need to be out in the world – listening, engaging, learning, exploring, and discovering new areas of “green pasture” for the flock. This work is 24/7 which for many of the current “professional” clergy will be an anathema: for their work ethic (for many – not all), lacks any source of immediacy or urgency. There is little time for rest in this vocation and that is simply the reality of the job. Like a good farmer, the flock is always in need, there is mending of fencing, cleaning of stalls, the seeking of new land in which to graze the flock, protecting the herd from evil and harm, and finally being able to generate the best sheep possible who will in turn reproduce more and more sheep.

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While this has been one of the most challenging years of my life, the last eighteen months have been the most blessed as I have discovered that there are myriads of myriads of folks seeking spiritual nourishment and comfort who have no connection to the institutional church. While many are extremely hesitant to walk into an established church (for good reason, I might add), they are more than willing, dare I say eager, to engage in conversation about spiritual issues and longings. I have met them on their plane of existence, listened to them compassionately, have established trust, and when I felt the moment was right, I simply offered to them the same invitation shared many years ago in Galilee: “Come and see.” If those seeking will not come to the Church, then the true leaders must go to them finding the lost, comforting the afflicted, engaging the seeker - embracing the questions with loving integrity, and proclaiming that the Kingdom of God and abundant life are available to anyone this very day.

There is much more to say about the findings in the Pew report. I am not convinced these facts and figures mean that the Church needs to recreate the basic foundations of the faith. Instead, this important information sheds light on the ever growing need of all Christians to reclaim the great commission and live out the principals of our faith with authenticity and integrity each and every day. This renewal begins with the witness of our leaders.

I have gone on long enough for today, dear reader. With gratitude to you for joining me on the journey.

Love One Another - Brian