The Great Evangelical Recession: 6 Factors That Will Crash the American Church...and How to Prepare

by John S. Dickerson

In 2006, few Americans were expecting the economy to collapse. Today the American church is in a similar position, on the precipice of a great spiritual recession. While we focus on a few large churches and dynamic leaders that are successful, the church's overall membership is shrinking. Young Christians are fleeing. Our donations are drying up. Political fervor is dividing us. Even as these crises eat at the church internally, our once friendly host culture is quickly turning hostile and antagonistic. How can we avoid a devastating collapse?

In The Great Evangelical Recession, award-winning journalist and pastor John Dickerson identifies six factors that are radically eroding the American church and offers biblical solutions to prepare evangelicals for spiritual success, even in the face of alarming trends. This book is a heartfelt plea and call to the American church combining quality research, genuine hope, and practical application with the purpose of igniting the church toward a better future.

Genres: Christian, Church, Nonfiction, Christianity, Theology, Evangelism, Religion

250 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

John S. Dickerson is a prize-winning journalist, a recognized voice in American Christianity, and bestselling author of "The Great Evangelical Recession." His writing has appeared in The New York Times and USA Today, among others. In 2009 Tom Brokaw, Charles Gibson (ABC News) and Anna Quindlen (Newsweek) named his investigative reporting the best in the nation. As a pastor, John has guided individuals and communities through grief and loss. He serves as Lead Pastor of Connection Pointe Christian Church in the Indianapolis area.

Reviews

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

A frustrating book, because on the one hand, he (mostly) correctly and savvily identifies six factors that really will have a devastating impact on the evangelical church in the future. What he lacks, however, is any helpful insight into why these things are happening or what might be done to fix them. For example, one of the factors is that evangelicals are "Hated" more than ever before. This is true, as David Kinnamon discovered and pointed out in "unChristian." But his SOURCES for this are a series of scare headlines from the fear-driven wing of the conservative press: Fox News, The Free Republic, Christian Examiner.com, and the Washington Times. A pastor is arrested for praying near a gay rights rally! Someone objects to a Bible in school! And these are taken as examples of a growing secularism (as if people writing these books haven't reported alleged atrocities like this going back to the 1960s). When the REAL reason Christians are hated (as Kinnamon points out, using actual survey data) is that they're perceived as "antihomosexual," "closed minded about other faiths," "too political," and "out of touch" (presumably meaning anti-evolution/anti-global-warming/anti-mainstream science generally).

If Dickerson had managed (like Kinnamon did) to see the real causes of this problem, he might have been able to come up with a good solution. (Like, "maybe we should stop leading with politics and let nonchristian gay people get married in other people's churches if they want to in this alleged democracy.") Instead, his solution is to say, "We need to demonstrate love and kindness to people, even as we disagree with them." In other words: Do exactly what we already preach, only more of it, and maybe 20% nicer. Every time I read an evangelical on this topic, I want to grab them by the lapels and shake them until they get the message: "The problem isn't that your antigay message isn't being delivered NICELY enough. It's that it's ANTIGAY, and people aren't buying homophobia anymore." So actually, evangelicals have two sales problems: One is that they're selling bigotry (however politely, with whatever smile of regret), and two, bigots who claim the moral high ground tend to come across as hypocrites. Oops!

Another example: he picks "Division" as one of the factors that threatens to split the church...and then mentions, as an example of this new split, the large number of evangelicals who care about the environment and are in favor of gay marriage. His solution? "We should agree on the fundamentals, and permit disagreement on nonessentials." That's a fresh new idea that's as old as Augustine.

In short, what he's seeing are the signs that Bible-thumping conservatism is losing its ability to win and keep converts. What he's failing to see is that the onus is on the church to do actual, hard change, not just re-preaching the same bromides and hoping for the best. The disconnect is so frustrating that I was tempted to give the book one star, but his look at many of the trends (such as the tendency of evangelicals to overcount themselves, and their startling recent inability to keep their children in the faith) are worth reading about. For an actual analysis of WHY this is happening, however, read "UnChristian" by David Kinnamon. (But don't expect answers there, either. That's the one thing diehard evangelicals find unthinkable, so far.)

