Study: Who Really Are the 'Unchurched'?

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080715/study-who-really-are-the-unchurched.htm

[The Christian Post] 18 Jul 2008--With churches largely mapping out their local mission around what they identify to be an "unchurched" population, a research firm set out to paint a clearer picture of who unchurched Americans really are.

“There’s a whole industry seeking to help clergy reach the unchurched, with seminars, books, videos, training centers, and consultants,” Ron Sellers, president of Ellison Research, noted. “However, many people don’t really have a basic notion even of just what it means to be ‘unchurched.’ There’s often an assumption that people either do attend worship services, or they don’t."

"But what we find in this study is that up to one out of every five Americans is attending worship services at least occasionally during the year, even though they are not regularly involved. That has huge implications for local congregations who are trying to attract new people," Sellers added.

Traditionally, people who attend worship service at least once a month and on a regular basis have been considered "churched" while those who don't attend frequently enough have often been labeled "unchurched," according to the Phoenix-based research firm.

A new study, released Monday by Ellison Research, broke down the American population into a more detailed picture of religious service attendance.

Results showed that only 63 percent of "churched" Americans actually attend worship services once a week or more; 12 percent of the "churched" attend three times a month; 16 percent attend twice a month; and 9 percent go to service once a month.