Christians leaving church - is that a problem?

“The Great Dechurching – 2024” reported that forty million Christians in USA stopped going to church in the preceding twenty years or so. From research some reasons people stopped attending church were, loss of trust in religious institutions, that church feels irrelevant to modern life, the perception that faith does not require church, and a lack of community connection.

Top reasons why people do attend church: worship of God, spiritual growth, sense of community, and moral guidance. Internationally researchers observe that community is the strongest factor affecting attendance.

The rapid growth of early Christianity followed the pattern seen in the first few chapters of Acts: meeting in private homes, shared meals, strong mutual support, care for widows, orphans, and the poor. The Greek term most used for gatherings was ekklesia meaning an assembly or gathering of people rather than an institution or building.

Early communities were characterized by:     -           Later Christianity often developed:

• small gatherings                                  -                large institutions
• shared resources                                 -                formal hierarchies
• strong personal relationships         -               state involvement after Constantine

Constantine’s legalization of Christianity did not enhance Christianity but led to its institutionalization. Church is not a biblical institution. The ekklesia of Acts was an egalitarian gathering of believers. There was no rigid prescription for gatherings; they were meant for encouragement and support for one another.

The 66 books of scripture were all written during the period of the first covenant. The destruction of the temple circa 70 CE brought an end to the Jewish era. The period beginning with John the Baptist was the “last days” or “end times” the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem was the final event that ended God’s relationship with Israel. The nation of Israel no longer had a special relationship with God; Jews were thrown back into the melting pot of humanity.

From the death of Jesus believers had access to benefits of the new covenant, Jews however, were still obligated to the law. Gentiles were expected conform to certain life-laws, but not the Jewish law. The temple’s destruction made way for the second covenant to be of full effect. The new covenant is not like the Sinai covenant, not exclusively Jewish, but universal. The new covenant is not legalistic and ceremonial, but spiritual. The new law was not written on stone but written on the human heart. The relationship with God would not be based on physical lineage but through grace. God did not revoke his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it endures forever, not in material form but spiritual and eternal.

A better understanding of ekklesia:

Starting with the verses that compel church attendance –

…not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we wilfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Heb 10:25, 26 

The general and erroneous interpretation is “if you don’t go to church, you are wilfully sinning…” Not everyone believes that, but in the past a surprising number of preachers used that interpretation.

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we wilfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgement, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy 'on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace? Heb 10:23-29

This more inclusive pericope conveys an accurate and spiritual meaning:

Verse 23 states the core objective:

Everything that follows supports maintaining the confession.

Hold fast the confession (v23) – Encourage each other (v24) – Do not abandon assembling (v25) – Because the day approaches (v25)

Verse 26 begins the warning:

It starts with a Greek connector (γάρ) which means for or because.

The logical line is:

A  Hold firmly to the confession of hope (23)

B  Encourage one another (24)

C  Continue assembling together (25)

D  Because the day approaches (25)

E  For deliberate rejection results in judgment (26–29)

Key points:

The author is not merely emphasizing attendance at gatherings.

The emphasis is:

·         steadfast faith

·         mutual encouragement

·         community support

·         in view of an approaching κρίσις (judgment)

The gathering is vital to maintaining the confession of hope.

Verse 25 – The word “assembling” translates a rarely used Greek word ἐπισυναγωγή closely related to the word συναγωγή, and its usage which reflects Jewish gathering language rather than church terminology. The only other reference is 2Thes 2:1 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him…

The Greek word for assembly is found once in Hebrews.

Hebrews 12:22–23 (Greek Literal Translation)

But you have come to Mount Zion,

and to the city of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem,

and to myriads of angels,

a festive gathering,

and to the assembly of firstborn ones

who have been enrolled in heaven.

Mount Zion > City of the living God > Heavenly Jerusalem > Myriads of angels > Festal assembly > Assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven – All of these are heavenly realities, not earthly gatherings.

Throughout Hebrews the focus is heavenly rather than institutional, here the author is describing a heavenly covenant community.

The author emphasizes:

·        heavenly sanctuary

·        heavenly priesthood

·        heavenly Jerusalem

·     heavenly assembly

rather than earthly religious structures.

Logical Flow:

Mount Sinai (old covenant) > fear and distance > Mount Zion (new covenant) > heavenly city > angels > festal assembly > assembly of the firstborn > God the judge > Jesus mediator.

the only use of ἐκκλησία in Hebrews describes a heavenly reality, not a local congregation.

The letter therefore:

• rarely uses institutional language.

·         focuses on covenant, priesthood, and heavenly realities.

A key feature in Heb 12:23 is “to the assembly (ekklesia) of the firstborn ones who are enrolled in heaven.” Members of the assembly are registered, recognized, counted as heirs. Thus, the complete concept of ekklesia is – the heavenly assembly of covenant heirs whose names are officially recorded with God.

The author of Hebrews contrasts two covenant assemblies:

1. Sinai – Israel gathered before God in fear when the law was given.
2. Zion – the heavenly gathering of covenant heirs enrolled with God.

