Don't call it official yet, but many pastors may have one less thing on their plate in the coming years: officiating funerals. In the last decade, the American public has increasingly opted for funerals and memorial services that aren't led by ministers. According to William McQueen, president of the Cremation Association of North America, there's been a growing demand for secular "celebrants" who can deliver eulogies just as a pastor would—but without the religious or church rituals.
"What we've found in the past decade is that when you ask people whether they want a minister, people say, 'Not interested,'" McQueen says. "Today, of all the ceremonies we deal with, I'd say 50 percent are religious or clergy-led, 20 percent celebrant-led and 30 percent are having no ceremony or one led by family."
A 2008 survey of more than 6,000 people found that only one in four adults expects to have a religious service when they die. And with more than half of all Americans saying they don't belong to a church, many funeral directors believe Americans no longer see a value in religious funerals.
These people " don't see the need to be ushered into another world. There's no 'personal God' they expect to meet," says Ariela Keysar, who co-authored the 2008 survey at Trinity College's Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture in Hartford, Conn. "It's revelatory about where current social attitudes are heading."
Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
What's interesting to note, however, is that even among those not wanting a church- or pastor-influenced service, there is still a desire for spiritual elements such as scripture passages or prayers. "Quite a few of the people say they're 'spiritual but not religious' or just not involved with a church anymore," says Eldon "Bud" Strawn, a celebrant on call for a St. Petersburg, Fla., funeral center. "Quite a few of the Catholics say they don't want to deal with a priest because they think they'll be scolded or guilt-tripped." [usatoday.com, 8/20/09]
Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Dr. Mark Rutland's
National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)
The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!
FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.
Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.