Why Christians Are Really Leaving the Church

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Two major studies just dropped a finding that should reshape how churches think about discipleship: the number one reason Americans leave Christianity isn't church hurt, politics, or scandal — it's that they stopped believing. Brian From unpacks what that means and why it points to a discipleship crisis hiding in plain sight. Then: repentance. Not the vegetable-eating, obligatory kind, but the gift kind — the one Luther put first in his 95 theses and the one Scripture consistently frames as a reason for joy. Plus, a pencil is running for governor of Oregon to protest the state's worst-in-the-nation fourth grade reading scores, and somehow that becomes a meditation on Sabbath rest and why recess matters as much for adults as it does for kids. A sobering update on the ongoing slaughter of Christians in Northern Nigeria — a reminder of what it costs to follow Jesus in other parts of the world — and a close look at the calling of Peter: what it means to leave your nets immediately, and what step of faith might be waiting for you right now.

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