Why The Modern Church Feels Off
Church. It’s a controversial word.
For many, it evokes mixed feelings about curated environments that aim to inspire yet often fail to address deeper complexities. For others, it brings a pit in the stomach, a reminder of wounds inflicted in the name of faith. And for a growing majority, it’s just irrelevant, a relic of the past that seems disconnected from the realities of life.
The truth is, what is often labeled "church" is struggling. Barbara Bass’ research predicts the U.S. will join Europe as a “post-Christian” culture by 2040. Dr. Tom Wadsworth's research paints an even grimmer picture, with church attendance in the U.S. potentially reaching zero by 2047. That’s within our lifetime.
Why is this happening? The reasons are as diverse as the people leaving: disconnect with how humans actually learn, public scandals involving pastors, competing sports and school calendars, shallow friendships in the age of social media, declining birth rates, and evangelicalism’s messy entanglement with politics. Each of these reveals cracks in the institutional system, but they’re symptoms of a larger problem: a misunderstanding of what the Church is and was meant to be.
What Is the Church, Really?
The Church, as described in Scripture, is not a place or an event but a people. Flawed, everyday people who are learning to trust Jesus. It’s not somewhere we go; it’s who we are as those who live in the "body" of Christ (Eph 1:22).
When the Church (i.e., people) gathered, Scripture describes it as an ekklesia—a common term at the time for political, military, or civic meetings. It wasn’t a religious word; it was a word for gathering. In the early days of the Church, these gatherings happened in homes, around meals, and in unplanned spaces.
Stating "Jesus is Lord," instead of Caesar, was illegal. So Rome wasn’t granting building permits, they were handing out arrest warrants. Declaring "Jesus is the Messiah" clashed with Judaism, leaving no space for rented synagogues. This forced simplicity brought something needed instead: a Church marked by "unnamed friendships,” free to let grace be unconditional, faith unhurried, and growth unplanned.
The Struggle Within
When you examine the exodus from what has become church today, it’s easy to see why it’s so hard to find freedom in Jesus. The good news of God’s indiscriminate acceptance doesn’t sell to a world addicted to doing—and that’s a problem for an institutional system dependent on attracting new members. The tension grows when you consider the resources and energy required to sustain these systems. Weekly touchpoints, financial demands, and constant programming leave little room for the organic life of grace.
Questioning these systems often feels dangerous. To many, it sounds like rebellion. But with an honest look at what Jesus called us into, it’s not rebellion—it’s a return to the authentic way of Jesus, who spent His time in homes, around tables, and on the road with friends—offering relief to the weary, not another program to follow (Matt 28:19-20).
In short, in the name of “following Jesus,” we don’t need to chase after things He never did or told us to do. The real question isn’t, “How do we save a sinking church model?” but rather, “Why do we even want it in the first place?”
Rethinking Church
Don’t mishear me: I’m not saying what’s been labeled “church” today is wrong. I’m saying we’re free to let go of systems and structures that don't align with what Jesus or the early Church practiced.
Because here’s the thing: when we strip away the hype and busyness, the Church is breathtaking in its simplicity. It’s not about filling seats; it’s about filling hearts with the news of God’s scandalous grace for everyone, everywhere. It’s about stepping into unhurried, unbranded friendships where faith is experienced and shared. It’s about finding the freedom to be what Jesus always intended: a friend who offers relief.
That’s been our story. And I can tell you from experience: the Church isn’t dying—it’s finding its way back to the life of Jesus.
For more on how you can step into being the Church where you are, check out Part 3 in our Reimagine Faith series, and download a free copy of When Church is Friendship. Both can be accessed with your free account on the Larksite. Don’t have an account yet? Use the link below to get started.
Cheers!