What do you think?
Rate this book
The Rise of the Nones: Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated
The single fastest growing religious group of our time is those who check the box next to the word none on national surveys. In America, this is 20 percent of the population. Exactly who are the unaffiliated? What caused this seismic shift in our culture? Are our churches poised to reach these people?
James Emery White lends his prophetic voice to one of the most important conversations the church needs to be having today. He calls churches to examine their current methods of evangelism, which often result only in transfer growth--Christians moving from one church to another--rather than in reaching the "nones." The pastor of a megachurch that is currently experiencing 70 percent of its growth from the unchurched, White knows how to reach this growing demographic, and here he shares his ministry strategies with concerned pastors and church leaders.
James Emery White lends his prophetic voice to one of the most important conversations the church needs to be having today. He calls churches to examine their current methods of evangelism, which often result only in transfer growth--Christians moving from one church to another--rather than in reaching the "nones." The pastor of a megachurch that is currently experiencing 70 percent of its growth from the unchurched, White knows how to reach this growing demographic, and here he shares his ministry strategies with concerned pastors and church leaders.
222 pages, Paperback
First published April 29, 2014
64 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
James Emery White
32 books55 followersJames Emery White is the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, North Carolina; president of Serious Times, a ministry that explores the intersection of faith and culture. Dr. White is an adjunctive professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also served as their fourth president; and author of more than twenty books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 10, 2018
This was a well written and very fair assessment on the current demographic of the unchurched. The reading level was higher than his other books (like What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary), so I would recommend it for college-level readers. Highlights include looking at how the nonreligious (or "nones") are brought to the saving knowledge of Jesus, which is dramatically different than how it was during the time of gospel crusades, door knocking, and handing out pamphlets. This book allows the modern Christian reevaluate evangelistic methods to best fit the nonreligious but spiritually open people of the Western world.
August 12, 2024
Helpful overview of slightly outdated trends in young people. It’s a bit older now when you consider just how fast culture changes now, but it gave good insight.
May 20, 2015
James Emery White, The Rise of the Nones: Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014). Paperback | Kindle
According to a May 2015 report from Pew Research Center, “The Christian share of the U.S. population is declining, while the number of U.S. adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing.” Sociologists refer to this latter group as nones. When asked to state their religious affiliation—e.g., Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, etc.—they choose “None of the above.”
Nones constitute a rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population. According to data from the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey, nones nearly doubled between 1990 and 2008, from 8.1 to 15 percent. Pew’s own data indicate that the share of nones grew by nearly 42 percent between 2007 and 2014, from 16.1 percent of the U.S. population to 22.8 percent.
For Christians committed to obeying the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16–20), nones are a new people group to be reached with the gospel. The question is how. In The Rise of the Nones, James Emery White provides an “analysis” of this demographic (Part 1) that explains “a revolution of mindset and strategy” which the church needs to effectively evangelize them (Part 2).
White has a good handle on both the intellectual and practical aspects of Christian ministry in an increasingly secular culture. He is founding senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, 70 percent of whose total growth has come from nones. And he has a Ph.D. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
According to White, “The real mark of a none is not the rejection of God but the rejection of any specific religion” (p. 23). In that sense, they are “spiritual but not religious.” This spirituality does not turn them into “seekers,” however. Rather, it is consistent with what Jonathan Rauch describes as “a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion, and even stronger disinclination to care about other people’s” (p. 27).
White analyzes the causes of this rejection of religion, and the worldview that results from it, in Part 1—an analysis that need not detain us here. Rather, I’d like to focus on the advice for reaching nones that he outlines in Part 2. White notes that most churches’ outreach strategies “rest on a single, deeply flawed premise that people want what you have to offer” (emphasis in original). In the very next sentence, however, he writes: “More often than not, they don’t” (p. 89).
Like Jonathan Rauch, many—if not most—nones simply don’t care about religion. When churches send out slick mailers promising a church experience with a casual atmosphere, contemporary music, relevant messages, and good coffee, nones chuck them in the trash because they already have those things…without organized religion.
What is needed is a new mindset, a mindset that is willing to change the way we do things in order to effectively reach a post-religious generation. Unfortunately, too many churches cater to the spiritual consumerism of existing Christians, even as they vocalize a desire to reach the lost. White doesn’t mince words: “we say we want them [i.e., the nones] in heaven—but we act like they can go to hell” (p. 84).
To reach nones, we need to think of evangelism as both a process and an event. “The goal is not simply knowing how to articulate the means of coming to Christ,” White writes in reference to the conversion event. Rather, he continues with reference to the process of conversion, “it is learning how to facilitate and enable the person to progress…[to] where he or she is able to even consider accepting Christ” (p. 93).
The process of evangelism looks very different in a nominally Christian culture than in a post-religious society. In the mid-twentieth century, when Christian influence was at its peak and churches could assume most Americans identified with and had a basic understanding of Christianity, the process looked like this:
In other words, first unchurched people accepted the gospel, then joined the church, then starting supporting the church’s mission.
