What comes to mind when you think of attrition in your church? Perhaps you think about the attrition of membership or attendance. Maybe you think about financial attrition. However, I want to draw your attention to a different and often overlooked category: cultural attrition.
Attrition refers to the gradual decrease of something over time. What was once a standard or norm can slowly erode. I was recently taught by one of our faithful church volunteers how cultural attrition can take place in churches. Cultural attrition is the erosion of healthy norms that once defined the church but are lost over time.
Why does culture matter so much? Culture matters because it influences everything about your church. In short, culture is “who you are and how you do things” as a church. If your identity (who you are) or your behavior (how you do things) becomes unhealthy through attrition, you have a serious problem. Culture affects how people serve, how leaders lead, how conflicts are handled, and so much more. When culture slips, the health of your church slips with it.
Bob is a faithful member of the church where I serve as pastor. He ministers in our church in numerous ways, primarily helping with the upkeep of our facilities. For many years, Bob served in the U.S. Army National Guard, finishing his career as a Command Sergeant Major.
Bob told me about a time when his battalion failed an artillery test. As he evaluated what went wrong, he realized that portions of the training standard may have been lost from one link in the chain of command to the next. Significant attrition had occurred.
So, Bob came up with a brilliant solution: bring in the old guys. He brought in former instructors who had excelled in the past. Together, they returned to the heart of artillery instruction. The result? The battalion aced their next artillery test.
Bob submitted to me that, at best, people only retain 75% of what you teach them (one study suggests retention is much worse). You can imagine what happens over time. From one link in the chain to the next, more and more of the original standard is lost. Attrition sets in.
So how does Bob’s lesson apply to the church? Churches must not only develop a healthy culture; they must retain a healthy culture. Leaders must ensure that culture is consistently passed on to staff, lay leaders, and the congregation. If culture is not intentionally transferred, it will inevitably erode.
I’ve heard church planters speak to this reality. There’s a focus and determination in the early years that can fade as growth and success come. Newer members may not share the same zeal for the mission that founding members had. Unlike church plants, established churches often refine and reshape their culture, making the challenge of cultural attrition a continuous one.
What are some ways your church has sought to maintain a healthy culture? Share your thoughts in the comments. In my next article, I’ll offer some ideas on how to combat attrition in your church culture. Stay tuned.
Posted on February 18, 2026
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