Spiritual but not religious
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Is your church reaching the spiritual but not the religious? This is a growing population of individuals seeking a connection with something more significant but not aligned with any particular religious tradition. Many churches struggle to provide meaningful engagement opportunities for these individuals, as they may feel out of place or unwelcome in traditional worship services.
Spiritual-but-not-religious (SBNR) individuals describe themselves as having spiritual beliefs and practices but do not affiliate with organized religion. This population is becoming more prevalent, with surveys indicating that almost 30% of millennials consider themselves SBNR (Pew Research 2017). However, there are misunderstandings and underestimations from the church community towards this growing population. This blog post will explore the reality of the SBNR community, the church’s viewpoint, what SBNR individuals offer the church, learning from megachurches, and the importance of understanding and catering to the SBNR population.
The Reality of Spiritual-But-Not-Religious Community
SBNR individuals come from different backgrounds, belief systems, and spiritual practices. They may identify as agnostic, atheist, or spiritual but do not want to be constrained by institutionalized religion. Age, race, gender, and socioeconomic background also influence SBNR beliefs. It is essential to acknowledge the broad spectrum of SBNR practices and beliefs. Serving this diverse community requires recognizing and understanding their unique ideas and practices.
They have no spiritual community per se, just a sense within that there is More to Life than Meets the Eye. Others, however, are deeply embedded in a community of every kind—unaware they should be missing us. They sense the transcendent in the ordinary, the Divine in the everyday.
I have also heard pastors remark that the church can provide what these spiritual but not religious people identify as needs—community, people who care about each other, significance over success, and a deep relationship with Something Bigger than Us. If only they knew about the church and would adapt a bit to it, they would find everything they are looking for!
The church’s narrow approach to serving SBNR individuals is a significant limitation. The church believes that everything the SBNR population needs can be found within the walls of the church. Underestimating the needs of SBNR individuals can lead to negative impacts, including alienation. According to a 2021 Pew Research study, church attendance and affiliation have decreased over time, potentially indicating that the church’s narrow approach may be ineffective.
Bottom line: We have this sense that if we can figure out what’s wrong with them or what they’re missing, then we can get them “back.”
I want to propose a new way of relating to the spiritual-but-not-religious crowd. Instead of seeing them as missing what we are offering, we should see them as providing what we are (or may be) missing. I want to share three gifts we can glean from them. And how to incorporate them into your congregation.
Three Gifts From the Spiritual-But-Not-Religious Crowd
They are a living reminder of our roots.
Every significant moment in the Bible is defined by someone walking away from known reality. Abraham leaves his father and is kindred to follow God to a new unseen land. Jacob wrestles with a Divine figure which is part human, part angel. Moses serves an invisible god who identifies as Being itself. Ruth gives up her cultural identity to identify with her mother-in-law’s people. John the Baptist leads people away from their daily lives into the wilderness. Jesus himself ushers in the long-awaited but previously unexperienced Kingdom. Just as these people walked away from known reality for something new, so did the spiritual but not religious. Rather than see them as lacking something, consider that their spiritual journeying reflects the essence of Biblical stories.
They remind us of the value of experience over form.
For the spiritual-but-not-religious, the direct experience of God is the goal, not doctrines or dogma, which point the way to the experience. Jesus, while faithful to Judaism, experienced oneness with God. He even taught others that “The kingdom of heaven is within.” Why should we be surprised when people discover direct access to the Holy and prefer that over the form of religion?
They point to the convergence of science and spirituality.
Quantum physics points to a conscious universe and the deep interconnectedness of all life forms. While some Christian believers fight over science and religion, the spiritual-but-not-religious folks are moving beyond duality by seeking how science and spirituality inform each other. This is cutting-edge.
Applying the Gifts
How can we apply these three gifts from the spiritual-but-not-religious crowd in the life of the church?
Encourage spiritual adventuring. For instance, you can offer classes on centering prayer or meditation. Build a labyrinth and encourage people on their spiritual journey. Invite a Spiritual Director to affiliate with your congregation. Ask for testimonies from congregants who have had a near-death experience or other spiritual awakening. Give people the tools to experience heaven here on earth.
Follow Jesus by teaching that the Kingdom of God is within. Then create special times for people to experience God’s presence within themselves. Encourage creative arts to express this reality—re-think worship to make space for this opportunity.
Don’t be afraid to explore the overlap of science and spirituality. Read and discuss books that hint at this, such as neurosurgeon Eben Alexander’s dramatic Proof of Heaven.
The Spiritual But Not Religious in Action
Some time ago, I visited a spiritual-but-not-religious megachurch. Megachurch, you ask? Yes, megachurch. They exist!
What made this experience work? Excellent music that emphasized unity over duality. A welcome that affirmed God’s unconditional love indwelling all people and their congregational acceptance of all people. Preaching that connected body and soul. Prayer that affirmed rather than begged.
But most of all, what made this a spiritual-but-not-religious service was that it assumed people wanted to experience God, not just hear about God or work on behalf of God. So after initial announcements, the lights were turned down low so the collective congregation could spend about 4 minutes in silent meditation. Likewise, after a rousing blessing was sung at the end, one-on-one prayer was made available to seekers. In between, the music ranged between the sacred and secular—all of it carrying an empowering message of love.
Churches like this are spectacular, fun, and rare. Likely, they can’t be reproduced in small-town Iowa, desert New Mexico, or city-center churches in New England. No matter. Take some of the principles offered and use them to re-create what the spiritual-but-not-religious can teach us: the experience of God transcends all. And it is ever so attractive.
If you want to know more about this, grab a copy of my book, Forging a New Path: Moving the Church Forward in a Post-Pandemic World. In it, I share how the church can minister to the spiritual-but-not-religious crowd authentically and meaningfully. I also show how the gifts of this emerging spiritual demographic can transform our churches with a new understanding and appreciation.
Adapted and updated from original posted February 2015.