To reach Baby Boomers, who had been raised in church but left it out of disillusionment in young adulthood, churches tried a different evangelistic process, which looked like this:
In other words, unchurched Baby Boomers needed to trust the church again before they could express commitment to Christ and support the church’s mission.
White argues that the nones require yet another change in the evangelistic process, which looks like this:
“Today,” White writes, “it is cause that arrests the attention of the world” (p. 101). Nones are interested in the common good, not personal conversion. Some Christians seem to be interested in conversion rather than the common good. Jesus was interested in both. “Jesus wed mission and message together seamlessly,” White says, “proclaiming the kingdom that had come while healing the leper and feeding the hungry. He mandated concern for the widow and orphan, the homeless and naked, the imprisoned and hungry while speaking of the bread of life and a home in heaven” (p. 102). If Jesus, so the church; we should be interested in both conversion and the common good too.
Notice that White has not discarded the event of evangelism, namely, a call to repentance and faith. The strategy he outlines pertains to the process whereby nones see that conversion to Christ makes sense. “Even if it takes a while to get to talking about Christ,” he argues, based on ministry experience, “[nones] get there” (p. 108).
White’s discussion of mindset and strategy includes far more than I’ve outlined in this review. To get that, you’ll need to read the book. And I worry that a focus on cause may become as unattractive to nones as slick mailers advertising a “casual atmosphere” and “good coffee.” Nones don’t need to go to church to get coffee; do they need to go to church to get a cause? A church not committed to the common good is not representing Jesus well, but nones won’t necessarily come to Christ just because the church pursues it.
Regardless, I recommend The Rise of the Nones for its thought-provoking analysis and guidance regarding mindset and strategy. I haven’t touched on all the points White makes, but I hope this review has given you a better understanding of the challenge of and a strategy for reaching nones. They’re not interested in religion—yours or their own. To get them to Christ, you must start with what interests them and draw them—slowly, patiently—to Jesus.
P.S. If you found this book review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
According to a May 2015 report from Pew Research Center, “The Christian share of the U.S. population is declining, while the number of U.S. adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing.” Sociologists refer to this latter group as nones. When asked to state their religious affiliation—e.g., Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, etc.—they choose “None of the above.”
Nones constitute a rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population. According to data from the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey, nones nearly doubled between 1990 and 2008, from 8.1 to 15 percent. Pew’s own data indicate that the share of nones grew by nearly 42 percent between 2007 and 2014, from 16.1 percent of the U.S. population to 22.8 percent.
For Christians committed to obeying the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16–20), nones are a new people group to be reached with the gospel. The question is how. In The Rise of the Nones, James Emery White provides an “analysis” of this demographic (Part 1) that explains “a revolution of mindset and strategy” which the church needs to effectively evangelize them (Part 2).
White has a good handle on both the intellectual and practical aspects of Christian ministry in an increasingly secular culture. He is founding senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, 70 percent of whose total growth has come from nones. And he has a Ph.D. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
According to White, “The real mark of a none is not the rejection of God but the rejection of any specific religion” (p. 23). In that sense, they are “spiritual but not religious.” This spirituality does not turn them into “seekers,” however. Rather, it is consistent with what Jonathan Rauch describes as “a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion, and even stronger disinclination to care about other people’s” (p. 27).
White analyzes the causes of this rejection of religion, and the worldview that results from it, in Part 1—an analysis that need not detain us here. Rather, I’d like to focus on the advice for reaching nones that he outlines in Part 2. White notes that most churches’ outreach strategies “rest on a single, deeply flawed premise that people want what you have to offer” (emphasis in original). In the very next sentence, however, he writes: “More often than not, they don’t” (p. 89).
Like Jonathan Rauch, many—if not most—nones simply don’t care about religion. When churches send out slick mailers promising a church experience with a casual atmosphere, contemporary music, relevant messages, and good coffee, nones chuck them in the trash because they already have those things…without organized religion.
What is needed is a new mindset, a mindset that is willing to change the way we do things in order to effectively reach a post-religious generation. Unfortunately, too many churches cater to the spiritual consumerism of existing Christians, even as they vocalize a desire to reach the lost. White doesn’t mince words: “we say we want them [i.e., the nones] in heaven—but we act like they can go to hell” (p. 84).
To reach nones, we need to think of evangelism as both a process and an event. “The goal is not simply knowing how to articulate the means of coming to Christ,” White writes in reference to the conversion event. Rather, he continues with reference to the process of conversion, “it is learning how to facilitate and enable the person to progress…[to] where he or she is able to even consider accepting Christ” (p. 93).
The process of evangelism looks very different in a nominally Christian culture than in a post-religious society. In the mid-twentieth century, when Christian influence was at its peak and churches could assume most Americans identified with and had a basic understanding of Christianity, the process looked like this:
Unchurched → Christ → Community → Cause
In other words, first unchurched people accepted the gospel, then joined the church, then starting supporting the church’s mission.
To reach Baby Boomers, who had been raised in church but left it out of disillusionment in young adulthood, churches tried a different evangelistic process, which looked like this:
Unchurched → Community → Christ → Cause
In other words, unchurched Baby Boomers needed to trust the church again before they could express commitment to Christ and support the church’s mission.
White argues that the nones require yet another change in the evangelistic process, which looks like this:
Nones → Cause → Community → Christ
“Today,” White writes, “it is cause that arrests the attention of the world” (p. 101). Nones are interested in the common good, not personal conversion. Some Christians seem to be interested in conversion rather than the common good. Jesus was interested in both. “Jesus wed mission and message together seamlessly,” White says, “proclaiming the kingdom that had come while healing the leper and feeding the hungry. He mandated concern for the widow and orphan, the homeless and naked, the imprisoned and hungry while speaking of the bread of life and a home in heaven” (p. 102). If Jesus, so the church; we should be interested in both conversion and the common good too.
Notice that White has not discarded the event of evangelism, namely, a call to repentance and faith. The strategy he outlines pertains to the process whereby nones see that conversion to Christ makes sense. “Even if it takes a while to get to talking about Christ,” he argues, based on ministry experience, “[nones] get there” (p. 108).
White’s discussion of mindset and strategy includes far more than I’ve outlined in this review. To get that, you’ll need to read the book. And I worry that a focus on cause may become as unattractive to nones as slick mailers advertising a “casual atmosphere” and “good coffee.” Nones don’t need to go to church to get coffee; do they need to go to church to get a cause? A church not committed to the common good is not representing Jesus well, but nones won’t necessarily come to Christ just because the church pursues it.
Regardless, I recommend The Rise of the Nones for its thought-provoking analysis and guidance regarding mindset and strategy. I haven’t touched on all the points White makes, but I hope this review has given you a better understanding of the challenge of and a strategy for reaching nones. They’re not interested in religion—yours or their own. To get them to Christ, you must start with what interests them and draw them—slowly, patiently—to Jesus.
P.S. If you found this book review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
April 28, 2018
If you're not a church geek and/or involved in the workings of your church, this book will not be of interest to you. Even as a church geek, I only found this book to be pretty good, but I have to give it credit - it did lead us guys in my Thursday morning Zion men's group into some long really interesting conversations, so it served its purpose. It has some insightful reflections on why young people (and not-so-young people) are no longer interested in attending or belonging to a church (the "nones" - those who check "none" on forms asking about religion), and it has some good ideas for outreach. I found it much more overtly evangelical than I am, though. I think there are among the Nones people who would really resonate with Christianity as I understand it (a religion of love, grace, and forgiveness), and others who God is leading on a different path. White, on the other hand, I think is advocating that everyone should be attracted into the church. Although he regularly promotes inclusiveness, I found that there was sometimes nonetheless a vibe of "we the washed can be here to show the great unwashed masses the way be cleansed" rather than acknowledging that we too are stained in our own ways, and also have a lot to learn from the Nones.
The book got me thinking about what church was to me when I was younger. When I was a senior in high school, some friends and I went to Canterbury House nearly every Sunday, not out of obligation or religious fervor, but because Canterbury House services were so enjoyable. Canterbury House was an Episcopal church, but at that time was a coffee house format - everyone sat informally at tables, the music was primarily folk-flavored (occasionally provided by touring artists who were in town for other shows), and the message was one of love, grace, and forgiveness. As I have come to learn more about liturgy, I realize that we always did the traditional Episcopal liturgy, but it was so well blended into the folkiness and inclusiveness of the service that it didn't feel of another place and time at all. I think Canterbury House represented the type of out-of-the-big-formal-church-box that White is talking about in this book.
The book got me thinking about what church was to me when I was younger. When I was a senior in high school, some friends and I went to Canterbury House nearly every Sunday, not out of obligation or religious fervor, but because Canterbury House services were so enjoyable. Canterbury House was an Episcopal church, but at that time was a coffee house format - everyone sat informally at tables, the music was primarily folk-flavored (occasionally provided by touring artists who were in town for other shows), and the message was one of love, grace, and forgiveness. As I have come to learn more about liturgy, I realize that we always did the traditional Episcopal liturgy, but it was so well blended into the folkiness and inclusiveness of the service that it didn't feel of another place and time at all. I think Canterbury House represented the type of out-of-the-big-formal-church-box that White is talking about in this book.
