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Brian McLaren on the New Pew Study

Posted Feb 28, 01:08 AM | 2 comments | by Editor | Link

Brian McLaren has weighed in on the new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, which details “the religious affiliation of the American public and explores the shifts taking place in the U.S. religious landscape.”

Writing on the God’s Politics blog today, McLaren says, “Data is accumulating that business/ministry as usual is not a great strategy for most U.S. denominations and nondenominations. The new Pew study highlights the fluidity of commitment among the American people of faith, and it raises important questions for church leaders in at least three areas.”

The three areas McLaren outlines are:

• If congregations and denominations are not connecting with people’s questions, needs, and desires — people are moving on.


• People are dropping out of church altogether.


• Old categories are blurring and old identities are diversifying and fragmenting.

McLaren suggests, “The new data could challenge leaders to ask, not simply, ‘What do the customers want?’ but, ‘What does God want?’ ... and not just ‘What do members need from their church?’ but ‘What does the world need our churches to become, be, and do so that God’s will can be done on earth as it is in heaven?’”

Read the whole thing and post your thoughts on the Pew study and McLaren’s response in the comments.

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