[Pig Rieke · Rating 1 out of 5]

In response to immorality, the fourth century monk Pelagius insisted on man’s moral ability and a lack of the necessity of grace. In the early medieval period, Charlemagne, King of the Franks, believed a certain method could produce conversions, namely a sword. In late medieval churches, pastors insisted on the use of sacraments as the means of obtaining right standing with God. In the nineteenth century, Charles Finney taught that if certain methods were employed, conversions and revivals would occur. Unfortunately, this book appears to stand in the company of these figures.

In the work, John Dickerson is convinced of the frailty and likely recession of American evangelicalism. To this I wholeheartedly agree. However, where men like David Wells have long pointed out the weakness of churches that have forfeiting theology and opted for pragmatism, Dickerson directs his readers to abandon one set of pragmatics for another. The book thus reads like a medical malpractice suit where a doctor prescribes lotion for a skin issue not recognizing their patients insides have metastasized with cancer. Dickerson’s analysis and solution are skin deep. This is no where more apparent than in his assumed doctrine of regeneration and conversion in which proper methods lead to more Christians. While I am sure in theory Dickerson would deny this, careful readers need only look for his claims about God’s saving grace to find an almost complete absence of a need for God’s mercy.

In the last chapter of the book, Dickerson commends his readers to be like the Reformers. Apparently, he understands the Reformers to have employed new methods that accounted for their success. This is how Martin Luther described the Reformation, “I simply taught, preached, and wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing.  And while I slept, or drank Wittenberg beer with my friends Philip and Amsdorf, the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that no prince or emperor ever inflicted such losses upon it.” At the Reformation and the Great Awakening, men simply proclaimed God’s word and God sovereignly acted. They weren’t pragmatics, they were preachers. Christians need to proclaim God’s word and pray that their God might be pleased to act.

P.S. If you write a book on something say heffalumps or evangelicals, don’t leave it to the last appendix of a book to define what you mean by said term.

[Chase Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book low key made me depressed while reading it which the author says is one of the goals for the first half of the book. He lays out six things that will cause the evangelical church to fall. This book was written 10 years ago and was a prediction of what would happen to the church in the coming years and it is shocking to see some of it be true. Overall the author has valid points backed up with statistics from reliable sources, but the estimation of the amount of people in the evangelical church, in my opinion, is way undershot. The second half of the book made up for the first half, with good reason. This part of the book was pastoral and gives 6 things the church can do so that it does not sputter out but instead can thrive. The second half of the book is all about making disciples and how that will save the church (duh). Dickerson doesn’t explain how we would do that well, since the implication is that we aren’t doing it well. Really a missed opportunity. It also calls out the majority of seeker sensitive churches. Don’t know how I feel about this book overall but since it had an effect on my emotional state I’d say it deserves some respect ✊

[Shane Williamson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2021 reads: 09/52

Rating: 2 stars.

This is a book of two halves. The first was awful, consisting of sensational exaggeration and reading the recent economic recession into the state of the church; the second was somewhat bearable—where some snippets of truth and wisdom prevailed. Whilst I think the six current issues Dickerson highlights are valid concerns, his lack of understanding why such concerns exist in the first place doesn't save him from providing his own pragmatic solutions that are still all about success and power in the world. Dickerson seems to betray his concern for the church and it becomes apparent that he is more concerned about the loss of conservative culture than gospel faithfulness. I would not want anyone to waste their time picking this book up. Two stars at best.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Evangelical Recession is a brilliant combination of statistics (description) and pastoral exhortation (prescription). In the first half, Dickerson adeptly handles and explains the statistics, highlighting 6 main areas of concern for the current state of the Church in the United States (e.g., arguing that Christians probably compose only 7-9% of the U.S. population, not 40% or 70%). In the final half, Dickerson councils Evangelical leaders to heed these warnings, while offering some guidelines for addressing each concern mentioned in the first half. At a minimum, leaders should consider reading the first half of Dickerson’s book. Let this shocking reality drive us to prayer and perseverance for the Church in the United States.

