Four Ways the Church Has Lost Its Voice

Somewhere along the way, the Church in America became just another sound in the noise of our culture. We once had a distinct voice — one of grace, truth, and hope — but lately, it feels like that voice has faded. The ones who most need to hear the Good News often aren’t listening. And if I’m honest, I understand why.

This matters deeply. If we don’t rediscover the heart of our message, the Church risks becoming little more than a relic — a memory of something that used to mean something.

We’ve seen it happen elsewhere. Many churches in Europe now stand empty, converted into businesses or apartments. For much of the public, the Church there has become irrelevant. And while God is still moving in powerful ways around the world, we’d be wise to reflect on where we’re heading.

In that spirit, here are four reasons I believe the Church in America is losing its voice. This isn’t an exhaustive list, and it’s not meant to point fingers. It’s a mirror — one I’m holding up for all of us, myself included.

1. We’ve Become Known as Judgmental

Jesus said that the world would recognize His disciples by their love (John 13:35). Not by our theology. Not by our worship style. Not by our social media takes. By our love.

And yet, ask someone outside the Church what Christians are like, and many will say, “judgmental.”

Scripture tells us that judgment begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17). But it’s often easier to judge those outside the Church than to examine what’s going on within. We’ve seen heartbreaking stories of Christian leaders who fell into sin — and instead of listening to victims or calling for repentance, their communities rushed to defend them.

It’s tempting to focus on the “speck” in someone else’s eye while ignoring the log in our own (Luke 6:42). But if we want to regain our voice, we have to regain our credibility — and that starts with humility and honesty about ourselves.

2. We’ve Tried to Legislate Morality

We’ve poured tremendous energy into politics and legal battles, hoping laws would change hearts. But the law — even God’s law — was never enough to produce lasting transformation. That only comes through love.

You can’t legislate someone into caring for others. You can’t pass enough rules to make someone truly moral. Morality grows from empathy, compassion, and understanding — and those grow in community, not courtrooms.

This doesn’t mean we disengage from civic life. But it does mean our witness must go beyond what we stand against. Let’s be known for what we stand for: love, grace, justice, and mercy.

3. We’ve Forgotten What It Means to Be Human

Sometimes we forget what it was like to be on the outside — to feel lost, ashamed, broken. And when we forget, we stop seeing people for who they are: image-bearers of God, deeply loved, desperately in need of hope.

We’ve allowed fear and division to define our posture toward those who think or live differently. We demonize “the other side.” We treat people like projects, or worse, problems — instead of neighbors.

But Jesus never forgot what it meant to be human. He wept. He listened. He touched the untouchables. He moved toward the hurting. If we want to be His Church, we must do the same.

4. We Don’t Always Love Well

At the heart of all this is a simple truth: we’ve drifted from the command that defines everything — love one another as Jesus has loved us (John 15:12).

This isn’t a sentimental love. It’s costly, inconvenient, sacrificial. It’s patient with those who disagree with us. It listens more than it speaks. It doesn’t posture on social media or yell across the aisle. It draws near, gets messy, and stays.

When we return to that kind of love — the love of Christ — we might just find that our voice returns too.

So Where Do We Go From Here?

Maybe it’s simpler than we think.

1. Treat others the way we want to be treated.

2. Love others the way Jesus has loved us.

That’s where we begin.

We start where Jesus told us to: with love. Not the kind that stays in our heads or churches, but the kind that shows up in how we treat people—especially those who don’t think, believe, or live like we do. Let’s be known again not for our judgment, but for our compassion. Not for our politics, but for our presence. Not for being right, but for being Christlike.

That’s how we find our voice again. And maybe, just maybe, the world will want to listen.