The imagery moves from earthly covenant gathering to heavenly covenant assembly centered on the mediator.

ἐκκλησία literally meant:

- an assembly

- a gathering of people called together

In classical Greek it referred to the citizen assembly of a city.

Matt 16                                                                                    and                                           Heb 12

future spiritual community                                                                        an approaching reality

Earthly assembly                                                                                            Heavenly assembly

The redeemed assembly                                                                             spiritual assembly

Keys of the kingdom                                                                                     Unshakeable kingdom

The word ἐκκλησία links the past to the future:

God’s assembly of Israel  Deu 9:10

Jesus’ my assembly                                     Matt 16:18

Heavenly assembly                                     Heb 12:23

The ekklesia is never an institution

Community	Identity	Institutions
Israel	assembly of YHWH	synagogues
Believers	assembly of Christ	local gatherings

 Originally: ἐκκλησία = people gathered

It did not mean:

• a building
• a denomination
• an institution

The shift toward those meanings developed gradually as Christianity moved from a Jewish messianic movement to a Roman-recognized religion.

The earliest assemblies met primarily in private homes.

Examples in the New Testament:

• Romans 16:5 — “the assembly in their house”
• Colossians 4:15 — “the assembly in Nympha’s house”
• Philemon 1:2 — “the assembly in your house”

These references show that the house was simply the meeting location, not the ekklesia itself.

Typical gatherings included:

• reading Scripture
• teaching
• communal meals 
• prayer

Several reasons explain why believers used private spaces.

1. The movement was small

Early groups were often 20–40 people.

2. Social structure

The Roman world already had a pattern of household associations and gatherings.

3. Lack of legal recognition

Before the fourth century Christianity had no legal status in the Roman Empire.

Kingdom and assembly:

When the original Greek and Hebrew terminology is examined, the kingdom and the assembly are not identical concepts, but they function as two complementary facets of the same covenant reality:

Concept     -     Describes

Kingdom    -     the reign of the king

Assembly   -     the people belonging to that reign

The two ideas naturally belong together. One describes authority, the other the people under that authority.

This relationship explains why early believers could describe themselves both as:

• citizens of the kingdom
• members of the assembly.

Both describe the same people from different perspectives:

But our citizenship is in heaven, Php 3:20 Moffat’s translation “we are a colony of heaven” which would have resonated with citizens of Philippi since it was a Roman city.

This states:

• believers presently belonged to the heavenly ekklesia
• Christ is the ruler of the ekklesia and kingdom

The kingdom language appears through citizenship terminology.

…you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, Eph 2:19 

From the original language framework:

§  Kingdom describes the rule of the king.

§  Citizenship describes membership in that rule.

§  Assembly (ekklesia) describes those citizens gathered together.

Believers are not waiting to be, citizens of the kingdom, children of God, or saved – they are!

ἐκκλησία in Classical Greek Cities

In the political life of Greek city-states, an ἐκκλησία was the official assembly of citizens.

A citizen had to be registered before he could participate in the assembly.

This is why the verb ἀπογράφω (to register) is significant in Hebrews 12:23. The passage says:

“…the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.” The language closely mirrors civic enrollment lists used in Greek cities.

Church a word, a concept, an institution foreign to scripture. From Pentecost to the destruction of the temple Jewish Christians were under the Mosaic law. The influence of the synagogue dictated practices of early believers as seen in Acts 6 with the distribution of food for widows. There was no reason to break from Judaism because the Messiah was the fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants.

For some decades, the followers of Jesus of Nazareth were a Jewish messianic movement within Judaism. The distinction emerged over roughly the first and second centuries CE. In the time Immediately after the death of Jesus believers were Jews and Gentile converts to Judaism.

Evidence in Acts shows that believers: worshiped at the temple, observed Jewish customs, were described as zealous for the law. They were viewed as a sect within Judaism, similar to other groups such as the Pharisees or Essenes. The Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish historian Josephus both reflect a world in which the Jesus movement existed within Judaism. The conversion of Cornelius the Centurion in Acts was viewed skeptically by Jewish hard-liners. The issue was resolved with the Gentiles not having to follow the law of Moses, but avoid blood, immorality, and some dietary restrictions to respect Jewish practices.

In 70 CE, the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. After this event temple-centered Judaism ended, Rabbinic Judaism began consolidating around Torah and synagogue life, and Jewish sects were forced to redefine themselves. The followers of Jesus, who recognized that the Messiah had come, increasingly stood apart.

Late First Century (80–100 CE) Many scholars believe that synagogue prayers began including a formula known as the Birkat haMinim, (“Blessing on the Heretics”) is a petition within the Jewish Amidah prayer that calls for the downfall of those considered enemies or sectarians. Introduced after the destruction of the Second Temple, it became one of the most discussed and historically sensitive parts of Jewish liturgy because of its perceived references to early Christians and other dissenting groups.

Second Century (100–150 CE)

By the early second century the separation became clearer. Christian writers such as Ignatius of Antioch and Justin Martyr describe Christianity as a distinct community. At the same time Rabbinic Judaism consolidated its identity after the war. Thus, two traditions increasingly developed along separate paths.

