Americans prefer churches WITHNAMESTHATARE NONDENOMINATIONAL:STUDY BYLEONARDOBLAIR ncontinuationofa “Churchnamesvarygreatly,”Scott frominstitutionalizedreligion.They culturalshift McConnell,executivedirectorof don’tnecessarilylikethe I researchershave LifewayResearch,saidinastatement. denominationalbrand,”Veldmansaid. previouslydocumented “NamesincludingSt.Peter,Trinity, “Thentherearepeoplewhoareso asagrowingrejectionof CrossroadsandPresbyterianreflect muchnotintoinstitutionsthatthey’re organizedreligion,anewstudyfrom biblicalpeople,theology,modern leavingchurchesaltogether.Theymay LifewayResearchshowsAmericans imageryorreferencestothebranchof still bereligious,butthey’renot areleastlikelytodismisschurches Christianitythechurchistiedto.Most brandedasnondenominational. peoplehavepreexistingimpressionsof Theonlinestudyof1,005Americans denominationalgroupswhentheysee “I think people are moving conductedSept.3-14,2021,usinga theminachurchnameordescription.” awayfrominstitutionalized nationalpre-recruitedpanel,shows PewResearchanalysispublishedin thatonly33%ofU.S.adultsassumed 2015showedthatsince2007,the religion. They don’t thatachurchisnotforthemwhenthe shareofEvangelicalProtestantswho termnondenominationalisreflectedin identifywithBaptistdenominations necessarily like the thename. shrankfrom41%to36%.Theshareof denominational brand.” Forchurcheswiththeterm Evangelicalsidentifyingwith Pentecostal,morethanhalf,51%,of nondenominationalchurchesalsogrew respondentsassumedthechurch from13%to19%overtheperiod. wouldnotbeforthem.Sevenother In2017,aGallupstudyshowedhow attendingchurch.” denominationstriggeredasimilar Americanswereincreasinglychoosing MattMorton,ateachingpastorat responsewithinarangeof8%orless. tonotidentifywithanyChristian GraceBibleChurchCreeksidein Some47%ofrespondentssaid denominationorreligion.Thestudy CollegeStation,Texas,saidmany churcheswiththetermMethodistor foundthattheshareofAmericanswho peoplewhoattendnondenominational Lutheranwouldnotbeforthem,while identifywithaspecificProtestant churchesoftenreportthemselvesas 48%ofthemsaidthesamefor denominationfellfrom50%in2000to beingreligiously“unaffiliated,”and churcheswiththetermCatholicinthe 30%in2016. theyareoftenincludedinresearchas name.Forchurchnameswiththe RobinVeldman,TexasA&M “nones”alongwithatheistsand termsSouthernBaptistor assistantprofessorofreligious agnostics. Presbyterian,anequal46%of studies,explainedinareportinThe “Youhavethisincreasein respondentsassumedthosechurches Battalionthattheattitudeof millennialswhosaytheydon’tbelong wouldnotbeforthem.Some46%of Americanstowardnondenominational anywhereinparticular,”Mortonsaid. respondentsrejectedchurcheswiththe churchesispartlyareflectionofthe “Thosepeoplearenotsayingthey’re termAssembliesofGodinthename, movementawayfromorganized totallyirreligious.Someofthemare while43%saidchurcheswiththe religion,particularlyamongyounger saying,‘Iamreligious.Idoliketogoto Baptistlabelattachedwouldnotbefor generations. church,butIdon’tfitwithinanyofthe them. “Ithinkpeoplearemovingaway boxes.’” Christianpost.com 7