Others, though, experienced genuine pain that led them to lose hope in the institution of the church or the Christian faith altogether. The list of these points of trauma and frustration is long, but it includes spiritual and physical abuse in the church, hypocrisy among church members and leaders, sexual ethics, political syncretism, political disagreement, suffering, racism, bigotry, and a perceived lack of relevance or real answers to the world’s problems. Some in this group are victims of pastoral malpractice, and some are victims of the draw of the world and the flesh. We call this group the dechurched casualties.
The Great DeChurching, 57
The Great DeChurching is filled with interesting statistics and insights. And, yes, the above does describe me to some degree. But I think the above misses a group of people who are dechurched: those who separate themselves from the institution as a theological conviction.
Jesus alone means Jesus alone. Not Jesus PLUS institutional attendance and commitment. There are institutions full of people who are completely committed to a good cause but that does not mean the institution, or the leadership, is good. And, for me, the jump from people gathering in Jesus’ name and claiming to be the “Body of Christ” is too much.
For me, the confusion of sanctification with justification is part of the very foundation of the institution – the institution needs something to justify itself. So “Christendom is confused with Jesus”.
I might write more on this later. Who knows!?
a fool and his prayer book 