September 12, 2025
A STUDY OF THOSE WHO ARE ‘RELIGIOUSLY UNAFFILIATED'
Author and pastor James Emery White wrote in the Introduction to this 2014 book, “This is a book on the rise of the ‘nones,’ now the fastest-growing religious group in America… the vast numbers who have flocked to their nonlabel in just a few short years have been breathtaking. This book is divided into two parts… the first section will give you the cultural analysis needed to understand the who, what, and why of the rise of the nones. I write not simply as a professor of theology … but also as a pastor; so this discussion is far from academic. For the past two decades I have led a church that targets the religiously unaffiliated… over 70 percent of our total growth has come from the previously unchurched… the second part of the book… is an overview of the new mentality and approach that is needed to connect with the rising tide of the religiously unaffiliated and … also involve them in the life of the church… what is called for is nothing less than a revolution of mindset and strategy.” (Pg. 7-8)
He explains, ‘What are the ‘nones’? … they are the religiously unaffiliated. When asked about their religion, they did not answer ‘Baptist’ or ‘Catholic’ or any other defined faith. They picked a new category: NONE. The ARIS survey found that nones nearly doubled from 1990 to 2008… making [them]… the third-largest defined constituency in the United States. Only Catholics and Baptists represented larger groups.” (Pg. 13-14)
He continues, “the religiously indifferent ‘neither care to practice religion nor to oppose it.' They are simply not invested in religion either way… There is no shift from Protestant Christianity to another religious brand. Instead, there is simply the abandonment of a defined religion altogether… Given the choice to label themselves as ‘nothing’ instead of ‘something,’ they prefer ‘nothing.’” (Pg. 17)
He outlines, “Here’s the real snapshot of who a ‘none’ is. 1. MALE: … 56 percent of nones are male… 64 percent of [atheists and agnostics] are male. 2. YOUNG:… One-third of Americans under thirty say they have no religious affiliation, compared to 9 percent of those sixty-five and older. 3. WHITE: … 71 percent are white, 11 percent are Hispanic, 9 percent are black, and 4 percent are Asian… 4. NOT NECESSARILY AN ATHEIST:… 68 percent say they believe in God or a universal spirit… 5. NOT VERY RELIGIOUS: … 72 percent seldom or never attend religious services. 6. A DEMOCRAT: Nones are among the most reliably Democratic of voters… 7. IN FAVOR OF ABORTION AND SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE… 73 percent of nones… 8. LIBERAL OR MODERATE: … 9. NOT NECESSARILY HOSTILE TOWARD RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS: He or she just doesn’t want to belong to one… 10. MOST LIKELY A WESTERNER…” (Pg. 21-22)
But he clarifies, “What is most important to understand about the average none is that most are NOT atheists… most still believe in God, and many pray on a daily basis. They consider themselves spiritual, or at least open to spirituality. The real mark of a none is not the religion of God, but the rejection of any specific religion… there is a strong reticence toward... labels of any kind.” (Pg. 23)
He notes, “The Moral Majority of the 1980s… formed a top-down strategy for cultural change… through the election of Ronald Reagan as president, and his subsequent Supreme Court appointments… brought great anticipation for substantive change. Yet there has been little real change to mark as a result… the culture wars of the 1980s and ‘90s are now widely viewed as one of the most distasteful episodes in recent memory, and many younger evangelicals want nothing to do with … its caustic, abrasive, and unloving approach toward those apart from Christ. So the effort to recapture the nation failed as a strategy and alienated a younger generation.” (Pg. 39)
He observes, “We may not be losing our belief in God, but we are losing our religion… we seem quite content to accept the idea of faith being privately engaging [but] culturally irrelevant. And yes, this is because of the process of secularization… Think about how faith itself is tended. It needs SUPPORT. Apart from a Christian community we quickly wither… Beliefs… need to be nurtured, reinforced…” (Pg. 47)
He outlines four types of church growth: “BIOLOGICAL GROWTH: when a child of existing believers … comes to faith in Christ… TRANSFER GROWTH: When a Christian moves into an area and chooses to join a church… PRODIGAL GROTH: when someone who previously embraced Christian beliefs … returns to the church. CONVERSION GROWTH: When the church grows by reaching a person who has not entered into a … personal relationship with Christ…” (Pg. 75)
He asserts, “The problem? … Countless leaders and members of churches have given in to a Christan consumerism. They embrace a mentality that gives ample rhetorical support to evangelistic intent but resists violently at the point of implementation because … it COSTS them… it’s-all-about-me, spiritually narcissistic, turned-inward, meet-my-needs, feed-me consumer.” (Pg. 83)
He identifies six church attitudes toward Nones: “HOSTILE: openly antagonistic… INDIFFERENT: … apathetic and unwilling to answer nones’ questions… HOPEFUL: want to see the nones reach Christ, but unwilling to change their environment… SENSITIVE: ….primarily cater to the already convinced… TARGETED: church members… make every effort to remove any and all barriers that may impede the exploration process. NO MAN’S LAND: … being too targeted to the unchurched for the churched.” (Pg. 95)
He observes, “I am far from alone in noting that the questions nones are asking of Christianity … have changed significantly in recent years. For example, I do not encounter very many people who ask questions that classical apologetics trained us to answer.” (Pg. 131)
He laments, “An ideal can act in one of two ways: (1) It can drive you toward its fulfillment, or (2) it can drive you away from its pursuit entirely in disappointment. Sadly, many are choosing to leave the vision in disappointment. They remain loyal to the IDEA of church but not its practice, citing the chasm between the vision and the reality as their rationale. But this is precisely what must not happen.” (Pg. 173)
He concludes, “I am not surprised by the many findings revealed in this book. It’s just the latest manifestation of a cultural trajectory we’ve been on and that I’ve been charting for some time. But I am grateful. Why? Because I pray it will be the desperately needed wake-up call for American Christianity… to shake us from the trivial and divisive… There is no time for such things… the challenge too great. This is no time for cross-town church competitions for transfer growth… This is no time to cave in to spiritual narcissism… This is no time for seminaries and their leaders to bow down in front of the academy, as if the ultimate goal is getting another paper into another academic journal on some inane issue irrelevant to anyone but fellow academics…” (Pg. 179-180)
This book will be of great interest to those interested in the future of the Christian church in America.
