There’s a new phrase coined by millennials called “quiet quitting.” Quiet quitting doesn’t mean someone has actually quit their job. It means they have chosen to do the bare minimum at work and nothing more. Some think this practice is a mark of disloyalty, laziness, or a lack of ambition. To those who have “quietly quit,” it’s about setting healthy boundaries, being true to oneself, taking control of your time, living your life, and not buying into ‘hustle culture.’ There’s not a bunch of fanfare when folks ‘quietly quit.’ There are no announcements. Thousands of inward decisions have changed the game in the workplace.
It seems”quiet quitting” is also happening in our churches, especially since the pandemic. Parishioners are not only asking why they were so active in so many pursuits, but which ones are going to make the cut in the future. Just like employers in the marketplace, church pastors and leaders are watching people, “vote with their feet.” They’re quietly deciding, “We can just attend online or on Zoom from the comfort of our homes. We’ll just send an offering and let others serve.”
When I moved to Cincinnati, I joined an African-American church that was in revival. This baptist church that held hundreds had to hold three services to accommodate the thousands standing around the corner waiting to get in— sun, rain, sleet, or snow. The Holy Spirit had invaded our lives and we were filled. We built a new sanctuary. Hundreds attended catechism classes, concerts, crusades, and events. There were days and weeks of fasting, prayer, and intense worship that lasted for hours. Miracles, prophecy, and deliverance ensued. The church was also the center of our social, political, and educational lives, and the place where we strategized for justice and equality. We were heavily involved in every aspect of Christian and Cincinnati culture. It’s hard to describe the significance and power of that kind of community these days. From this singular church, many local and national civic, government, church, business, education, and entertainment leaders sprang forth committed to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their spheres of influence around the world.
The impact seems like that of Hyde Park Community UMC, a 7-day a week community church. But this was before thousands of cable channels, streaming networks, Sunday sports, and social media. It was a much simpler time, there weren’t as many options. Now as employers navigate “The Great resignation,” and “quiet quitting,” church leaders attempt to do the same. We realize that though there are more technological connections, droves of people are isolated, lonely, and depressed. We understand there are crises of faith, ever increasing doubts and uncertainties, and an inward reaching for something more stable for our own lives and for those of our children and grandchildren. We perceive that the world needs to know Christ’s love and we are called to share it. We know we need the “quiet quitters” to return, to wholeheartedly re-engage, recommit, and serve.