Leaver-sensitive

I found this article about a book called "A Churchless Faith" by Alan Jamieson. The book discusses reasons why people leave the church, and how (surprisingly) their faith ends up stronger rather than weaker. The author of the book is concerned about people leaving, though. He says "leavers" need the church, and the church needs them. He encourages churches to be more "leaver-sensitive" - using the parable of the one lost sheep as his example. Here are a couple of quotes from the article that I found particularly interesting:

"What Jamieson has found in his studies has surprised him. In researching his book, A Churchless Faith, he interviewed 108 leavers. Most were not marginal churchgoers who finally quit but organizational linchpins. Ninety-four percent had been church leaders -- deacons, home-group leaders, elders, Sunday school teachers -- and 32 percent had been in full-time ministry."

...

"Jamieson, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Wellington, New Zealand, told FaithWorks he was shocked to learn that many churches are unaware, even unconcerned, about those who have left. The overwhelming majority of leavers interviewed in his study said no one from their church ever talked with them about why they left. Jamieson's tone is sadly incredulous as he recounts one successful pastor's declaration that Jesus' parable of the lost sheep doesn't apply to those "who know where the paddock is and intentionally wander away" and that godly ministers don't waste time chasing them."