Your church might be dying and you don’t even know it. Here are some signs …

More churches are closing every year than new ones are being planted. Research estimates that 80-85 percent of churches in America are plateaued or in decline, and many of them may be in the early stages of dying. The troubling part? Many of these churches don’t even realize it.

So how do you know if your church has entered some stage of spiritual death? Here are some key signs — based on a combination of decades of ministry experience and broadly sourced research — of a church that may be dying:

1. Not a disciple-making church. A church that isn’t actively making disciples isn’t fulfilling its mission and will eventually stop growing, both spiritually and numerically. Evangelism isn’t just a program; it’s the mission of the church. A church that stops making new disciples has lost its purpose. Furthermore, if the church doesn’t have a plan for the spiritual growth of its current members, it’s already beginning to die.

2. Love is lacking. Jesus made it clear that our love for one another would be the mark of His disciples (John 13:35). When genuine love among church members fades, so does the church’s witness. A church where relationships are strained, where people are indifferent or judgmental, is a church that is dying. People leave churches where they don’t feel loved or cared for, and the fellowship that was once a beacon of Christ’s love becomes a dim reflection.

3. The gospel is ignored or misinterpreted. A church that strays from the true gospel — replacing it with watered-down messages, self-help philosophies, or a prosperity-driven narrative — is on a path to spiritual death. The gospel of Christ is unchanging. It is about salvation through a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ, not about success or self-fulfillment. When the gospel is diluted or twisted to fit cultural preferences, the church ceases to be a true reflection of Christ.

4. Inward focus takes priority. When a church begins focusing inwardly — placing more emphasis on its own preservation and internal dynamics rather than fulfilling its calling to spread the gospel — it signals a stage of decline toward death. A church that ceases to reach out, serve the community, and invest in outreach efforts is no longer fulfilling its God-given purpose. This inward focus leads to a disconnection from its mission, eventually causing spiritual decay and, ultimately, the church’s demise.

5. Prayer is weak. Prayer is vital for the spiritual health of the church, but when it becomes an afterthought or merely a transition in a worship service, the church’s connection to God is weakened. A church that does not prioritize prayer in its mission, ministry, and fellowship begins to lose its direction and dependence on God for guidance, strength, and revival. Without fervent prayer, the church’s ability to align with God’s will and effectively reach others is compromised.

6. Members lack a biblical worldview. Barna research shows that only four percent of adults, nine percent of Christians, and 37 percent of pastors in America maintain a biblical worldview. This alarming statistic should cause concern for any church. If church members and leaders are more influenced by secular culture than by the teachings of scripture, it leads to spiritual drift. Syncretism — the blending of biblical truths with secular ideologies, which is the leading worldview in America today — destroys the foundation of faith and accelerates decline.

7. A disregard for sound doctrine. A church that compromises on biblical truth is a church in decline. The Bible is clear on matters of salvation, holiness, and God’s will for our lives. When a church waters down its teaching or embraces doctrinal error, it undermines its mission and its credibility. Faithfulness to sound doctrine is essential for spiritual vitality.

8. Legalism or permissiveness dominate. Some churches swing to one extreme — rigid, rule-driven legalism — while others embrace permissiveness, where sin is excused or overlooked. Both extremes are signs of scriptural error and spiritual decline. A healthy church lives in the tension between grace and truth, understanding that the gospel calls for both holiness and compassion.

9. Maintenance over mission. When the focus shifts from fulfilling the Great Commission to merely maintaining programs and structures, a church is on the brink of becoming irrelevant. The mission of the church is always to make disciples, not to preserve traditions or maintain comfort. A church focused on survival rather than mission is slowly dying.

10. Church management replaces shepherding. Church leaders are called to shepherd, not just manage. The best leaders care for the spiritual health of their flock and invest in fostering and nurturing their members’ spiritual growth. When leadership focuses too much on administration, programs, and policies, it neglects the essential work of spiritual nourishment.

