David Olson says only 17% of Americans regularly attend a Christian worship service and the American church is in crisis. Esteemed scholar and professor Rodney Stark says that the American church is just fine. He puts the number of Americans who “belong to a congregation” at 69%. So who’s right?

Both are. Sort of.

Olson’s number is based on actual reported attendance numbers from denominational offices of over 200,000 American churches. Stark’s number is based on a series of surveys conducted by Baylor University from 2005-2007 with a total sample of about 4500 adults. Olson’s measures behavior. Stark’s reports responses to questions asked by interviewers.

So basically, what we learn is that 69% of Americans “belong to a congregation,” but only 17% actually bother to participate regularly in the assembling together of the congregation. Keep in mind, the “congregation” that Stark refers to includes groups like Unitarians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Latter-day Saints and other such groups that subscribe to a view of scripture that is at odds with the consensus among most followers of Christ. 

Which leads me to conclude that the title of Olson’s book “The American Church In Crisis” most accurately describes the reality we face in this great nation. Now is not the time to “rest on our laurels.”