9 Trends Good and Bad in the Church – Part One
Born in the late ‘50s, I’ve seen my share of trends. Cars, clothes, and cultural icons, I’ve seen them all. And having lived in the French-speaking region of Europe, I’ve even seen fashion trends come to America. In their teen years, on those rare occasions when my daughters came to America, they were always studied and envied for the clothing they wore; friends and family knew they were seeing the next fashion trends.
The dictionary defines a trend as an inclination, current style, or general direction. A trend is not set in stone, but it is defining at the moment. Just as it came into fashion, it will one day go out of fashion. What was desired and admired yesterday is today passé. What is de rigeur today will be smiled at tomorrow.
For example, when I came to Christ, in my church, singing hymns from the hymnal was a given. Later, in the church I attended in college, hymns remained a part of worship, but scripture songs from the Psalms were the thing. When I entered pastoral ministry, worship was a blend of hymns and choruses. Today in churches, I rarely see hymnals and never hear scripture songs. In their place are choruses written in-house, songs from the radio or YouTube, and the occasional hymn.
Trends. They come, catch fire, and are sooner or later replaced by new ones.
In these early days of 2026, let me share the church trends I see ahead. The trends I share in this article are not universal; they are not found in every quarter of Christianity, nor in every local church. They are simply significant trends of our time: inclinations, current styles, or general directions.
I’ll begin today with nine negative trends. Two weeks from now, in the second part of this article, I’ll share nine positive and very encouraging trends that I see.
1. The pulpit will continue to gray.
The overall decline in the number of ministers will continue its more than two-decade decline. The pulpit will continue to age as fewer young adults enter the ministry, and of those who do, many will give up and walk away.
Consider the denomination where I serve. The total number of ministers under the age of 40 (U40s):
- has declined every year for the last 10 years.
- has declined 18 of the last 23 years.
- as a percentage of all credential holders, has declined in 21 of the last 23 years.
U40s make up about 17% of all credential holders and that percentage is decreasing. The average age of an ordained minister in our denomination is 61 years of age and increasing.
This trend shows no signs of changing and this is not unique to my denomination. The trajectory will only become more pronounced in 2026.
2. We will see a continued diminishing respect for pastors.
From outside and inside the church. There are at least five reasons:
1. Called “Pastor” but not a pastor.
One significant reason why the respect always given to pastors is diminishing today is that shepherd-pastors are rare – leaders and feeders of the flock of God are less and less the norm (1 Peter 5.1-11). Many pastors today measure themselves and their ministries by the size of their crowds, the scale of their events, and their media presence. If pastors will return to their biblical role, the respect will return, at least within the church. Warning: Do not mistake celebrity for respect. Celebrity is recognition for good or bad in the moment – someone is known for being known. Respect is esteem earned over time and echoed by those who have close observation.
2. Pastors are abandoning a contemplative life for a complicated life.
Few pastors devote themselves to prayer and the word (Acts 6), choosing instead to pursue 101 other activities. Respect from others comes from the mark of Christ on our character and calling. This is sown and grown by the Spirit only as we pay the price in prayer and study of God’s Word, in giving ourselves diligently to His forming of our lives and ministries as pastors.
3. Pastors are focusing on building their churches instead of making His disciples.
Jesus said He will build his Church (Matt. 16.18). He commanded the early Church and its pastors to give themselves to making disciples. And yet, many today focus instead on adding church attenders. Ironically, studies consistently reveal that, despite all our church growth efforts, the church is not growing in faith or numbers. When people see their pastors occupied with crowds, buildings, and dollars, respect dissipates. I received an email just yesterday from a young minister who is concerned with just this emphasis in their church leadership. But when pastors invest in people, discipling them in Christ, and equipping them for ministry (Ephesians 4.11-16), people develop a strong, personal respect for their pastors.
4. Pastors have traded respect for “cool.”
Around the world, pastors are respected as spiritual leaders, shepherds, and even sages. Years ago, I served a church of 80 nations in Europe. The respect granted me from day one by the people from every continent on earth was humbling. But I knew it was first a respect for the office of pastor, a respect they expected me to live up to. The lives of many pastors today indicate that they want to be just “one of the guys.” While it may be enjoyable for the individual pastor, it has brought diminished respect for the office generally and, ironically, for these individual pastors. Saddest of all, it has weakened the church: The flock of God does not sense the security that a respected spiritual leader gives, the confidence that God intended His shepherds to give the sheep of His pasture.
5. Pastoral scandals.
Enough said.
3. Entertainment and Ted Talks will continue to displace biblical preaching.
We are living in the days of itching ears, when many pastors preach to entertain rather than build up believers in “The Faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) Sadly, expository preaching is far from the norm in the church today. In its place are topical talks designed to do one of two things: draw a crowd back the following Sunday, or to hit pastors’ favorite topic of the day. I read, and I hear anecdotally, that in many evangelical churches, the Bible is absent from the pew and even the pulpit. In other pulpits, the Bible is present and verses are read, but it is quickly in the rearview mirror as the pastor moves on to a other thoughts related, or not at all related, to the text they read for the congregation. A corollary: The gimmicks in the pulpit will continue – wild object lessons and stunts of every kind – hopefully, not in your church.
