The Reality of Religious Switching

If you are like me, the phrase "religious switching" might not be in your repertoire. I found the word about an eight through the recently released RLS (Religious Landscape Study) report from the Pew Research Center. I read the report because Lifeway Research posted an article about good news for the Christian church in the United States earlier this week. Lifeway reported that the decline in church attendance has leveled off and that those claiming no religion (the Nones) are getting smaller. The RLS reports a huge turnaround from the 2022 GSS [General Social Survey]—and good news until you get to page 53 in the RLS and learn about religious switching. 

What is religious switching, and why is it important? Large-scale surveys need data, and data needs to be definable. The researchers behind the RLS chose "religious switching" rather than "conversion" simply because conversion is a multifaceted process, but crossing a line or flipping a switch is an event. We even see the difference between a process and an event in the Bible. It is easier to assess an event such as a healing- I was blind, but now I see- than a process of converting to follow Jesus. In John chapter six, many of Jesus' followers desert him. So many leave that Jesus asks his closest followers and friends if they are leaving him too.  

Religious switching is important because of the information that the RLS discovered. "When we divide the data into just three categories – Christianity, other religions, and no religion – it shows very clearly that Christianity loses far more people than it gains through religious switching. Fully 80% of U.S. adults say they were raised Christian, but upward of a quarter of them (22% of all U.S. adults) no longer identify as Christians" (Pew Research Center, February 2025, "Decline of Christianity in the U.S. Has Slowed, May Have Leveled Off, p.52). The RLS data suggests that six people leave Christianity for every person who converts to Christianity! When I read this, it felt like I was climbing into my ice plunge—shocking, painful, and burning with passion.

Wait, before you whip out that track. Yes, as Christians we need to get out there and testify about Jesus and make disciples! Even more so during this season leading up to Easter. But part of the problem with religious switching might be how we talk about Jesus. We need to refresh and reaffirm our understanding of the gospel before we share the gospel with others.  

Before we testify with Jesus, we need to understand the gospel in the eyes of someone who doesn't know Jesus. I encourage you to work through these three gospel questions to strengthen your understanding of the gospel: 1. How did you come to know Jesus?; 2.How do you experience the reality of Jesus in your daily life?; and 3. How do you practice your hope in Jesus each day? If you have never had another Christian help you understand how to answer these questions, I encourage you to reach out to your pastor, small group leaders, bible study leaders, or a Christian friend. Work through these questions. Learn the gospel. Someone's being transformed by Jesus depends on you.

1. As we journey through these weeks before Easter, make a list of people in your life and routines that you know need to hear about Jesus.

2. Write down your answers to the three gospel questions. Who might you be able to share your answers with this week?

You can find the Pew Center Report here: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/decline-of-christianity-in-the-us-has-slowed-may-have-leveled-off/

If you are not connected to a local church and need guidance on what followers of Jesus believe, you can also find a solid statement of faith here: https://www.efca.org/sof