Roman authorities also began to distinguish between the two. Judaism was a recognized religion with certain legal protections. Christian groups were increasingly treated as a separate and sometimes illegal association, especially under emperors like Nero and later rulers.

Originally the followers of Jesus of Nazareth were: Jewish Torah-aware part of the wider Jewish world. Over the course of the first and second centuries, the movement gradually developed into a separate religious tradition as: Gentile membership expanded, Jewish institutions reorganized after the Temple’s destruction, theological differences hardened.

Back to the start, “The Great Dechurching”

Historians and sociologists of religion suggest that institutions will change, fragment, and decline, while the expression of faith by individuals will continue in different forms.

Christians Before Institution

In the earliest decades of the movement around Jesus, the communities described in the New Testament were primarily relational communities not institutions.

Characteristics included gatherings in homes, shared meals and teaching, loose leadership structures, identity centered on belonging to the kingdom of God. The word ἐκκλησία in its classical definition referred to the people of the heavenly ekklesia who were gathered – not to a formal organization.

Institutional Development

Over the next centuries, especially after the legalization of Christianity under Constantine and the Edict of Milan (313 CE), The Roman Church developed: hierarchical leadership, official doctrines. large public worship buildings, close relationships with political power. This created what historians often call institutional Christianity – the institutional church. Institutions can preserve tradition and provide stability, but they also tend to accumulate bureaucracy, political involvement, internal divisions, and will degrade over time.

Denominations

Beginning with the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, the Church fragmented into many denominations. Eventually producing thousands of independent groups, different theological systems, varying organizational structures. In recent decades institutional participation has declined in many places.

Contemporary Trends

Sociologists observe several modern patterns: declining institutional affiliation, growth of “spiritual but not religious” identities, smaller informal faith communities, emphasis on personal spirituality. This doesn’t mean that religious beliefs disappear; rather, its traditional form changes.

Theological Perspective

The death of the church is not calamitous it is natural; a return to what many see as core principles. Believers are realizing that they are God's children with a personal relationship with him. Buildings, rituals, and programs are giving way to a worshipful life based on what Jesus said were the greatest commandments: love God and love your neighbour. The author of Hebrews wrote, “provoke one another to love and good deeds.” Believers at that time were anticipating life changing terrifying events “the Day” of Joel’s prophecy (the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem). History recounts the horrific decimation of the foundations of Judaism. More than that, the destruction of the temple terminated God’s relationship with Israel; it did away with the Law of Moses, and repealed the first covenant. With the end of the Jewish era the new covenant became of full effect.

All that belonged to Israel, it’s land, it’s laws, it’s rituals and relationships – everything was removed. God fulfilled his promise to Abraham through Israel. The death of Jesus to the destruction of the temple was a period of gestation for the new covenant, the passing of the old gave way to the new. Nothing from Israel was transferred to the new covenant, not the laws, not the ceremonies, not the rituals, or anything. Israel was born of promise, located on earth, focused on law; it failed God and was rejected, but gave birth to the Redeemer.

Spiritual Israel does not have laws, rituals or an earthly location – physical Israel remains only in historical record. That history contains God’s interaction with people, principles and examples, but no rules or rituals bound on new covenant believers. Abraham is said to be the father of the faithful, and scripture says believers live by faith. Israel dissolved into the larger mass of humanity; its religion, its laws, its ceremonies, no longer exist. Faith in Jesus the son of God saves. Church, doctrines, and rituals do not contribute to being saved. Israel under God’s covenant were separate to the rest of the world. The worlds’ connection with God was always and only through faith. (Israel relationship, covenant, and law were in parentheses – not linear in history). Israel was separated from the rest of society by its exclusive covenant with God.

Thinking that church membership is required by God is the same as Jews believing after the destruction that they were still God’s chosen people; the same event severs both contracts.

Replicating New Testament Christianity or migrating to “orthodox” churches denies all aspects of the new covenant.

You would think that people might learn:

Moses sent 12 spies into the land of Canaan, 10 returned a bad report and the people refused to enter the Promised Land. God said that he would destroy the entire population, but Moses intervened and God said “none of the people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors;” “…the men who brought an unfavourable report about the land died by a plague before the Lord.” 

“…the people mourned greatly – they said they would “go up to the place that the LORD has promised,” Moses said, “Do not go up, for the LORD is not with you” But they presumed to go up… they were defeated.

Fourteen hundred years plus after that time Israel was subjugated and finally destroyed. The temple representing the presence of God for hundreds of years was destroyed, the City of God was destroyed. Unlike the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Babylonians there was no promised return for captives, only destruction. A new universal covenant was promised, a new temple, and a new relationship, but all ignored. Judaism again presumed to rise from the ashes, but no longer God’s nation – a stubborn human people pretending God’s acceptance.

“There is a way that seems to be right among people, but its final outcome comes into the depth of Hades” (Pro 16:25 LXX literal translation)