4. Therapy and entertainment will continue in the name of worship.
What used to be called a worship service is now often identified as a worship “experience.” Church attendees are invited to experience worship rather than offer it. We become experiencers rather than worshippers. The formative aspect of worship is displaced by what is therapeutic.
Second, and I hear this more and more, the content of songs today is focused on “me,” not on God or even on “we.” A blending of these three is needed to be sure, but the priority must be on who God is and what He does, lest “I” become the focus of worship. See the Psalms for God’s idea of a balanced worship. Side note: The Psalms were the songbook of the local church I attended during my college years. Not only were the songs glorious, but they helped me memorize the Word of God.
Finally, consider the manufactured, even manipulative, ambience in worship services. What would worship be without lights and fog machines, right? I was in a service not long ago that featured children on the platform. It was humorous but sad as the children vainly tried to wave away the fog that enveloped them and kept them from seeing, and feeling a part of, the congregation in worship.
5. Visitations of God will continue to be mistaken for revival.
This is not an attack on recent moves of God on college campuses. Not at all. My prayer is that these moves will multiply. It is, instead, a call to understand what these moves are and what response these moves call for. I’ll illustrate with a story from my own life.
During our family’s first itineration in the US as missionaries, we were privileged to have a wonderful church as our base. Itineration can keep a family away from home for months at a time. Having a home church during this time is life-giving, especially for a young family. After one long road trip, we returned home. I went to the church to catch up on office work. When I entered, multiple staff members excitedly told me about the revival that had broken out in their church. Naturally, I was thrilled to hear it.
Later, the lead pastor, a great friend, stopped by to ask about our trip. I answered, but quickly turned the conversation to the revival. Imagine my surprise when he stopped me and sharply asked, “Who told you we’re in revival?” Taken aback, I responded that everyone I met that morning had told me so. I asked him if it was not true; was the church not in revival? I’ve never forgotten his response or the look in his eyes as he told me, “We’re seeing great manifestations of the Spirit, but we’ve not yet decided if we want revival.” He spoke of the need not just for excitement and emotion, but for transformed lives, holiness, and a church focused on God’s great commission. He asked me to pray with him that his church would choose to experience true revival.
Join me in praying that, as we see these great moves of God on college campuses and in some quarters of America, we will all respond to God’s moving and see a book of Acts revival.
6. “Me” spirituality will continue its ascendance over “He” community.
Church attenders will continue to be consumers rather than I Corinthians 14.26 servants who are intent on building up one another as God commands. What a church has to offer “me” will continue to take priority over being fully engaged members, coming together for the purpose of worshipping God, growing in faith, helping a church body grow in fidelity to Christ, and working together to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For some time now, even predating Covid, pastors and church leaders have wrestled with this. May this trend see a reversal in 2026.
7. The move out of evangelical churches will continue, but . . .
The move from evangelical to Orthodox churches has been a phenomenon primarily among young, educated males who find their churches to be superficial, promoting individualism and consumer Christianity. Many young adults hunger for a religion and church that are substantive, built on long-standing form and tradition, and living in true missional community. Because their churches can’t or won’t offer these solid rock, foundational essentials, they are looking elsewhere. A beneath-the-surface cause of this migration must not be overlooked: doctrine. Those leaving evangelical churches say their local churches have not emphasized doctrine and doctrinal fidelity; they have failed to ground believers in The Faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3), and so, have failed to help believers feel connected to the global and historical Church.
This move will continue in 2026, but it will slow down. Whether it continues after 2026 is another question. Possibly, but this could be yet one more fad in the American church, where people often look for the next new thing. As the concentration span of the American people continues to shorten, I look for this move to end, and the move to the next “new thing” to begin soon. Will it be substantive is not yet known.
8. The decline in the number of churches and church attenders will continue.
Generally, the decline in the number of evangelical churches and attenders will continue. Older believers are more consistent in their church attendance, but, obviously, they eventually die. Their numbers are not being replaced by younger believers. This will lead to various attempts to keep local churches open, moves such as church mergers and renting facilities to outside groups. Not all of these efforts will succeed; many churches will close their doors. Even now, we look on in disbelief as the buildings that once served as homes to vibrant congregations are being used as craft shops, AirBnBs, bars, and mosques. As a corollary, watch for the number of bi-vocational pastors to increase. Yes, many local churches will grow, and we thank God for this. But, overall, barring a revival, there are no signs of a reversal of the general numerical decline in churches and attenders.
Having written this, I do not advocate for a “hold the fort,” defensive posture. Not at all. Long ago, my wife and I stepped in to serve a church apparently on its last legs. Following two splits, its numbers were small. It faced seemingly insurmountable debt and pending lawsuits. The small group of believers were not able to meet the challenge. Not in their own strength. But they reached up to God in faith, in to each other with ministry, and out to the world in mission. As they did, God gave us as miracle. The church not only grew in numbers, but in faith, love, joy, generosity, and favor. The Church of Jesus Christ need never be defined by decline. It can go and grow from strength to strength! In the strong name of Jesus.
9. For too many, Jesus will continue to be seen as the servant rather than Lord of His Church.
Selah.
In two weeks, I’ll follow up these nine negative trends with seven very positive and promising trends I see. Several of them might surprise you. I hope all of them will encourage you as much as they encourage me.
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