Author and pastor James Emery White wrote in the Introduction to this 2014 book, “This is a book on the rise of the ‘nones,’ now the fastest-growing religious group in America… the vast numbers who have flocked to their nonlabel in just a few short years have been breathtaking. This book is divided into two parts… the first section will give you the cultural analysis needed to understand the who, what, and why of the rise of the nones. I write not simply as a professor of theology … but also as a pastor; so this discussion is far from academic. For the past two decades I have led a church that targets the religiously unaffiliated… over 70 percent of our total growth has come from the previously unchurched… the second part of the book… is an overview of the new mentality and approach that is needed to connect with the rising tide of the religiously unaffiliated and … also involve them in the life of the church… what is called for is nothing less than a revolution of mindset and strategy.” (Pg. 7-8)
He explains, ‘What are the ‘nones’? … they are the religiously unaffiliated. When asked about their religion, they did not answer ‘Baptist’ or ‘Catholic’ or any other defined faith. They picked a new category: NONE. The ARIS survey found that nones nearly doubled from 1990 to 2008… making [them]… the third-largest defined constituency in the United States. Only Catholics and Baptists represented larger groups.” (Pg. 13-14)
He continues, “the religiously indifferent ‘neither care to practice religion nor to oppose it.' They are simply not invested in religion either way… There is no shift from Protestant Christianity to another religious brand. Instead, there is simply the abandonment of a defined religion altogether… Given the choice to label themselves as ‘nothing’ instead of ‘something,’ they prefer ‘nothing.’” (Pg. 17)
He outlines, “Here’s the real snapshot of who a ‘none’ is. 1. MALE: … 56 percent of nones are male… 64 percent of [atheists and agnostics] are male. 2. YOUNG:… One-third of Americans under thirty say they have no religious affiliation, compared to 9 percent of those sixty-five and older. 3. WHITE: … 71 percent are white, 11 percent are Hispanic, 9 percent are black, and 4 percent are Asian… 4. NOT NECESSARILY AN ATHEIST:… 68 percent say they believe in God or a universal spirit… 5. NOT VERY RELIGIOUS: … 72 percent seldom or never attend religious services. 6. A DEMOCRAT: Nones are among the most reliably Democratic of voters… 7. IN FAVOR OF ABORTION AND SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE… 73 percent of nones… 8. LIBERAL OR MODERATE: … 9. NOT NECESSARILY HOSTILE TOWARD RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS: He or she just doesn’t want to belong to one… 10. MOST LIKELY A WESTERNER…” (Pg. 21-22)
But he clarifies, “What is most important to understand about the average none is that most are NOT atheists… most still believe in God, and many pray on a daily basis. They consider themselves spiritual, or at least open to spirituality. The real mark of a none is not the religion of God, but the rejection of any specific religion… there is a strong reticence toward... labels of any kind.” (Pg. 23)
He notes, “The Moral Majority of the 1980s… formed a top-down strategy for cultural change… through the election of Ronald Reagan as president, and his subsequent Supreme Court appointments… brought great anticipation for substantive change. Yet there has been little real change to mark as a result… the culture wars of the 1980s and ‘90s are now widely viewed as one of the most distasteful episodes in recent memory, and many younger evangelicals want nothing to do with … its caustic, abrasive, and unloving approach toward those apart from Christ. So the effort to recapture the nation failed as a strategy and alienated a younger generation.” (Pg. 39)
He observes, “We may not be losing our belief in God, but we are losing our religion… we seem quite content to accept the idea of faith being privately engaging [but] culturally irrelevant. And yes, this is because of the process of secularization… Think about how faith itself is tended. It needs SUPPORT. Apart from a Christian community we quickly wither… Beliefs… need to be nurtured, reinforced…” (Pg. 47)
He outlines four types of church growth: “BIOLOGICAL GROWTH: when a child of existing believers … comes to faith in Christ… TRANSFER GROWTH: When a Christian moves into an area and chooses to join a church… PRODIGAL GROTH: when someone who previously embraced Christian beliefs … returns to the church. CONVERSION GROWTH: When the church grows by reaching a person who has not entered into a … personal relationship with Christ…” (Pg. 75)
He asserts, “The problem? … Countless leaders and members of churches have given in to a Christan consumerism. They embrace a mentality that gives ample rhetorical support to evangelistic intent but resists violently at the point of implementation because … it COSTS them… it’s-all-about-me, spiritually narcissistic, turned-inward, meet-my-needs, feed-me consumer.” (Pg. 83)
He identifies six church attitudes toward Nones: “HOSTILE: openly antagonistic… INDIFFERENT: … apathetic and unwilling to answer nones’ questions… HOPEFUL: want to see the nones reach Christ, but unwilling to change their environment… SENSITIVE: ….primarily cater to the already convinced… TARGETED: church members… make every effort to remove any and all barriers that may impede the exploration process. NO MAN’S LAND: … being too targeted to the unchurched for the churched.” (Pg. 95)
He observes, “I am far from alone in noting that the questions nones are asking of Christianity … have changed significantly in recent years. For example, I do not encounter very many people who ask questions that classical apologetics trained us to answer.” (Pg. 131)
He laments, “An ideal can act in one of two ways: (1) It can drive you toward its fulfillment, or (2) it can drive you away from its pursuit entirely in disappointment. Sadly, many are choosing to leave the vision in disappointment. They remain loyal to the IDEA of church but not its practice, citing the chasm between the vision and the reality as their rationale. But this is precisely what must not happen.” (Pg. 173)
He concludes, “I am not surprised by the many findings revealed in this book. It’s just the latest manifestation of a cultural trajectory we’ve been on and that I’ve been charting for some time. But I am grateful. Why? Because I pray it will be the desperately needed wake-up call for American Christianity… to shake us from the trivial and divisive… There is no time for such things… the challenge too great. This is no time for cross-town church competitions for transfer growth… This is no time to cave in to spiritual narcissism… This is no time for seminaries and their leaders to bow down in front of the academy, as if the ultimate goal is getting another paper into another academic journal on some inane issue irrelevant to anyone but fellow academics…” (Pg. 179-180)
This book will be of great interest to those interested in the future of the Christian church in America.
