Religiosity & Rocky Ground
Gallup reports a 17-point drop in adults who call religion important to daily life. When churches reopened after 2020, plenty of people simply enjoyed having Sundays back and never returned. I don't see Christians falling away; I see the rocky ground of the parable.
So, 2020 rolls around, lunacy strikes, governments around the world start forcing people to stay home and "non-essential" businesses to close. Other businesses close voluntarily. Some states (and countries) force churches to close. Other churches close voluntarily.
A significant number of people start "doing church online."
Churches reopen.
People don't go back.
A Gallup post (referencing one of their infamous polls) states, "...a 17-point drop in the percentage of U.S. adults who say religion is an important part of their daily life – from 66% in 2015 to 49% today."
Of course, your neighbor who burns all that incense and who hears God talk to her and claims to be "very spiritual" – is indistinguishable from the life-long pastor or priest when it comes to polls like this; to say nothing of the numerous cults large and small.
