Leaving the Church

Why some Seventh-day Adventist members leave

the church, and why some come back

Final Report
April 14, 2014

Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research

Gender of Respondents

60%
51.5%
48.5%
50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Male Female
Age Now
3.5%
1.6%
13.2%
4.6%

18-24
9.2% 25-32
33-39

19.3% 40-46
10.6%
47-52
53-59
60-65
66-72
73+
18.8%
19.4%
Marital Status Now

3.35%
2.15%
7.75%
25.15%
4.50%
single

4.05% married
living w/partner
separated
divorced
remarried
widowed

53.10%
Number of Children Now

5.40%
9.30%
26.35%
None
1
16.95% 2
3
4
5 or more
19.50%

22.50%
Type of Educational Institution
Attended: Primary Level
90%

80% 76.8%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20% 15.9%

10% 7.2%

0%
SDA Non-SDA Both
Type of Educational Institution
Attended: Secondary Level
80% 74.5%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%
18.8%
20%

10% 6.7%

0%
SDA Non-SDA Both
Type of Educational Institution
Attended: Bachelor’s Level
90%

80% 76.2%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%
19.1%
20%

10% 4.6%

0%
SDA Non-SDA Both
Type of Educational Institution
Attended: Postgraduate Level
100%
88.6%
90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%
8.0%
10% 3.4%
0%
SDA Non-SDA Both
Primary Influences for Becoming Adventist
45%

40% 38.47%

35%

30%

25%
21.40%
19.11%
20% 17.83%
15.29%
15%

10% 7.77%
6.50% 5.99% 5.61% 6.62%
5.35%
3.31% 4.08%
5% 2.04% 1.27%
0%
Secondary Influences for Becoming Adventist

12%
10.96% 10.96%

10% 9.17%

8%
6.62%

6% 5.48%

4.08% 4.20%
4% 3.31% 3.18%
2.17% 2.04%
1.66% 1.78% 1.53%
2%
1.02%

0%
Tertiary Influences for Becoming Adventist
6%
5.48%

5% 4.59%
4.46%

4% 3.69%
3.31%
2.93%
3%

2.04%
2% 1.78% 1.78%

1.02% 1.02%
1% 0.76%
0.25% 0.38% 0.38%

0%
Length of Practicing Adventism

25%
22.0%
19.9%
20%
18.0%
16.5%

15% 13.9%

9.7%
10%

5%

0%
1-12 months 2-3 years 4-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years longer
Length of Regular Church
Attendance
25%
21.5%
20.2%
20%
17.0%

14.4%
15% 13.5%

10%
7.1%
6.3%

5%

0%
1-6 months 7-12 2-3 years 4-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years longer
months
Helpfulness of Church Activities for
Assimilation during 1st 6 Months

Average Rating (if participated)

5
4.5 4.23
3.89 3.9
4 3.58
3.36 3.43 3.44
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
regular small group regular special church Bible study other
small group with a Sabbath Sabbath socials on Daniel
special School School or
program class class Revelation
Length of Formal Membership
25%

21.3%
20.4%
20%
18.3%

15.7%
15%
11.9% 12.3%

10%

5%

0%
1-12 months 2-3 years 4-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years longer
Stage of Life at Departure
70%
63.5%

60%

50%

40%
35.1%

30%

20%

10%

1.3% 0.1%
0%
young adult middle aged child (never old age
baptized)
Process of Decision to Leave
40% 37.7%

35%

30% 27.6%

25% 23.6%

20%

15%
11.1%
10%

5%

0%
gradual--didn't gradual--knew it disfellowshiped specific reason or
notice event
 Primary Triggers for Departure
18%
16.43%
15.67%
16%

14%

12% 11.21%
10.32% 10.45%
10% 9.04%

8% 7.39%
6.88% 6.50%
6% 4.84%
4.20% 4.20%
4%
2.55% 2.29% 2.04% 2.42%2.17% 2.04%
1.78% 1.66%
2%

0%
 Secondary Triggers for Departure
12%

10% 9.55%
9.17%
8.28%
8%

6% 5.48%
5.10%
4.33% 3.82%
4% 3.57% 3.69% 3.57%

2.29% 2.55% 2.68% 2.42% 2.29%

2% 1.27% 1.15% 1.66% 1.53%

0
0%
Tertiary Triggers for Departure
9%
8.03% 7.77%
8%
6.88%
7% 6.50%
6.24%
5.99%
6%
5.10%
5% 4.59% 4.46% 4.71%