September 1, 2024
This book is split into two parts: the first part is about why the number of religiously unaffiliated people has been on the rise in the US and the second is how to get those people back into religion. I only read the first part because the second part is not of interest to me. But anyway, as a None I was hoping to learn something from this book, but I didn't. The author cites a number of sociologists, which I appreciated, but basically says people have moved away from religion not only because of reasons that were obvious to me (e.g., homophobia, which is one reason I abandoned religion as a teenager), but because religion is not supported and reinforced by the larger society and there are too many religious or spiritual options for people. He doesn't come out and say it, but it seems to me that he is concerned only about the decline in Protestant Christianity, which might be why part 2 is about bringing people back into the fold. I personally don't see the "privatization" (maybe the wrong word choice on this part, since he means to say religion as being part of private rather than public life) of religion, separation of religion from society's broader workings, pluralism of religions, or the rise of people who don't associate with religion to be an issue at all. But I'd still like to learn more about the secularization of American culture...
June 9, 2023
Stumbled across this while looking up and trying to remember a similar apologetics title (Ryan P. Burge's The Nones) but this was interesting, with food for thought. I'm still atheist though.
There's a strange story, content warning re sexual abuse:
Point being Christians need to stop being judgemental and outreach to people who really need it, Jesus preached to publicans and sinners etc. But come on, the move is child services for the kid, the mom can get straightened out in jail, but the kid definitely had to be taken away from an unsafe situation.
There's a strange story, content warning re sexual abuse:
Philip Yancey tells a story about a friend of his who works with the down-and-out in Chicago. A prostitute came to him in about as bad shape as you can be. She was homeless, her health was failing, and she wasn’t able to buy food for her two-year-old daughter. In fact, with tears streaming down her face, she confessed that she had been renting out her daughter to men in order to support her drug habit.
Point being Christians need to stop being judgemental and outreach to people who really need it, Jesus preached to publicans and sinners etc. But come on, the move is child services for the kid, the mom can get straightened out in jail, but the kid definitely had to be taken away from an unsafe situation.
December 28, 2018
In The Rise of the Nones, by James Emery White, the subtitle 'Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated' explains the book clearly. If you want to share your experiences with others, reach out to someone you know who has no 'home church', then this is the book for you. Jim White explains man's outlook towards organized religion as it has changed over the centuries. He shares examples of how to meet the changing needs of people who are internally searching for a place to call their very own 'home church'. This book is a great resource for anyone interested in these ideas, anyone who has a heart for others.
February 27, 2018
JE White does a great job of prizing the institution of the church, while also advocating for elements of the "seeker-friendly" model. Unlike others, he does not simply point to the lack of Christians in America and then assume what they want in the church. Instead, he uses data and research to show who these "nones" truly are, and what they're actually looking for (or not looking for). The book is helpful for ecclesiology, apologetics, evangelism, and a variety of Christian disciplines. I'm thankful for his challenging vision of what the church should be in modern America.
November 29, 2019
This book is a good primer on how churches can think about reaching people who have no previous affiliation with the Christian faith. However, it comes from someone within the seeker-sensitive movement, someone who is friends with Bill Hybels. This isn't such a bad thing, but I tend to struggle some of the pragmatism of that movement. Also, this is very much a book about the American situation. Since I'm Canadian, I think this book describes where Canada was 30 years ago. In that way the book is not overly useful for me.
March 27, 2018
Really challenging and thought provoking. Many of my assumptions and preconceived notions were undone. White gives a strong and compelling assume that for the current state of our culture and the response the church can have in order to make an impact. Filled with lots of statistics and answers to reach those who are not attending church, why they aren’t and how the church can adjust to connect with people and change lives.
