Only around a third of unchurched Americans would go to a worship service if they were invited by a friend, and few think about what happens after they die, according to new findings from LifeWay Research.
The survey of 2,000 unchurched Americans was conducted with the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism.
It found that while half of those who don't go to church still identify as Christian, they are mainly indifferent to organised religion. According to LifeWay's executive director Scott McConnell, "Unchurched Americans aren't hostile to faith. They just don't think church is for them."
However, they are open to discussing religion. Almost half (47 per cent) say they will talk about religion freely if the subject comes up, while a third (31 per cent) say they listen without responding. Eleven per cent say they change the subject.
McConnell said the survey showed Christians should feel free to talk about their faith without being afraid of causing offence: "Unchurched folks are not being overwhelmed by Christians talking about their faith. If faith is important to you, then your friends will be interested in hearing about it."
While unchurched people are not interested in worship services, they are more likely to attend events of more general interest. Around two-thirds would attend a church meeting about neighbourhood safety, half would talk part in a community service event, while concerts and sports programmes are also popular.
Rick Richardson, professor of evangelism and leadership at Wheaton College, said: "Concerns for neighborhood safety and desire to express compassion to the under-resourced seem to be the biggest potential draws for the unchurched to get connected to a church. Invite unchurched people to those kinds of events, and many say they will attend."
The survey's finding of a lack of interest in the afterlife also indicated the ineffectiveness of a traditional evangelistic tactic. McConnell said many Christians had been taught to ask questions like, "If you died tonight, would you go to heaven?"
"If the only benefit of being a Christian is that you get to go to heaven, most unchurched people don't care," he said. "It can't be the only way of talking about faith."
Instead, McConnell suggested Christians talk about how their relationship with God affects their daily life.
