Encouraging the De-church at Work

03-20-25

Drew Narmour – Executive Director-YBL Jackson

I have some good news and some bad news. Let’s start with the bad news. The decline of religious activity in America is undeniable. The Great Dechurching, a book released last year, affirms this troubling trend. In the last 25 years, 40 million people have left the church—more than the number who came to faith during the First and Second Great Awakenings and the Billy Graham crusades combined (sec. 1.1).

Why is this happening? While there are many factors, for one large group that was studied, the answer can be boiled down to one word: belonging. When asked why they stopped attending church:

· 19% moved and didn’t find a new faith community.

· 14% didn’t experience much love from their church.

· 14% didn’t feel like they fit in.

· 13% fell out of the habit during COVID-19.

· 12% didn’t have friends attending with them.

· 13% felt uncomfortable due to family changes like divorce or remarriage.

But there’s good news. According to the authors, 60-70% of these individuals still hold many orthodox Christian beliefs, and 51% say they are open to coming back. What would it take?

· 28% said they’d return if they made new friends at church.

· 17% if they found a good community.

· 17% if a friend simply invited them.

As the authors put it, “The main takeaway here is that many dechurched evangelicals simply need a friend to invite them to church” (sec. 1.2).

I’ll be honest—I’ve talked myself out of inviting people before, wondering if it would make a difference or if I’d be imposing. But this study suggests otherwise. People are waiting for an invitation.

Now, think about where you spend most of your time during the week. For many of us, it’s at work—often more than we spend with church groups, friends, or even family. Workplace relationships can become some of the strongest we have, especially when we’re intentional about them. If you work in an office with ten people, chances are several of them fall into the category of being de-churched.

So what does this mean? It means these relationships matter. The small, everyday interactions matter. It means that the people around you may be more open to a conversation about faith than you realize. And the best place to start? Pray for opportunities. Pray for wisdom, boldness, and the right moment to extend an invitation.

Because that coworker you see every day… They just might be waiting for you to ask.