Interview with Jonathan Teague, Sr. Associate Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church
Gallup reported in 2021 that church membership in the United States dropped below 50 percent. This is new for Americans, who have traditionally reported high rates of church membership and attendance.
Church membership isn’t just dropping because fewer people identify as religious now. Even among people who still identify with a religion, fewer are members of churches, synagogues and mosques.
“Pew researchers concluded that people who regularly participate in religious congregations tend to be happier and more civically engaged than their peers who are infrequent attendees or don’t identify with a religion at all.”
Carol Kuruvilla, Religion Reporter
HuffPost
This leads Know Why Podcast to ask the questions, does church attendance matter at all? For those who aren’t religious or church attenders—what’s missing? For those who are religious, why not worship at home?
On this episode, Liberty and Jonathan Teague, Sr. Associate Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, share research that highlights several benefits of attending a house of worship. Jonathan also shares more about what a Christian church community should look like according to the Bible.
Happier in Church?
From a research standpoint, there is significant evidence revealing that those who frequent the pews are better off — and not just in the United States:
“After analyzing data from over 20 countries, Pew researchers concluded that people who regularly participate in religious congregations tend to be happier and more civically engaged than their peers who are infrequent attendees or who don’t identify with a religion at all.”
“But,” Pew found, “the analysis finds comparatively little evidence that religious affiliation, by itself, is associated with a greater likelihood of personal happiness or civic involvement.”
The social aspect of attending religious services likely plays a big part. According to Pew, “those who frequently attend a house of worship may have more people they can rely on for information and help during both good and bad times.” T. M. Luhrmann wrote for The New York Times, “At the evangelical churches I’ve studied as an anthropologist, people really did seem to look out for one another.”
But as Pew noted:
“Although social activity seems to be a key driver of well-being among religiously active people, there is plenty of research to suggest that other factors play a role, too. Some researchers argue that virtues promoted by religion, such as compassion, forgiveness, and helping others, may improve happiness and even physical health if they are practiced by parishioners.”
Other revealed benefits of attending religious services include better sleep, reduced suicide risk, better relationship quality, and even better sexual satisfaction.
What Young Adults Want
The New York Times reported recently that with church attendance dropping in America, people are losing community that is important to humans’ health and wellbeing. That community isn’t getting replaced with secular activities, according to sociologists.
When Jonathan asks young adults what they hope to find in a church, here’s what he hears:
“More often than not, what they talk about is … being known, being loved, having a place where they can serve, having a place where they can find not only community, but identity, and finding a place where they have value and they get to participate in increasing value. And the good news is, the Scripture lends itself to all those things.”
“If you’re looking for—ideally—the friendliest, most loving, faithful place, you should find it in a church,” he added, noting that it’s up to Christians and ministers to keep those promises of what church is supposed to be according to Scripture.
And Christians often get it wrong. Jonathan notes that millennials and Gen Z don’t have a problem with the teachings of Jesus as much as they have a problem with Christians’ behavior. That’s why it’s up to Christians and ministers to keep the promises of what Christian community and churches is supposed to be.
“I think the majority of young adults, I think the majority of young millennials, they’re pretty cool with the ideas of Jesus, this whole idea of love and service and sacrifice and helping others and healing others.”
Jonathan Teague, Sr. Associate Pastor
Prestonwood Baptist Church
What Does the Bible Say?
Biblical churches should be faithful, built on truth, and have members that actually care for one another, Jonathan told Know Why. And while many people believe in God without attending religious services, the Bible emphasizes church membership as fundamental part of Christian life.
One pastor wrote the following about church attendance:
“Every letter in the New Testament assumes Christians are members of local churches. … They teach us how to get along with other members, how to encourage the weak within the church, how to conduct ourselves at church, and what to do with unrepentant sinners in the church. … All these things are impossible if you aren’t a member of a local church.”
In Christian teaching, believers in Jesus are considered members of his body. They are meant to live in unity, setting an example to the world with their love for one another.
Research seems to confirm what the Bible suggests—people miss out on a lot when they don’t go to church.
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