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The problem with books like this is that if you read them too late, they are useless in a sense. Dickerson looked back at the 2006 American recession and pointed out clear signs that people ignored. He makes the case that there are 6 clear signs for the American church, that if heeded, will allow us to stop the impending evangelical recession as he calls it. He offers 6 ways to combat these problems as well. The problem is that it's now 2021 and nobody is listening. The dams have broke and water is coming through. The only thing to do in many cases like this is to let the destruction come and prepare to rebuild from scratch. Outside of a miracle, American Evangelicalism is essentially obsolete.

[E. Scott Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, this is THE most important book I have ever read on the future direction of the Church in America.

Every Evangelical Pastor and concerned believer should read and take heed.

[Joe Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book and serious wake up call to the church. I highly recommend.

[Mark A Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine premise, but too stat heavy in the first half and not clear enough on how to train disciples—which is put forth as the solution—in the latter half.

[Jonah Twiddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the first half of this book, I was feeling discouraged and skeptical. Discouraged because the author offered up brutal statistics and trends in evangelicalism that are hard to stomach, and skeptical because he seemed to be predicting an impending doom that is by no means set in stone. He knocked the wind out of evangelical optimism, but in the second half he breathed new life into it. With measured, Biblical truth he provides a path forward into the future that is simple and powerful. Though he sounds the alarm, he also seeks to put out the fire, and that balance between hope and despair is, I think, exactly what evangelical churches need to effectively address the challenges of the 21st century.

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard John Dickerson talking about his book on a CBC radio show some time ago and he sounded like reasonable fellow who might have some good things to say about his church.

I'm not an Evangelical Christian. My background is more a blend of United Church and Salvation Army and, as such, even some of the alienated and disenchanted Evangelicals I know don't think much of my experience of "church". That in itself says a lot about some of the problems in Dickerson's church. And, oddly enough, I think I know more disenchanted "ex" Evangelicals than currently practicing ones.

It was an interesting read, from that point of view, to get in to the head of some of my friends. It was also a good read to get a better insight in to some of the thinking that drives a lot of right-wing politics both in Canada and the US right now.

Dickerson divides the book in to two broad sections which are basically the problems and the solutions. Declining attendance, declining funds, divisions in the church, and being hated by the "host culture" are some of the reasons for the decline. He proposes solutions to all of these situations in the second part of the book.

He backs up a lot of his assertions about the decline in membership with hard numbers and research but I felt he wasn't as diligent with the rest of his assertions. The section I could relate the most to was the chapter on why the church was hated by the rest of North American culture. This is because, unlike the rest of the chapters, this one really was directed outward.

I thought he'd outline some of how the church harms itself in the broader context but, instead, he seems to blame the spreading influence of Satan amongst the wider society for the church's problems. He cites a few instances of people being fired for getting bad press for their stand against homosexuality, he makes some sideways comments about the evils of divorce. And doesn't ever take responsibility for the problems that come out of their position.

When he talks about financial trouble and a falling donation rate, especially amongst youth, and declining membership among youth, he fails to draw any relationship between the church's behaviour toward folks it judges negatively, the bad press it generates, and the disenchantment of members and, particularly, idealistic youth.

In the solutions chapter he does say that the church ought to love people no matter what. One idea stood out for me that I think is really important and valuable for all of us. He suggests that no sin is any greater or less than another and all people have sin in them. Clearly a biblical reference, it provides considerable guidance on how to treat people that one considers sinful (which he lumps divorcees and homosexuals in with). While I don't agree with the churches sin list, I think this one idea could have a lot of traction because if they truly treated everyone with compassion and love, they wouldn't draw such bad press and would be seen for all the good that they do. And they DO a lot of good things in our society.

His focus on homosexuality is unfortunate too because it whitewashes a lot of problems. I know a number of people, mostly women, who have either been turned away from the church because of the shame surrounding divorce or, worse, have had to cope with living in abusive relationships for fear of the same shame.