4% 3.69% 3.69%
3.44% 3.31% 3.44%
3.06%
3% 2.68%
2.04% 2.04%
2%

1%
0%
0%
Adventist Education a
Factor in Departure?
90%

80% 77.5%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20% 15.2%

10% 7.3%

0%
yes no don't know
Attending Adventist School
Increased Desire to Stay
50%
44.00%
45%
39.40%
40%

35%

30%

25%

20% 16.50%
15%

10%

5%

0%
yes no not sure
Attending Adventist School
Increased Desire to Leave
50% 47.6%

45%
40.2%
40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15% 12.2%

10%

5%

0%
yes no not sure
Educational Influences to Stay
45%
39.7%
40%

35%
29.0%
30%

25%
21.4%
20%

15%

10%
6.1%
5% 3.8%

0%
1 - early 2 3 - early and 4 5 - later
education later education education
more influential equally more influential
influential
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Personal Bible Study
45%
39.9%
40%

35% 32.2%

30%

25%

20% 17.3%

15%
10.6%
10%

5%

0%
Daily 1-3 a week 1-2 a month 1-4 a year
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Personal Prayer
70%
62.4%
60%

50%

40%

30% 28.4%

20%

10%
5.6%
3.6%

0%
Daily 1-3 a week 1-2 a month 1-4 a year
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Family Worship
40%

35% 33.7%

29.8%
30%

25%

19.0%
20% 17.5%

15%

10%

5%

0%
Daily 1-3 a week 1-2 a month 1-4 a year
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Study of Sabbath School Quarterly
45%

40% 38.1%

35% 33.6%

30%

25%
19.3%
20%

15%
9.0%
10%

5%

0%
Daily 1-3 a week 1-2 a month 1-4 a year
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Church Aid to Community
50%

45% 43.6%

40% 38.0%

35%

30%

25%

20%
13.7%
15%

10%
4.7%
5%

0%
Daily 1-3 a week only on Sabbath 1-2 a month
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Prayer Meeting
40%
35.0%
34.0%
35%

30%

25%
21.7%
20%

15%
9.3%
10%

5%

0%
Daily 1-3 a week 1-2 a month 1-4 a year
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Pathfinders/Youth Meetings
40%
35.3%
35%
30.7%
30%

25% 23.2%

20%

15%
10.8%
10%

5%

0%
Daily 1-3 a week 1-2 a month 1-4 a year
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Small Groups
50% 47.6%

45%

40%
34.5%
35%

30%

25%

20% 17.9%

15%

10%

5%

0%
once a week 1-3 a week 1-2 a month
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Summer Camp/Evangelistic Programs
35%
32.0%
30.0%
30%

25%
21.7%

20%
16.3%
15%

10%

5%

0%
once a quarter 1-2 a year once a year only once ever
Frequency of Spiritual Activities:
Services at Church
50%
45.8%
45%

40%
36.2%
35%

30%

25%

20%

15%
9.8%
10% 8.2%

5%

0%
more than once a weekonly on Sabbath 1-2 a month 1-4 a year
Level of Engagement Before Leaving
(percentage of time occupied in these roles
41%-100%)
45% 41.9%
40%

35%

30%
25.7%
25%

20%

15% 11.9%
10%

5%

0%
Observer Participant Leader
Types of Involvement
25%

19.8%
20%

15% 13.6% 13.8%

13.0% 13.1%
11.2%
10% 8.0%

5% 3.8% 3.8%

0%
Frequency of Involvement in
Leadership Activities
70%

58.6%
60%

50%

40%

30%

20%
13.8% 14.9%
12.7%
10%

0%
weekly monthly a few times a year a few times total
View of Christianity in First
Five Years after Baptism
40%
36.2%
35% 32.2%

30%

25% 23.4%

20%

15%

10% 8.2%

5%

0%
excited by glad to be concerned by non- baptized young,
worldwide Christian Adventist, didn't Adventist Christians didn't think it
fellowship think about other through
Christians
Change to View of
Christianity in Last 5 Years
60%
54.3%

