For the past several decades, Americans have been leaving Christian churches in record numbers. This phenomenon has been dubbed “The Great Dechurching” by pastors Jim Davis and Michael Graham. What’s surprising is that many of those Americans didn’t leave the church because they stopped believing. They left because their church stopped feeling like a place of belonging. What we need to do to reverse the “Great Dechurching,” argues Jake Meador, is embrace the task of being good friends and good neighbors — a task given to all Christians, but also necessary for all humans.

Ryan Burge: Author of The Nones and 20 Myths About Religion and Politics in America.

Michael Graham: Co-author of The Great Dechurching with Jim Davis. Works with The Keller Center and The Gospel Coalition.

Jen Wilkin: Bible teacher, speaker, and bestselling author advocating for deep Bible literacy.

Jim Davis: Co-author of The Great Dechurching, Pastor at Orlando Grace Church. Contributor to The Gospel Coalition.

Jake Meador: Writer, editor-in-chief of Mere Orthodoxy.

Alan Cooperman: Director of Religion Research at Pew Research Center.

Article 13 is a narrative podcast from Faith Matters that brings together cutting-edge research and spiritual wisdom to offer blueprints for a better world. Article 13 is produced by Maria Devlin McNair, Zachary Davis, and Gavin Feller. Music by Steve LaRosa. Art by Charlotte Alba. You can learn more about Article 13 here.

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