Nones vs Dones

10/11/2015

Maybe you've heard of Nones -- a growing group of people that do not affiliate with a faith community.

Nones represent a quarter of the U.S. population, one-third of those under age 30, and 60% of the rural county in Ohio where I live.

Now there is a new group that needs counted. They used to be called "unchurched" and then "de-churched." They are better known today as "Dones." They used to live churchly but now they're just done with that religious stuff.

More via richarddawkins.net as a supportive response to a Patheos article by Neil Carter posted at a popular subreddit r/exchristian:

Not only None but Done

2 Comments

Chadd Maddock

11/6/2015 12:31:52 pm

Well, this is interesting. I always used to think the major problem was finding ways of reaching out to the "nones," or the "lost." In my time as Christian, I've seen a bigger epidemic with those who have left the church. I am one of these people. Working in a few churches, and being burned by the last one I worked in because of church politics, I was left with a harsh taste for the "religious stuff." I came to the Naz in hopes of becoming reconnected, but never really found the desire. I was more put off by those around me because of the judgment from walking away.

I will admit that what I found was that I had an identity problem. I needed to take the time to dive into the root cause of my broken relationship with God, my faith, and the church.

In conversations I've had with others who walked away, it always came down to that same problem of a broken relationship. Either the party was cast into a depression from a harsh judgment and criticism of lifestyle, or they no longer felt that their identity was in Christ. A lot of these people had attended a Christian university, some had even grown up in church, but yet, nothing had prepared them for the onslaught of the world towards Christians. Nothing really prepared them for going out and seeking a church for themselves. Unless they were "lucky enough" to go back to where they were from and back to a home church; those who had to relocate to a new city because of a job found themselves alone on that journey.

The world acts quickly to take someone off their path. If they have these broken relationships, and issues with their identity in Christ even during say the college years, it will only drastically increase once they get their diploma.

The "de-churched" group of people I have found do want answers and are at least open to going back. They tend to just seek out the wrong information in the wrong places and begin to take on different ideals and ideas and develop their own self-made theologies. I know that I did this.

It took years for me to even consider looking in the mirror and analyzing what had happened all those years. Why had I fallen away? Was I really angry at God? Or was it something entirely different?

Thankfully, God never leaves. A few books came my way, and wise people popped up into my life. What I found is that the "de-churched" usually just shut the door to their faith. God will always somehow find a way!

I hope that more time at Christian universities would be taken for real world preparation. Like the Naz, the Christian university forms a protective bubble that can sometimes shelter those from experiencing what will happen in a few short years, or like me, making one feel like an outcast for even having questions or doubts.

If more time was spent on working with those on the fence of becoming the "de-churched" or those that already are, I believe new strategies could develop for reaching the "nones."

Jesus never lets a single sheep of the flock go off on their own. Why are we allowing it?

Matt

11/6/2015 02:38:45 pm

This is really insightful, Chadd. Man, miss you around here.

Never give up asking those questions and hopefully the doubts will be overwhelmed by grace (I think they already have in your case). I hope you find a place where someone like you can be sent.

You have so much to offer close friends and complete strangers. I hope church will some day be like a family to you.

Nones vs Dones

Leave a Reply.

Bio

Archives

Categories