“Why are so many people reluctant to go to church these days, and should I say anything about it to them?” A pastor in Washington recently weighed in for those who want to go to church again regularly in 2024 or who have family members or friends in that position, people who may have held back since the pandemic or even earlier.
At this time of year, said Pastor Jesse Bradley of Auburn, Washington, “people are especially appreciative of, and receptive to, attending a church service with others. Attendance soars, and many people are curious about Jesus and experiencing a time of inspiration. He noted that the reality is that some people may have “experienced past hurts” regarding church. Bradley shared tips and advice about how to handle these situations in comments to Fox News Digital.
His first tip is to listen to others. He said, “You might ask people a question like: ‘What were your experiences with faith as you were growing up?’ Or, ‘Have you had some negative experiences at church?’” Bradley believes this is a relatively safe way to give them an opportunity to share with you. Some people will just begin to tell you their story without any questions. Just listen. Don’t judge them. Don’t interrupt them. Don’t start preaching to them.”
Instead, he said, “Listen with your heart, mind and ears. Listen as long as they want to talk. Listen by asking additional questions, such as how it made them feel. There might be some deep scars. If they open up with you, it shows they trust you. It’s an honor they would let you into this part of their lives.” Bradley noted, “Listening is how you love people. Listening brings healing. The Bible says to be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19). Listening is a way to honor someone else, and it’s hard to find good listeners. Listen well.”
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Bradley’s next tip is to share resources and information, noting that he didn’t grow up going to church or listening to the Bible. However, he told Fox News Digital that when he was in college at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, “the professor directed us to the Gospel of John as an assignment in our religion class.” At the same time, he started having spiritual conversations with Christians in his dorm for the first time in his life. He said that others shared what they believed and “why they believed it. And both are significant.”
Bradley said at that time in his life, he “wasn’t ready to attend church, but I wanted to learn more about Jesus. There are millions of people in America who are very curious about God but not ready to attend a weekend church service yet. So simply go to where people are and meet them where they are with faith.” In college, Bradley’s friends gave him some books he could read and research the historical evidence about Jesus. He said, “You can provide websites, books and videos that provide insights and content that others can review in their own time and in what they consider to be a safe place.” However, he advised against rushing or pressuring people.
His last tip is to be available to help as you can. The pastor said, “When someone has had negative experiences in the church, such as hypocrisy, abuse or harsh comments, I first just try to understand. Sometimes, I grieve with them sincerely if it has been very traumatic.” He said, “There are some conversations I’ll have about what made Jesus angry and sad, too. Jesus is against sin. In their healing journey, people begin to separate Jesus from the people who harmed them — after they initially might have combined God, church and mistreatment.” The faith leader said that “over time, it becomes clearer to them that God still loves them — and He is very different than their negative experiences might have been.”