I'd like to think that there might have been some room for some frank discussion on the assumptions they make about such social issues, and the damage they do with the shame and, let's face it, hate that some of the worst of their lot encourage but I suppose that is for more courageous souls.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Research shows that the “evangelical church” lost around 10 percent of her people in the last decade. There are many factors that are involved that have resulted in this decline. Further, most churches that are growing are just taking people from other churches, not converting people. The Great Evangelical Recession explores the factors involved in the decline of the church and offers suggestions for the future. I found the book helpful and thought-provoking.

Here are some quotes I liked from the book:

“The decline of evangelical Christianity is not just that we’re failing at evangelism or just that we’re failing to keep our own kids or just that we’ll lose 70 percent of our funding in the next thirty years. It’s all those factors (and more) combined and gaining speed simultaneously” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 22).

“By multiple accounts [i.e. Dr. Christian Smith, David T. Olson, Barna Group, and Christine Wicker], evangelical believers are between 7 and 9 percent of the United States population” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 26).

“Of America’s 316 million residents, we evangelicals only account for about 22 to 28 million. As mentioned before, we lose about 2.6 million of those each decade. And the number of our new converts does not hold our position with population with growth” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 26).

“In the next decades we will see a massive decrease in evangelical influence politically, economically, culturally, and financially” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 26).

“If the generational changes examined in the upcoming chapters persist, evangelicals could drop to about 4 percent of the population within three decades. That is, in just under thirty years, we may only be 16 million of about 400 million Americans” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 33).

“Unless giving trends change significantly, evangelical giving across the board may drop by about 70 percent during the next twenty-five to thirty years” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 84).

“American evangelicals give more than $12 billion to churches, parachurches, and mission agencies every year, by modest estimation” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 85).

“The most important issues we face today is the same the church has face in every century: Will we reach our world for Christ? In other words, will we give priority to Christ’s command to go into all the world and preach the gospel? Or will we turn increasingly inward, caught up in our own internal affairs or controversies, or simply becoming more and more comfortable with the status qou? Will we become inner-director or outer-directed?” (Billy Graham in John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 119).

G. K. Chesterton said, “Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grace” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 123).

“The stakes are eternal.
The victims or victors are not organizations or churches, but souls that will live forever…
We can feel a bit like Frodo the hobbit in The Lord of the Rings. We are tiny creatures entrusted with an impossible task—to rescue humanity from unthinkable evil…
All we have to decide is what to with the time that is given to us” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 126).

The apostle Paul “never based his hope for the church in the trajectory of the church. He always based his hope for the church in Christ” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 128).

“The Holy Spirit and His ‘power’ run like steel trusses under the church in Acts” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 129).

“When God stepped down into darkness, He humbled himself to reach us. He didn’t claim to love us from an impersonal distance” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 140).

“We must suspend judgment, demonstrate unconditional acceptance, and anticipate that we’ll be misunderstood” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 140).

“God’s love was not merely spoken or claimed from a distance” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 141).

“No matter which tribe a soul hails from, if we expect an unbeliever to claim victory over sin in their own strength, then our expectations are out of line with Scripture. Such expectations dishonor Christ’s blood shed at Calvery. To assume that nonbelievers can overcome sin—apart from Christ—is to imply that Christ is not necessary to overcome sin. And if that’s the case, then the gospel is foolishness” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 144).

“No matter what tribe an unbeliever belongs to, we should lovingly expect them to act like pagans until they come to Christ” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 145).

“Are we more committed to American culture, or to Christ and His radical message?” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 149).

“Over the next fifteen years, if the church cannot offset the 50-percent decrease in giving, it can offset the loss of two or three full-time staff pastors with ten part-time or alternative ministers and staff members. These alternative pastors will not be forty-hour-per-week staff members, but their combined efforts more than offset the loss of two ‘full-time’ pastors… The solution is disciples. Not dollars” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 172-73).

“David Kinnaman put it this way: ‘Some (though not all) ministries have taken cues from the assembly line, doing everything possible to streamline the manufacture of shiny new Jesus-followers, fresh from the factory floor. But disciples cannot be mass-produced. Disciples are handmade, one relationship at a time” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, 184).

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely important for those who have been wrapped up in the warm bubble of evangelicalism and haven't seen what is happening outside their church walls. Dickerson may be a little bit of an alarmist, he tends to take the worst numbers. But even if you take the next worst numbers things are still looking grim, at least compared to the view that is sometimes claimed that this is a country dominated by evangelical Christians.

