Believing and Wanting to Belong: A Mixed-Methods Study of Dechurched Christians in Hong Kong

Abstract

Dechurched Christians are believers who regularly attended church but later left church and maintained their Christian faith. Reasons for dechurching provide important learnings for the wider Christian community. This is a mixed method study that began with a quantitative survey that looked into the reasons for going to and leaving church. Quantitative results found that most Christian respondents go to church “to be closer to God.” Top reasons for dechurching are disappointment in church culture and not liking the way a church handles certain matters. In the subsequent qualitative study, 17 dechurched Christians were interviewed and results found that an additional reason for leaving was feeling that churches were out of touch. Interviewees shared that their best memories from church were when they experienced life together with brothers and sisters and learnt from in-depth sermon messages. Most respondents shared that they still maintained close relationship with God, hope to go back to church, and long to experience love and belong to spiritual companionship and experience presence of God. This study illustrates the importance of staying connected with dechurched Christians, and room for faith communities and fresh expression of churches to provide spiritual home for dechurched to belong.