December 7, 2017
I'm glad I read both of the Appendices first or I may not have pushed beyond the first few chapters of the book -- to my own detriment. I went back and forth on this book - sometimes disliking it and other times loving it. I disagreed with some content and agreed with other parts of it. In the end, it does exactly what a book of this type should do - challenges your thinking.
June 2, 2023
I think this is an important read for anyone concerned with translating the good news into a post-Christian world where the “non-religiously affiliated” or “nones” are the fastest growing “religious” demographic. But the second half was kind of a drag, very concentrated on a specific kind of strategy for reaching the nones. Also closing with a Billy Hybels story just doesn’t age well.
January 31, 2025
Book expertly defined “nones”. Appreciate the author’s well thought out answers of how the church can improve its missional efforts to reach the nones and remind us of what our true purpose as the body of Christ is!
February 16, 2026
“The Rise of the Nones” is a good entryway into the discussion of the culture of religious non-affiliation of the modern West, why it continues to persist and grow, and what the Church can do to combat it. While not perfect, it is a solid and very helpful book.
July 31, 2017
Read "Meet Generation Z" first and the you won't have to read this one. Lots of repeated information. Still a great book.
August 29, 2017
It takes a serious look at the church in the United States and how many people are leaving and
now describe themselves as non-religious.
now describe themselves as non-religious.
February 20, 2018
Almost identical to his book entitled Generation Z. Therefore, since my review would reflect the same, please see my review of that book as my review of this one.
February 14, 2023
Strange selection of quotes with odd editing, old references, and unsupported facts that are actually opinions make this difficult to support. The condemnation of lifestyles made me call it quits on this book. Not for me.
March 15, 2015
Coming highly recommended by a few of my friends in ministry, I walked into this book a bit concerned that it would be like so many other books of its kind out there right now. If you want to find a book that bemoans our current, amoral, unChristian society and the church's failing ability to reach it you simply need to walk into a Christian bookstore and throw a stone. You'll hit one, probably two, before it hits the ground. But this book is more than that.
It sets the stage for how we've gotten to a culture that is increasingly "unclassified" in its religious beliefs. It paints a rather unique and accurate picture of what these nones look like (as best you can group such a large cross-section together). It also gives some thoughtful ideas on how to reach these increasingly unchurched people.
All in all, this book isn't an argument from statistics that warns us that the church is dying - I'm so done with reading those books and have absolutely no time for them. This book also isn't a "just add water" form of solution to the American Church's struggle to accomplish its mission. It's a lesson in the current lay of the land, a thoughtful perspective on how we got here, and a considerate recommendation for how churches can be intentional about reaching out to this growing population in our regions around the US.
For that reason I think it should be a book that every church leadership team reads, particularly those in the Northeast region of the US. It's even structured with questions for discussion at the end of every chapter that would help any ministry team process their own findings and ideas as they move through the content.
I came into this book concerned. I'm glad that upon finishing it I was able to leave hopeful for the church's future.
It sets the stage for how we've gotten to a culture that is increasingly "unclassified" in its religious beliefs. It paints a rather unique and accurate picture of what these nones look like (as best you can group such a large cross-section together). It also gives some thoughtful ideas on how to reach these increasingly unchurched people.
All in all, this book isn't an argument from statistics that warns us that the church is dying - I'm so done with reading those books and have absolutely no time for them. This book also isn't a "just add water" form of solution to the American Church's struggle to accomplish its mission. It's a lesson in the current lay of the land, a thoughtful perspective on how we got here, and a considerate recommendation for how churches can be intentional about reaching out to this growing population in our regions around the US.
For that reason I think it should be a book that every church leadership team reads, particularly those in the Northeast region of the US. It's even structured with questions for discussion at the end of every chapter that would help any ministry team process their own findings and ideas as they move through the content.
I came into this book concerned. I'm glad that upon finishing it I was able to leave hopeful for the church's future.
July 8, 2014
***Potential spoilers***
First off, what are "the Nones"? When people are asked on (written) surveys what religion they profess/follow, there is a box or option for "none". The people who check this box are "the Nones".
This group is the largest growing religious group in the West.
The author puts together summary boxes in chapters to help one remember his key concepts. He also puts poignant questions at the end of each chapter to get you thinking. This is a nice feature of the book.
I didn't necessarily pick up this book because I don't know any Nones, I just wanted to understand where they were coming from through a professional observer/listener. Pastor White surely did that.
The thing is, the Nones just don't care about religion.
The money part of the book (what someone should take away) was (pg 100) that people found Christian faith in the 1950s-1980s by "unchurched->Christ->Community->cause". In the 90s-2000s, "unchurched->Community->Christ->cause". Now, it's "Nones[unchurched]->cause->Community->Christ". This is because Truth is an off-putter for the Nones. A beautiful cause is now what moves them to ask/seek about Christ. There really aren't seekers anymore, unless maybe they're already churched.
Since the Nones just don't care about religion, my question was, "How can a cause be promoted in order that the unchurched are reached?" Specific details weren't really addressed as far as I could tell.