Dickerson doesn't stop with fear mongering, he turns things around. This book may be helpful for those to see how America perceives the church. It mirrors my experience in how non-believers view the church.

[Don Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Author writes about unconditional love, yet offers a very sectarian, exclusivistic view to groups other than his particular strain of Evangelicalism. Had to shake my head when he describes the "shock" he experienced when Mormons features in television ads didn't look like "stereoptypical" Mormons. Wow!

[Cole Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the doomsday gloom I expected, but surprisingly optimistic and devotional. Great information and application all-round, especially concerning the evolution of evangelicals from the late 20th to early 21st centuries.

[Alex Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here are 20 quotes from the book that stuck out to me. I think every leader in evangelical churches should take up and read.

1. Together we will examine these trends through studies and reports from dozens of researchers and specialists-some within the church and some without. We will investigate the factors that are challenging the church as we know it, and then we will attempt to foresee where an unchanged evangelical church might be in 15 or 25 years. (16)

2. Research can open our eyes to the true state of the church, but God alone through scripture can inform our hearts as to how we must correct course. (18)

3. The evangelical church in the United States is not nearly as large as we've been told. This might not seem like a big deal, but it's a huge deal. (21)

4. By multiple accounts, evangelical believers are between 7 and 9% of the United States population. (26)

5. The bottom line is that the speed of cultural change in the United States is accelerating. And it continues to accelerate. (43)

6. In the next 10 to 30 years, as the oldest two generations pass off the scene, the tides of the new American worldview will push through this decades- old barrier, radically redefining United States culture. (46)

7. The end result will eventually be a culture where the majority of Americans has an enemy view of Bible believing Christians, while the evangelical movement shrinks into further minority status. (47)

8. If there's a reformation or renaissance being propelled by the new technologies of our age, it is not a Christian reformation, but a re- forming of society into a culture of hedonistic and unrestrained sexuality and selfishness. (59)

9. The splits in the 21st century church will not be so clean, because younger evangelicals defy categorization and resist labels. (77)

10. The United States evangelical church has ruptured before, but never in the face of such internal decline and such external opposition. (79)

11. Within decades we will see the closures or radical downsizings of some juggernaut ministries. We are already seeing some of those closures. In early 2011, the fleet of yellow golf carts that once buzzed around the 40-acre campus at Robert Schuller’s crystal cathedral sat empty and idle. (83)

12. If the church is the body of Christ, then that body is bleeding out. And it's not just our 20 somethings who are leaving, though they’re exiting faster than any other group. (98)

13. Of the 3.7 million United States evangelicals who are 18 to 29 years old, 2.6 million will leave the faith at some point between their 18th and 29th birthdays. That's 260,000 who leave each year. That's 712 who will quit the faith today, another 712 tomorrow, and so forth. (103)

14. Jesus did not call his church to build buildings or websites or worship services. He called his followers to “Make disciples.” (106)

15. Take for example the growing evangelical church in your community. It may be an exception, but the national trend is that the growing church in an area is mostly attracting transfer sheep from other smaller and struggling churches. (117)

16. Successful evangelicals will learn to take the same biblical approach to the foreign tribes now growing in the United States. For too long we have expected United States non-believers to behave and believe like Christians. When they have acted like pagans, we have at times attacked them for being precisely who they are apart from Christ. This has brought us into distracting conflict with a number of United States tribes, including the broad tribe of Americans who self-identify as homosexual. (135)

17. The hostilities we encounter today and in the coming decades- may seem severe to us. They are often soft next to the hostilities encountered by Christ, by Stephen, by Paul, and by so many of Christ’s people through the centuries. Will we respond with self-sacrificing genuine love and concern, as Christ and his apostles did? Or will we respond in self-defense, fear, and reaction, as human nature does? (149)

18. Quite simply, without the authority of scripture we would not have our history, our foundation, our movement, or our theology. (156)

19. Simple discipleship and care for the sheep have been lost in many ministries. Somewhere along the way they got painted over in the constant struggle for progress, for more, for bigger and better. (194)

