Stanley believes pastors need to ask a sharper question:
What exactly did they stop believing?
Because in many cases, he says, people walk away not from Jesus but from a modern version of Christianity that made belief in Jesus inseparable from believing every debated detail about the Bible, in the exact way they were taught.
His argument is that churches have often “cluttered up” the message and added obstacles that were never required to become a follower of Jesus.
Why Stanley Isn’t Discouraged by People Leaving Church
Despite the trends, Stanley says he’s not discouraged. His reason is simple and honestly hard to argue with:
Christianity has already outlived impossible odds.
He points out the historical irony: Jerusalem now floods with Christian tourists. Rome is filled with crosses. A crucified Jewish carpenter is worshiped by billions.
That reality raises one central question:
What happened?
And Stanley believes Christians have an “extraordinary” answer to that question that does not require defending every modern objection to every part of Scripture as a prerequisite to faith.
RELATED: Andy Stanley: Your “What” Is Not As Important As Your “Why”
The Line Stanley Gives His Church for Everyday Evangelism
Stanley says one reason Christians don’t share their faith is that their version of it feels indefensible, overly complex, and exhausting to explain.
So he gives his church a simple “marketplace” line, not an argument:
“Following Jesus has made my life better and made me better at life.”
Not “believing” Jesus, he notes, but following Jesus.
He argues that many people will take a step toward following before they fully believe, which mirrors what many of Jesus’ earliest followers did.