11. Conflict and gossip thrive. A church where gossip, division, and unresolved conflict are commonplace is a church that is unhealthy and dying. The body of Christ is meant to be unified, but when relational breakdowns go unaddressed, they erode the spiritual health of the entire congregation.

12. Shrinking attendance. A decline in attendance is often a symptom of deeper issues — lost vision, lack of engagement, or a failure to reach new people. While numbers alone don’t determine the health of a church, shrinking attendance usually signals that something is wrong beneath the surface.

13. Baptisms are rare. When baptisms become a rare event, it points to a church’s failure to reach people with the gospel. Baptism is a powerful symbol of a life transformed by Christ, and a lack of baptisms often reflects a lack of evangelistic fruit. A healthy church is one that is actively bringing people to Jesus and seeing lives changed.

14. Financial struggles and operating deficits. A church that is facing declining financial support and is beginning to operate with deficits is at serious risk. This dual issue points to a lack of engagement and support from the congregation, as well as an inability to sustain essential ministry functions. When a church is unable to cover its basic expenses or keep up with its commitments, it reflects a deeper problem of spiritual neglect and mismanagement. Such financial struggles can prevent the church from fulfilling its mission, signaling that the church is in a precarious state.

15. An aging congregation. When younger generations are not being reached or are leaving the church, it’s a warning sign. A church should be multi-generational, actively engaging and discipling people of all ages. Without a vibrant, growing younger demographic, the church’s future is at risk.

16. A disengaged membership. When members grow complacent and stop actively participating in the life of the church, it signals a deeper problem. A disengaged congregation no longer contributes to the church’s mission or serves its community. This lack of involvement weakens the body of believers, and over time, a church without active engagement will struggle to sustain its spiritual health. Complacency leads to a slow decline that can result in the church’s eventual death.

17. Distant from its community. A church that has no active presence or influence in its community is a church that is dying. The church is meant to be a light in the world, not isolated or disconnected from the needs around it. A church that fails to engage with its community loses its relevance and its purpose.

18. Resistance to change. While the gospel message remains timeless, the way it’s communicated must evolve. Churches that resist adapting their outreach methods, worship styles, and ministries risk losing their ability to reach and impact new generations. Refusing to adjust to cultural shifts and new opportunities for ministry can lead to the church becoming ineffective in fulfilling its mission. Change is not about altering the message, but about finding fresh ways to engage the world with the unchanging truth of Christ.

19. A spiritually unhealthy congregation. A congregation that is biblically illiterate, unloving, selfish, or uncommitted to Christ’s mission is spiritually unhealthy. These signs reflect deeper issues — unaddressed sin, lack of discipleship, and failure to cultivate spiritual formation. A spiritually thriving church is one where members are growing in their faith and reflecting Christ’s love to the world.

20. Preference-driven mentality. When church members focus more on their own preferences — whether in worship style, traditions, or programs — than on the gospel mission, the church begins to lose sight of its true purpose. A church focused on preferences will struggle to meet the needs of a diverse community and will fail to reach new people.

21. A people-pleasing focus. When a church’s leaders and members are more concerned with pleasing people than with being faithful to God’s Word, spiritual decline is inevitable. Churches should be more committed to honoring God than to catering to the desires of their members, or even their community. A healthy church’s focus is always on obedience to Christ, not on appeasing people.

22. Lack of innovation. Innovation isn’t about changing the message but about using different approaches to meet the needs of the community. Without creative and strategic adjustments, the church risks becoming ineffective in its efforts to share the gospel, serve one another, and impact lives.

23. Poor response to visitors. When new visitors are treated as interruptions to the “church family,” disruptions to the “norm,” or are ignored, it signals that the church has lost its priorities. A church that welcomes newcomers with open arms demonstrates the love of Christ and shows a commitment to growing the body.

No church that is dying has to die. With clear-eyed recognition of the situation and a commitment to addressing the root issues, revitalization is possible. The church must confront its internal challenges and take intentional steps to renew its mission. Only by returning to the heart of its calling—the gospel and the Great Commission—can it escape the cycle of decline. But left unchecked, the reality remains: without action, a dying church will continue on its path toward death.

Scotty