No-religion? No problem!
By S. Lim
Photo by Zayed Iqbal Abir on Unsplash
“God has also set eternity in the hearts of men”
- Ecclesiastes 3:11
‘I am not interested in religion’, declared “Carol”, my Pilates-mate.
Through the Pilates class, I got to know some ladies. Usually, we head for breakfast after our workout. Normally we would share about our week - parenting challenges often come up!
I shared about the challenges of raising teenagers - and often just having to pray for wisdom and for God to guide our children. “Carol” was intrigued and we started having spiritual conversations. She said that she was not interested in religion. However, she believes in God! She would pray and ask God for forgiveness when she felt like she had sinned.
It was reported by the Singapore Department of Statistics (2020) that in Singapore, about 20% of the population is not affiliated with any religion, a figure which is steadily increasing.
The rising of trend of ‘no-religion’ presents opportunities. People who are not affiliated with a religion are often resistant to going to institutional church, but many are still spiritually minded. According to the Pew Research Center, 41% say that they believe in God and 56% say that they believe in unseen beings. This points to the need for us to engage spiritual hunger with “new wineskins”.
Here are several opportunities and implications:
Opportunities in ‘no-religion’ urban villages:
1) Openness to Spiritual Discovery
Many in the "no-religion" category are not atheists but spiritual seekers who reject formal religious structures.
Opportunity: How can we create spaces that allow them to explore the Bible and/or Jesus without forcing them into predefined religious categories?
2) Relational and Experiential Pathways to Jesus
Some people do not want to go to a church service but are open to meaningful relationships and authentic experiences of transformation.
Opportunity: How can we facilitate experiences of God for people without requiring them to go to a church service?
3) Social Movements and Justice-Oriented Engagement
Many ‘no-religion’ individuals are passionate about justice, inclusion, and human flourishing. Our God is passionate about these things too!
Opportunity: Where are the possibilities for partnering with God’s mission for justice, wholeness, and restoration?
Strategic Implications for Disciple Makers
Reframing Discipleship as a Spiritual Journey, Not a Religious Decision
Emphasise personal transformation and lived faith rather than institutional membership.
Invite people to follow Jesus step by step, allowing for gradual discovery of God.
Social Networks and Influence
Rather than inviting people to traditional gatherings with people they don’t know, integrate discipleship into existing social circles, workplaces, and shared interests.
Facilitate discipleship that can spread relationally rather than requiring centralised structures.
Use Questions and Conversations Instead of Proclamation
Welcome questions rather than pressurising people to conform to pre-packaged answers.
Encourage discovery-based approaches (e.g., Discovery Bible Study) that allow people to draw their own conclusions.
The urban shift towards ‘no-religion’ spirituality challenges Christ’s people to rethink traditional assumptions about evangelism and discipleship. However, it also provides fresh opportunities to engage people in ways that resonate with their spiritual hunger and avoid their resistance to institutions.
The key lies in relational, experiential, and justice-oriented approaches that allow people to follow Jesus organically within their existing social and cultural frameworks.
Getting Practical:
As you think about God's vision for your city and/or affinity group:
Which of the opportunities mentioned (Openness to Spiritual Discovery, Relational Pathways, or Justice-Oriented Engagement) most resonates with the context of your community?
What existing social networks or interest groups in your life could become natural spaces for discipleship conversations?
How might you need to adjust your approach to sharing faith to better connect with those who are "spiritual but not religious"?
References:
Department of Statistics, Singapore. 2020.
The Pew Research Center. 2023.
Discipling the Urban Harvest provides practical insights and encouragement to walk with God in multiplying discipleship in an increasingly urban world - growing as children of the Father, serving the communities He has called us to, and discipling those hungry to know Him.