50%

40%

30.7%
30%

20%
15.0%

10%

0%
No yes, had begun to yes, disillusioned by
question beliefs behavior of Christians
View of Christianity at
Departure
60%
52.1%
50%

40%

30%

20%
14.7%
12.2%
10.3% 10.7%
10%

0%
still a Christian, still a Christian, doubting agreed in wanted nothing
eager to join didn't want certain aspects principle, didn't more to do with
another more joining like the people it
denomination
View of Adventist Church in
1st 5 Years after Baptism
35%
30.1%
30% 28.6%

25%

20%

15% 12.9%
10.0% 9.5%
10% 8.8%

5%

0%
excited by appreciated happy to expected to couldn't live couldn't
everything community have the find up to the keep
special Bible something I lifestyle Sabbath
truth was missing regularly
Change to View of Adventist
Church in Last 5 Years
50%
46.0%
45%

40%

35%

30%

25% 22.0%
21.1%
20%

15%
10.9%
10%

5%

0%
no yes, questioning yes, frustrated by yes, losing
doctrine the people connectedness
View of Adventist Church at
Departure
25%
22.8%
20.9%
20%
18.1%
16.6%
14.5%
15%

10%
7.2%

5%

0%
irrelevant angry at cold and lacked thought thought
treatment inflexible integrity highly, highly, lost
couldn't touch
measure up
Still Believe: Authority of
Scripture
90%
84.0%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10% 5.5% 6.4%

4.2%

0%
yes no some not sure
Still Believe: Benefits to Bible
Study
100%
91.5%
90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10% 5.9%
2.6%
0%
yes no not sure
Still Believe: Gift of Prophesy
(EGW)
80%

68.9%
70%

60%

50%

40%

30%
21.2%
20%
9.9%
10%

0%
yes no not sure
Still Believe: Benefits to
Studying Writings of EGW
70%
65.2%

60%

50%

40%

30%
22.9%

20%
11.9%
10%

0%
yes no not sure
Change in Attitude Toward
Adventist Doctrine
80%
70.1%
70%

60%

50%

40%

29.9%
30%

20%

10%

0%
No Yes
Timing of Change in Attitude
Toward Doctrine
40%

34.9%
35%

30%

24.1% 23.6%
25%

20%
17.4%

15%

10%

5%

0%
1st five years between baptism five years before last 12 months
and last five years leaving before leaving
Continued Belief in God
After Departure
90%

78.0%
80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20% 17.7%

10%
0.5% 2.2% 1.6%
0%
yes - Christian yes - general yes - non- not sure no
Christian
Religious Affiliation After
Departure
50%
44.5%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20% 17.3%
15%
9.6% 9.7%
10% 7.9% 7.7%
5% 2.5%
0.8%
0%
Awareness of Developments
in Adventism
40%
36.2%
35%
30.9%
30%

25%

19.5%
20%

15% 13.4%

10%

5%

0%
no knowledge hear things fairly detailed
occasionally knowledgeable knowledge
 Sources of Information
50%
43.7%
45%
40% 37.7%

35%
30%
25%
20%
15% 11.2% 12.1% 10.8%
6.6% 8.3%
10% 5.4%
3.3% 4.6% 6.0% 1.3% 2.5% 4.5%
3.8% 2.9% 3.2% 3.8%
5% 2.2%
0.5% 0.5% 0.3%
0%
Feeling Toward Adventism
after Departure
60% 57.0%

50%

40%

30%

19.1%
20%
14.9%

10%
5.2%
3.8%

0%
happy memories, bittersweet don't care hostile actively opposed
"but not for me
anymore"
 Attempts to Reconnect:
Has anyone attempted to reconnect since
you left?
90%
82.2%
80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20% 17.8%

10%

0%
yes no
Number of Attempts to
Reconnect
50% 47.4%

45%

40%

35%
31.6%
30%

25%
21.0%
20%

15%

10%

5%

0%
1-3 4-10 11+
Who Attempted to Reconnect

40%
36.0%
35%

29.7%
30%

25%
22.4%

20%

15%
11.9%

10%

5%

0%
local pastor(s) local church family/friends church member(s)
elder(s)
Openness to Reconnect
50%
46.2%
45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20% 17.6% 16.9%

15%
9.4% 10.0%
10%

5%

0%
likely somewhat likely somewhat very unlikely depends on
unlikely circumstances