Finally, he said the most important thing Christians could do is be christian to each other. Unity that is lacking scandalizes those who eventually become seekers. Why be Christian if the Christians are fighting, too?
And pray...
First off, what are "the Nones"? When people are asked on (written) surveys what religion they profess/follow, there is a box or option for "none". The people who check this box are "the Nones".
This group is the largest growing religious group in the West.
The author puts together summary boxes in chapters to help one remember his key concepts. He also puts poignant questions at the end of each chapter to get you thinking. This is a nice feature of the book.
I didn't necessarily pick up this book because I don't know any Nones, I just wanted to understand where they were coming from through a professional observer/listener. Pastor White surely did that.
The thing is, the Nones just don't care about religion.
The money part of the book (what someone should take away) was (pg 100) that people found Christian faith in the 1950s-1980s by "unchurched->Christ->Community->cause". In the 90s-2000s, "unchurched->Community->Christ->cause". Now, it's "Nones[unchurched]->cause->Community->Christ". This is because Truth is an off-putter for the Nones. A beautiful cause is now what moves them to ask/seek about Christ. There really aren't seekers anymore, unless maybe they're already churched.
Since the Nones just don't care about religion, my question was, "How can a cause be promoted in order that the unchurched are reached?" Specific details weren't really addressed as far as I could tell.
Finally, he said the most important thing Christians could do is be christian to each other. Unity that is lacking scandalizes those who eventually become seekers. Why be Christian if the Christians are fighting, too?
And pray...
April 23, 2015
Loving others
When I read "The Rising of the Nones", my first impression was that their was going to be alot of stats which were true. This book was so much more as it looked at it from the big picture. I was able to have daily conversations with my coworker as discussed theology, ecclesiology, who are the nones? Are they among us? The end of the book sums up what I believe as Christians how we must treat issues like these and as a Pastor I want to love everyone while hating the sin or unbelief that they may have towards God. I want help understand God and what he did in the name of LOVE.
As Christians we need to stand for what is morally right and be willing to pay the price for believing in a supernatural God that created the whole world in seven days. At the same time we must realize that everyone will not agree the same way you do or act a certain way while heading or being in church. God did not created the church to shun those who may look different than us or talk, or act differently, but Jesus created the church to love on others regardless of their belief, creed, sex, race, financial, or __________________________________. Fill in the blank with what you want, but regardless God is a loving and a just God who cares for our well being. Please take your time to read through this book and digest everything the author has said. At times you may not agree with everything, but their should be something we all agree on and that is to Love God first and second Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
When I read "The Rising of the Nones", my first impression was that their was going to be alot of stats which were true. This book was so much more as it looked at it from the big picture. I was able to have daily conversations with my coworker as discussed theology, ecclesiology, who are the nones? Are they among us? The end of the book sums up what I believe as Christians how we must treat issues like these and as a Pastor I want to love everyone while hating the sin or unbelief that they may have towards God. I want help understand God and what he did in the name of LOVE.
As Christians we need to stand for what is morally right and be willing to pay the price for believing in a supernatural God that created the whole world in seven days. At the same time we must realize that everyone will not agree the same way you do or act a certain way while heading or being in church. God did not created the church to shun those who may look different than us or talk, or act differently, but Jesus created the church to love on others regardless of their belief, creed, sex, race, financial, or __________________________________. Fill in the blank with what you want, but regardless God is a loving and a just God who cares for our well being. Please take your time to read through this book and digest everything the author has said. At times you may not agree with everything, but their should be something we all agree on and that is to Love God first and second Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
May 12, 2014
Twenty percent of Americans check the box, "None," when asked their religious affiliation. I think one of the most helpful things James Emery White said was that the "Nones" are not satisfied with proofs of God's existence or the resurrection. They also want to know the answer to the question that follows: "What does that have to do with my life?" While the question may be very self-centered, this is often where those far from God begin, and it's often the question we need to begin with in reaching out to the Nones.
April 9, 2015
I enjoyed White's work presented here and the questions at the end of each chapter helped me to process and apply the content of the book. After reading this book I am more convinced that I have quite a bit of work to do in order to get my church ready to welcome "nones".
December 8, 2015
My pastor asked me to read this, so I did for a book club. I thought it was pretty great. Some parts got a little dry or maybe a little repetitive, but the idea of a group of people who claim no religion at all was fascinating. It will be good to discuss at book club I'm sure!
January 16, 2017
Best book I've read for 2016
Some books really do stir you up to do something different. Rise of the Nones is one of them. Thank you James White for writing this book. I will never pastor the same way again
Some books really do stir you up to do something different. Rise of the Nones is one of them. Thank you James White for writing this book. I will never pastor the same way again
March 20, 2015
very insightful and powerful
Highly recommend. Very insightful and well written. I am now a fan of his writings. Very convicting to me as a believer.
Highly recommend. Very insightful and well written. I am now a fan of his writings. Very convicting to me as a believer.
August 12, 2015
Very interesting analysis.
September 30, 2014
Great book that gave real insight into the current wave of thinking in our culture.
August 16, 2016
Great book. Phenomenal insight, meticulously researched and compiled. Definitely recommend
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews