Why Are Christians Leaving the Church? The Truth About Deconstruction

42% of Americans say they have deconstructed the faith of their youth. 40 million people who once called themselves Christians no longer attend church. And on social media, walking away from God has become a brand — complete with millions of followers, viral content, and a community built around leaving.In this episode of Sunday to Society we dig into the deconstruction movement — what it actually is, why it is exploding right now, what the Bible says about real doubt versus departure, and what the church needs to own about its role in all of it.SOURCES & FURTHER READINGHere's What's Happening 42% of Americans have deconstructed the faith of their youth — Barna via Subsplash — https://www.subsplash.com/blog/deconstruction-of-christianity 40 million Americans used to attend church and no longer do — https://ccsduke.org/reading-groups/deconstruction-understanding-why-evangelicals-are-leaving-the-church/ Pew Research — Christian decline has slowed and may have leveled off — https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/decline-of-christianity-in-the-us-has-slowed-may-have-leveled-off/How Did We Get Here? Barna — 25 years of declining Christian conviction — https://www.barna.com/trends/faiths-shrinking-influence/ One third of Christians have deconstructed their faith — Barna via Relevant — https://relevantmagazine.com/faith/church/study-one-third-of-christians-have-deconstructed-their-faith/Sunday to Society with Riley Reno From the pew to the public square — every week. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube