Seeker Churches: Promoting Traditional Religion in a Nontraditional Way

by Kimon Howland Sargeant

America’s religious landscape is in flux. New churches are springing up and many older churches are redefining themselves to survive. At the forefront of this denominational free-for-all are evangelical “seeker” churches. These churches target “seekers”—individuals of any faith or denominational background who seek spiritual fulfillment but are not currently affiliated with any specific church. By focusing on this largely untapped group, seeker churches have become one of the fastest-growing religious movements in the country. In his study, Kimon Sargeant provides a sociological context for the rise of these churches by exploring the rituals, messages, strategies, and denominational functions of this emerging form of American evangelical Protestantism. 

Featuring live bands, professional lighting and sound systems, and multi-media presentations, seeker churches are attracting many people who have “dropped out” of organized religion.  To broaden their appeal, they offer attenders advice on everyday issues ranging from relationships to finance. Sargeant focuses on the success of the Willow Creek Association, the seeker church association started by the Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago.  With over 5,000 member churches, the seven-year old association has already outdistanced 90 percent of American denominations and is the leader of the seeker church movement.  Through eyewitness accounts and careful research, Sargeant reveals the “seeker” movement to be a “reformation” of American Protestantism.

272 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2000

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look into the seeker church movement. While this was written in 2000, I think much of what it has to say still holds true for seeker churches and, perhaps, for the wider American evangelical world. Alas, I continue to find the bureaucratic, consumer-focused & marketing-heavy “ecclesiology” (if one can even call it an ecclesiology) positively depressing for the state of the American church.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this for my Ecclesiology class. Sargeant does a nice job of succinctly outlining the movement, including the influence of the Willow Creek Association. It gave me a chance to reflect more on my journey from an evangelical house church movement to the Catholic Church. And it raises important questions about the lengths we are wiling to go to be relevant to culture. Now, from this side of the Tiber, I am thankful for the very thing eschewed by the seeker movement: traditional liturgy.