The US church is experiencing a winnowing process. Church attendance and biblical literacy are down, and fewer Americans identify as “Christian.” In many parts of the country—and across the digital landscape—Christians encounter increased skepticism and hostility. As it becomes less socially advantageous to wear the “Christian” label, fewer people are doing so.

What are pastors to make of this shift? We asked four church leaders what they think ministry should look like in post-Christian America. Their answers paint a picture of a church that praises God for its mission field and prepares to engage it with fervor.

A Pre-Christendom Church

Claude Alexander

What we call post-Christian culture strikingly resembles the pre-Christendom era—before Constantine, when the church was a fringe, marginal, prophetic body. Before it became mainstream, accessible, and synonymous with apple pie and Chevrolet. And a pre-Christendom era demands a pre-Christendom church. ...