20. We need gifted evangelist and big event outreaches more than ever. But those alone cannot turn the seized cylinders in the engine of evangelism. in the 21st century, we need the entire body of Christ to take evangelism seriously, as it did in the 1st century. (206)

[Bob Hayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sands are shifting. The times are changing. And like an ant on the edge of a sand trap, the American Church can sense something is happening. Ask any observer of Evangelicalism -- inside the Church or out -- and you will hear some explanation for the problem. Some point to our own failings, and others point at the encroaching tide of secularism. It's our smug self-satisfaction, or it's the bold advance of the homosexual agenda. But something is wrong, and change is afoot.

Although many recognize that times are changing, few see anything as dramatic as a recession on the Church's horizon. But this is exactly what author John S. Dickerson expects. His book "The Great Evangelical Recession" paints a stark picture of what the American Church will face in the next 20 years. Dickerson draws on his experience as a first-rate journalist as he uncovers six trends which together spell the end of church as we know it. And by the end of the first half of his book, the reader will be convinced that, whether we like it or not, change is coming. But Dickerson is more than just a journalist: he is also the senior pastor of a growing church in Arizona. He offers the Church six corresponding solutions to the big trends that are targeting us as Christians in the 21st Century. And while his solutions are not easy, they have the potential to transform the Church in ways that will enable it to stay true to its mission no matter how devastating the cultural changes may be.

The Looming Recession

Dickerson compares the state of Evangelical Christianity in America today to the days before the recent financial recession that shook our country. Evangelicals in America have long been assumed to be a powerful juggernaut - a force to be reckoned with. Various polls put our numbers at between 25 and 40% of the population. But this sense of health and vitality is misplaced. Dickerson points to several pollsters who from a variety of perspectives and with independent measures all place the size of Evangelicalism at between 7 to 8.9% of the population -- about 22 million strong. What makes this picture all the bleaker is that the Church is losing a high percentage of its young people and failing to keep pace with the growth of the general population.

Not only are we smaller than we thought, but we are increasingly aware of how the values we hold dearly are held in utter contempt by more and more people in the general population. The pro-homosexual movement in America has turned the tide in American thought in an unbelievably short time frame. And the trend is toward a normalcy of same-sex marriage and the increasing inability to even entertain debate on the question. By virtue of this one issue alone, the Church will become even more hated and marginalized in the years to come.

Faced with threat from without and a decline in numbers, the Church cannot afford to be so divided, but that is another trend which is building today. The polarized populace, split down the middle when it comes to politics, reflects the Evangelical church today, too. Politics, theology, and cultural traditions are a few of the many causes which separate the church in its most vulnerable time. And we are also becoming more and more hindered by a lack of funds. The older, faithful generation of givers is passing off the scene. And while larger institutions are able to continue, the Evangelical church will soon be realizing the same trouble that plagued mainline denominations years ago. The bankruptcy of the Crystal Cathedral, points to a bleak future, as this trend-setting church went belly-up, so too will many Evangelical institutions which are so beholden to the Almighty Dollar.

This bleak picture is often ignored or explained away by evangelical church leaders, who are sometimes too insulated from their location within Christian America, Dickerson contends, to truly be objective when it comes to evaluating the state of the Church. Dickerson hopes through his book, to encourage Christian leaders to own up to these problems facing us and to be willing to reevaluate how and why we do what we do. His solutions are not novel, nor are they edgy, but they may prove to be radical.

A Blueprint for the Future

In the final half of the book, Dickerson unveils his blueprint for our future. And it is here where the author gets emotional and starts preaching! He calls us to "release the way American church was done in the 20th century" in order to "rebuild and restore a culture of discipleship" (p. 186). And he chides, "We have gotten so much better at church than Jesus of Nazareth" (p. 187). He wonders "Will we spend the next decade working harder and harder at fundraising -- or working harder and harder at disciple making?" (p. 174). His solution boils down to discipleship, one-on-one evangelism in the context of real life, and an emphasis on leaders training people to disciple others. He wants to bring back churches from the business-mindset toward a biblical one. Part-time, vocational ministers are both more biblical and more sustainable in light of the future financial difficulties sure to come.

