CHURCH REFUGEES – the book.
“The DONES” – a phenomenon.
The Problem
There are lots of folks going out the back door of the church.
They’ve worked tirelessly and contributed sacrificially. Yet, in order to preserve their faith and spiritual vitality, they are intentionally and deliberately leaving the institutional church. In so doing, they’ve become refugees – church refugees.
That’s the premise of a new book entitled, Church Refugees: Sociologists Reveal Why People are Done with the Church but Not Their Faith, by Josh Packard, Ph.D. and Ashleigh Hope (published by Group Publishing, June 2015.) It is a powerful and unsettling analysis of information obtained by interviewing hundreds of people who have fled the church. Packard calls them “The Dones.”™
They’re done with church. They’re tired and fed up with church. They’re dissatisfied with the structure, social message, and politics of the institutional church, and they’ve decided they and their spiritual lives are better lived outside of organized religion….As one respondent put it, ‘I guess the church just sort of churched the church out of me.’ (pg. 14)
Many Boomers are DONE
While respondents represent all age groups, the majority of the stories shared in the book are those of people in midlife or older. They have served long and faithfully in the church. They have listened to sermons, memorized Scripture, taught Sunday School, set up chairs, greeted visitors – and served in multiple ways. Now they feel, according to Packard’s research, that “the church is stifling their ability to live out their faith with each other and their community.”
And so, they are done. They are leaving the institutional church and not going back. They are not burned out. In fact, Packard says, they are leaving to do more, not less. They are starting non-profit organizations to meet human needs. They are traveling internationally to do relief work. They are following their passions to serve God in their families, in their communities and around the globe.
They simply want the opportunity to live their faith without the bureaucracy of the church.
The Authors Suggest Strategies to Encourage Re-Engagement
What would it take to keep “Dones” engaged in their churches? In a recent interview, Dr. Packard identified their four “wants” and disappointments:
- They wanted community–and received only judgment.
- They wanted to affect the life of the church–and found only bureaucracy.
- They wanted a conversation–and got only lectures.
- They wanted meaningful engagement with the world–and got only moral prescription.
Taking a step outside their role as researchers, the authors offer strategies for church leaders. They “put together findings to point out some unifying principles that could work to keep people engaged with church in the first place and re-engage the de-churched.” (pg. 113)
> Invite participation – create community – eliminate judgementalism.
> Undermine bureaucracy,
> Be truly relational, and
> Impact the community.
They go on to acknowledge,
Churches wanting to re-engage the DONES should recognize that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to get them back to church as it’s currently structured. But the church can go to them……
This cannot be done with a shadow mission in mind. Simply walking alongside the de-churched as they try to figure out life outside of the church can be powerful. (pg 134)
Is re-engagement the goal?
We have seen countless Boomers come to a similar conclusions as those interviewed in this study. Some have moved on to try other congregations while others have decided to join the ranks of “The Dones.” They have left the building and are finding their purpose outside of the church!
The authors do clarify: “The message of this book is not that people have left the church and aren’t coming back. Instead, the vast majority of our respondents were either actively looking for the right circumstances to reengage with a church, creating a new church paradigm themselves, or at least open to the idea that something could come along. “ (pg. 112)
But, what IF those who are DONE with the church are exactly the ones God is using to meet the needs of people in communities and the world through entrepreneurial efforts, ministries, businesses?
Rather than seeking to woo “The Dones” back into the church, can we release them, bless them, and yes, even equip them to do that for which they are called in this season of life?
Refugees create new cultures in new lands. They bring fresh ideas and diversity to their new homes. The Dones can do the same. People who have left the church and those who are at risk of leaving can be the source of new life and a bridge to new and emerging cultures in their communities. They can be seen as courageous entrepreneurs willing to put their faith into action with or without the church. They had the guts to follow the call of God as they understood it even when it led them away from the safety and comfort that the institution provides. Following their lead could result in a rebirth of the centrality of the congregation to community life in America. (p. 136-137)
A Movement of “Dones”
The exodus of people from the church concerns pastors and church leaders alike. But, what if we could release the energy, passion, conviction and faith of “The Dones” (and the near-Dones)? What if the church invested in their individual lives, their dreams, and their ideas?
We have developed and launched Re-Ignite for such a time as this. We believe God uniquely designed every individual for a purpose. Whether inside the institutional church or without, God will use all of us for his Kingdom sake.
We envision an army of “Dones” joining the ranks of those whose lives have been Re-Ignited with passion and purpose!
What do you think?
Do you know a DONE?
Are you one?
If so, what are you doing to find and fulfill your purpose in life?
Let us hear from you! Comment below or contact us.
More discussion to come! Follow our blog at www.Re-Ignite.net
The Book: Church Refugees: Sociologists Reveal Why People Are Done With Church but Not Their Faith, by Josh Packard Ph.D. and Ashleigh Hope. Group Publishers. 2015 (Available on Amazon.com or Group.com)
Review and commentary written by Richard and Leona Bergstrom
Copyright ChurchHealth 2015
graphic by CanStock photo
photo by iStock photo
