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The early church prospered under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and men like the apostle Paul, who corresponded with another church leader named Titus, who had a specific mission. We can read these words in the book of Titus, chapter 1:
1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you...

Titus had a specific mission - to place things "in order" and to appoint spiritual leadership. In the early days of the Church, there was an accountability structure, and Paul highlighted the importance on several occasions about having the right leaders in place.  The Church at Crete had a reputation, but they were not beyond saving.  Every church congregation is composed of sinners, and we have to recognize that and boldly proclaim the remedy for sin and to have best practices in place to make sure that Christ is exalted and that the church walks in victory.

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Throughout the book of Acts and by reading the letters of the apostle Paul, among other, we gain a sense of the growth and challenges of the early Church.  A central focus was devotion to the Word of God. In Acts 17, we can read:
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds.

We are seeing turmoil occur in several of America's largest Christian denominations.  You could say that differences over doctrine are front and center, especially in the withdrawal of thousands of United Methodist churches over adherence to Scripture, specifically in the area of human sexuality.  As I see it, Southern Baptists are divided between those who believe there is a theological drift and those who don't.  Again, it seems that the devotion to the Word of God is a sticking point.

There is certainly a shift in people's religious practices, and professor and statistician Ryan Burge has some key observations. At the Graphs About Religion website, he writes:

Obviously, the rise of the Nones is the biggest story in American religion right now, but the second most important shift in the landscape is the unmistakable rise of the Nons. The only religious family that has grown over the last decade is non-denominational Protestant Christianity. There’s little reason to believe that their ascendance will slow at any point in the near future.

He goes on to say: "If the future of American society is a shift away from institutions, there’s no bigger beneficiary of this trend in the religion space than non-denominational evangelicalism."

He traces the rise of the number of Americans attending non-denominational Protestant churches, writing:

In 1972, less than 3% of all American adults indicated that they were non-denominational. That share has only risen from there. In the 1970s and 1980s, the growth rate was undoubtedly small. It took until 1996 for the share of Americans who were non-denominational to surge past five percent. But from that point forward that line has only gotten steeper.

They got to 7.5% of the population in 2004. They reached ten percent of the sample by 2012. The most recent data says that nearly thirteen percent of all adults in the United States are non-denominational Protestant Christians. There are more non-denominationals in the U.S. today than mainline Protestants.

Among Protestants, Burge cites a 2018 study showing that 22% of Protestants were non-denominational, while 10% were Southern Baptist, and 7.5% United Methodists.  He also noted that the 2020 survey, the Religion Census, showed 21 million+ non-denominational attendees, over 17.6 million Southern Baptists, and just over 8 million United Methodists. 

And, it's not just among younger people. Burge crunched some numbers and found: "about 15% of all religious adherents are non-denominational in counties where the median age is 30 years old. In counties where the median age in 60, about 18% of the adherents are non-denominational."

He believes that the decentralization of our culture has contributed to the rise of non-denominational Christianity, writing:

It’s not institutions that run the show, it’s individuals. Society has demolished the gatekeepers. Social media allows anyone with an internet connection to build a following in the tens of thousands in mere days.

Denominations used to absolutely dominate American religion. The leaders of the United Methodists, the Episcopalians, and the Evangelical Lutherans got to decide who could become a pastor and where they would be shepherding a flock. Now, a handful of non-denominational churches are started every weekend in the United States, completely from the grassroots.

There are tremendous benefits to this new approach to religion. There are also very real downsides. One thing is clear to me: non-denominational churches are only going to increase in the years to come. What I cannot fully predict is the long-term impact they will have on American society and American religion.

As Burge points out, the denominational structure has benefits - but when the denomination moves away from the rank-and-file in individual churches, then those congregations have to make the difficult decision whether or not to remain affiliated.  It sets up somewhat of a conference realignment, ostensibly for different reasons, but church congregations have to decide on who they wish to affiliate with or associate with.  

With a decentralized mindset that is apparently present, people are examining their options.  Whether denominational or non-denominational, a critical component of a church is its devotion to the Word of God.  And, there should be a sense of community and Biblical accountability for the leadership. You even find large non-denominational churches have banded together. Because, quite frankly - we need one another.  Alliances make us stronger, and can provide us with the accountability that is so needed in the Church today.  

Bottom line - church attendance and church membership have their benefits.  We need to be plugged in and accountable to a body of believers.  And, we have to make sure that the Word of God is paramount in the operation of a church.  When the Word ceases to be at the center of the mission of a congregation, then we have to evaluate if God is perhaps directing us elsewhere.  The lure of the world is strong and exercises somewhat of a magnetic pull on churches today - we need to pray for our churches, our pastors, and church leadership, that they would resist that pull and be more joined to Jesus than ever.   Now is a good time to be thinking about how you and your church will observe Pastor and Staff Appreciation Month in October, a time where there is a special emphasis made on recognizing and affirming those who serve in leadership in our congregations.   Faith Radio will be offering special ways in which you can do that.  Watch our website for more information.