His emphasis on streamlining church to be more discipleship focused also comes with a call to being noticeably good to the increasingly foreign culture that surrounds us:

"We must stop acting so surprised that a pagan society, with its many tribes, would be hostile toward us. It's time we stopped firing arrows at the hostages we're called to rescue. It's time we start going into the darkness with undeniable goodness. It's time we sacrifice ourselves as Christ did...

"The hostilities we encounter today -- and in the coming decades -- may seem severe to us. They are often soft next to the hostilities encountered by Christ, by Stephen, by Paul... Will we respond with self-sacrificing genuine love and concern, as Christ and His apostles did? Or will we respond in self-defense, fear, and reaction, as human nature does?" (p. 149)

He also calls the church to a more tangible unity: "we no longer have the luxury of dividing ourselves internally" (p. 162). He calls us to draw firm lines at the edges of our movement and not stand for denials of Scriptural authority, but he also calls us to charitably allow for differences in the non-essentials, theological, political and practical.

In his conclusion, Dickerson draws parallels with the Reformers who looked at how church was done in their era and were not afraid to correct it with the Bible. "The Reformers before us abandoned comfort and convenience to boldly lead Christ's church. If we wish to lead His church now, we must abandon many comforts from the 20th-century church paradigm" (p. 220-221).

Evaluation

This is a well-written and eminently readable book. I found the premise both captivating and alarming. Dickerson marshals the evidence well and includes numerous vignettes that flesh out the abstract concepts under discussion. He displays a command of the literature analyzing evangelicalism, and is a true insider to the movement. His unique mix of journalist and pastor, positions him well to write this book. And his thoughts on a cure are spot on. I was struck by how simple and biblical they were, yet how practical and relevant. And these are no mere social theories. One can see that for the last several years, the author has been seeking to implement these very principles in his own church of five hundred.

As more and more people flock to mega-churches of every variety, we are losing our ability to see the bigger picture. My church and yours may be growing, but small church after small church is folding. How many new converts to Christianity do you know? How many new disciples are in your congregation? Are you too busy with the latest Christian fad to notice the sputtering state of American Christianity?

Many will miss Dickerson's message, and some will ignore it. I encourage you to pick up his book and think through it. You may disagree with some of his solutions, but you can't fault him for trying. This book is a valiant attempt to warn the Church of its coming dark days, and it isn't all doom and gloom. Dickerson presents a hope-filled view of the future that is tethered to the Biblical commission to make disciples. May we heed his message before it is too late!

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Baker Books. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

[Jake Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book to pastors and those interested in the future of the American evangelical church. One could accuse Dickerson of being an alarmist and a doomsday type of person, however I believe he brings to light many blindspots of American evangelicalism. It makes you rethink the health of the church as a whole. The downfall of this book is that it was published back in 2014 so some of the statistics and such are outdated. Yet, several of his predictions/warnings have already come to fruition. I like how he doesn't just provide factors that could crush the American Church, but he goes on to also provide how the church can prepare/prevent it from happening. I do wish he would have spent a little more time discussing the discipleship aspect (the how-tos, extra resources, etc) , since that is the key to preventing the crash. Overall though it was a great, thought-provoking book.

Specific rating: 4.6

[Christian Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book about 6 years too late. Because this book was published in 2014 many of the statistics are outdated and a majority of the concerns that John Dickerson lays out for the evangelical church in America have already come to fruition. However, this book is still practical as it helps Christians in 2020 see where Christian have came from and how Christians can combat the reality that the world is getting more divided, that Christians are often hated in public circles, that Christian churches in America are declining in attendance. The ultimate answer for the decline of the church and her influence in America is pastors that preach the true gospel and Christians that are seeking to make disciples of Jesus Christ. It is only by this work that the church will fight the growing depletion of evangelicals in a divided country.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the scare tactic writing is not my ideal way of receiving information, the statistics - although a bit skewed, I believe and one sided to say the least - are helpful to aid in his argument and ultimately his thesis of simple peer to peer discipleship and under shepherd I really support and find myself desiring.
It allows a combination of churches that are allowed to grow with some warnings against celebrity communicators in favor of disciple making pastor shepherds. I wouldn’t recommend this book to someone who hasn’t had their fair share of church experience - it could be fairly shaking and fearful, however I think if you have been through the variety of church sizes you could see ample resourceful information and helpful exhortation to remember and implement the Christ-like discipleship model found in the scriptures.

[Joshua Reichard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another book, another author, another book saying the same thing that every other book about the church talks about. I think I am at my wits end of these books. I think the most frustrating thing about this book in particular is that he failed to give any help at all to stop the church from falling away. All he did was encouraging evangelicals to be evangelical. It’s not a new truth to be kind to outsiders, it’s not a new truth to love those around us. I think we just need to understand that the world is changing and the church is going to have to remain faithful to Christ and His Word if they will survive. And if the church has to go underground the it will. That is Christianity.

[Caroline McGill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt like he was writing to modern Christians living under a rock. The author spent the majority of the book decrying all of the pragmatic failures of the American church and mostly offered pragmatic solutions. The real problem, which the author didn’t point out, is our own sin and our lack of obedience to God’s Word, not a lack of numbers or converts. I also felt that he lacked a sense of God’s sovereignty in building and sustaining his church. I’m thankful for the ministry of organizations like 9Marks that offer helpful theological resources and don’t just complain about big tent evangelicalism and it’s decline, but rather offer biblical and ecclesiological solutions.

[Jacob Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dickerson is a pastor and well-respected journalist. In this book he examines 6 factors that, if not accounted for in the near future, will significantly affect the landscape of evangelical christianity in the US. He doesn't hold any punches and, in my opinion, accurately examines the current landscape. He then wisely and pastorally offers up responses to each of the 6 issues. I recommend this for any believer who is concerned with where the evangelical church can and should go in the next decades.

[Troy Solava · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dickerson observes 6 trends that are/will prevent(ing) Evangelicalism from staying on a strong course. Unfortunately, Dickerson fails to see the primary reason for why evangelicalism’s influence will fade- Weakness of Preaching God’s truth. How is this not the primary trend of decline? Yes giving is down. Yes evangelicalism is divided politically. Yes children leave the church. But are those not merely effects of a lack of good preaching?

Dickerson had some good statistics and observations. But in my opinion fails to see the primary picture of evangelicalism’s straying.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dickerson gives the Church in America a dire analysis and prognosis, then follows it up with a surefire cure that is not necessarily easy but is Biblical and requires pastors and church leaders to do the person to person work that the Scriptures model for us. The second half is an inspiring look at the path to overcoming the impending Evangelical collapse, through faithful pastors getting back to faithful shepherding rather than programs, marketing, and mass messaging. A must-read for elders in today's church.

[Richard Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tough Truths

I think time will tell about whether his assessment of the future will come to pass as he predicts it will (I believe his argument sounds plausible), but his remedies (the second half of the book) are what the church needs to get back to no matter what the future looks like. His answers are nothing new, but that is what makes them great: they are what the Bible prescribes for the church.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alot of interesting statistics in this book. It makes it very clear that the Church is failing to change hearts and renew minds. When trials and hard questions come along many Christians are ill equipped to handle it, and walk away instead.
This book gives some good pointers on how to correct the effectiveness of The Body of Christ.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book for every Christian to read. It was published in 2013, and now 5 years later, seems very prophetic, the things he predicts are even more evident and obvious now as we see them coming to pass! This book gives a sobering view of the state of the church in America and what could happen if we do not change the way we do things.

[Dennis Henn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book where Dickerson identifies the problems are insightful. The last six chapters, where he offers solutions, are drawn out. He could have offered a page with bullet points for each problem's prescription. Instead he fluffed the chapters. The fluff forced me to skim. I just don't care for all the anecdotes and analogies.

[Eric Fults · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, there was some pretty good info in this book. First half outlines the big issues in American Evangelicalism and the second half looks at solutions. Solutions in second half are truly helpful. First half at times seems a bit doomsday-esque, and interpretation of the data didn't always seem accurate. Overall, good. Last half was insightful.