Why Are Churchgoers Disenchanted With Your Church?

Of the churchgoers who left the church for a reason other than a residential move, 1 in 4 (26%) simply became disenchanted with the church.

By Marissa Postell Sullivan

Each year, pastors watch as some regular churchgoers leave their church. Most leave because they’re making a residential move (60%). But some are leaving for a church across town (40%).

Of the churchgoers who left the church for a reason other than a residential move, most say they changed churches because of changes at the church they did not like (29%) or because the church was not fulfilling their needs or reasons for attending (29%). But 1 in 4 (26%) simply became disenchanted with the church.

Those with a bachelor’s (34%) or graduate degree (35%) are more likely than those who are high school graduates or less (19%) or have some college (18%) to say they left their church because they became disenchanted with it.

Additionally, those who’ve been attending their current church for 10 years or more are the least likely to say they left their previous church because of disenchantment with it. Regardless of whether their opinions about their previous church are accurate, churchgoers’ perceptions of their churches can give pastors insights into why some may be leaving their congregation.

Congregational disenchantment

The 26% who left their previous church because they became disenchanted with their church have a variety of complaints. Around 3 in 10 said they became disenchanted with their church because the church members were judgmental of others (32%), the church members seemed hypocritical (30%), the church didn’t really seem to be a place in which God was at work (29%), and the church settled for mediocrity (29%). And 1 in 4 (26%) said they felt the church was run by a clique that discouraged others from getting involved.

Fewer pointed to other reasons for disenchantment with the church, including:

• The church members seemed insincere (23%) 
• The church had no clear purpose or vision (23%) 
• The church was unfriendly or unwelcoming (18%) 
• Their child had a bad experience (12%) 
• The church members lacked convictions about their beliefs (11%) 
• The church had too many expectations of their time and money (10%) 
• The church did not do enough to prevent sexual abuse or harassment (10%) 
• Other reasons (17%) 

Current church comparisons

Churchgoers are more likely to say they’ve found the things they were hoping for in their new church. Churchgoers who switched churches because they were disenchanted with their previous one are most likely to say the church members were judgmental, while others say the church was unfriendly or unwelcoming.

But among churchgoers who switched churches for any reason, most say their current church is more welcoming and friendly than their previous church (57%). Others complain that church members at their previous church seemed hypocritical or insincere, but most say the church members at their current church seem more authentic, real, and down-to-earth (57%).

Among churchgoers who switched churches for any reason, most say their current church is more welcoming and friendly than their previous church (57%). Share on X

Although some say they became disenchanted with their church because it didn’t seem to be a place where God was at work, most who switched churches say they see God at work in people’s lives more at their current church (57%).

Others left their previous church because they felt the church settled for mediocrity. But those who switched churches say their current church does things with excellence more than their previous church (55%).

Another common complaint among churchgoers was that their previous church was run by a clique that discouraged others from getting involved, but most say there is more unity among members at their current church (55%).

Some who became disenchanted with their previous church say it was because church members lacked convictions about their beliefs, but most who switched churches say their current church fosters more spiritual growth and maturity (56%).

Who sees what

Compared to their previous church, churchgoers ages 18-29 and 30-49 are among the most likely to say they see God at work in people’s lives more at their current church (63% and 64%), their current church is more welcoming and friendly (66% and 68%), and there is more unity among members at their current church (57% and 64%).

Those 30-49 are also among the most likely to say their current church does things with excellence more than their previous church (66%) and fosters spiritual growth and maturity more than their previous church (63%).

Some who became disenchanted with their previous church say it was because church members lacked convictions about their beliefs, but most who switched say their current church fosters more spiritual growth and maturity (56%). Share on X

African American and white churchgoers are among the most likely to say church members at their current church seem more authentic, real, and down-to-earth (60% and 59%) and that their current church does more to foster spiritual growth and maturity (62% and 55%) than their previous church.

Compared to their previous church, African American churchgoers are also among the most likely to say they see God at work in people’s lives more in their current church (63%), their church does more with excellence (63%), and there is more unity among members (58%).

Furthermore, Baptist and Restorationist movement churchgoers are among the most likely to say they see God at work more at their current church than their previous one (61% and 60%) and their current church does more with excellence (56% and 59%).

Baptist churchgoers are also among the most likely to say members at their current church seem more authentic compared to their previous church (57%). And Restorationist movement churchgoers are among the most likely to say there is more unity among members at their current church than at their previous one (59%).

Compared to their previous church, churchgoers with evangelical beliefs are more likely than those without such beliefs to say their current church fosters more spiritual growth and maturity (63% v. 48%), their current church does more with excellence (60% v. 49%), and there is more unity among members at their current church (59% v. 49%).

For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.