Why Showing Up—and Opening Up—Matter for Formation

The Church has a problem. People grow spiritually only if they share openly about their faith. But according to recent research, most Christians feel their spiritual life is entirely private. The result? Formation stagnation. Even worse, these close-mouthed friends consider spiritual progress less important than their non-private peers do. ⁱ

Could more church-going lead to increased openness? A recent study shows that regular church attendance helps people emotionally. Going to worship weekly boosts positive emotions (gratitude, joy, and satisfaction) and stifles negative ones (anxiety and depression). People who don’t consistently participate in services don’t receive this benefit.

Unfortunately, recent survey results indicate that only a third of U.S. adults attend religious services in person at least once a month. Even fewer (a quarter) report going weekly. The local church has enormous formative potential. But Christian fellowships can’t disciple people who either don’t fess up or don’t show up. ⁱⁱ

i.   How ironic that for centuries the Church’s most powerful threat was exclusion–‘excommunication’. Now, in unprecedented numbers, people are ‘excommunicating’ themselves.

ii.   Increasing numbers of folks (this is based purely on anecdotal data) are stopping involvement from church because they feel like they’re ‘not getting anything out of it.’ But it is a spiritual law–like dying in order to live, or being first by being last–that ‘we get out of it’ what we put into it. What I ‘get out of church’ is mostly a function of what I ‘put into church.’