CENSUS data has found there is a growing number of people in the Wimmera who are not affiliated with a religion.
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The 2016 population and housing data shows while the majority of people are still religious, more people are choosing different views away from the church.
It comes as Australia recognised World Religion Day on Sunday.
Data shows in Northern Grampians Shire, 32.9 per cent of residents have no religious affiliations.
This data is compared with 29.5 per cent in Horsham Rural City who have no religious affiliations, 26.8 per cent in West Wimmera Shire, 25.8 per cent in Yarriambiack Shire, and 23 per cent in Hindmarsh Shire.
However, data also shows that 10 years ago, the majority of the population in Horsham Rural City and West Wimmera, Yarriambiack and Hindmarsh shires affiliated with the Uniting Church.
Horsham Christian Ministers Association chairman Simon Risson said people were disillusioned with church.
He said trust needed to be rebuilt in the wake of findings from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.
“I think certainly the conversation around church abuse in the royal commission has had an impact upon people’s involvement, connection and desire to be a part of the church,” he said.
“The Australian culture isn’t against spirituality, but we don’t trust the Christian message because we haven’t seen it exhibited in a healthy way.”
Mr Risson said the church needed to communicate its message to a community in need of love, peace and hope, rather than cast judgement and commendation.
“The message the church has always put out hasn’t been always helpful,” he said.
“I think the church has stood at a distance and cast judgement and commendation onto the rest of the world on what they are doing wrong, rather than demonstrating and expressing love, peace and hope to a community that is desperately in need for transformation.”
Mr Risson said he believed the church was 10 years behind society.
“I’m not saying the church has to do and follow the community on all their behaviours – in fact the church should be distinct from the rest of society – but I don’t think we have done that in a way where we lead our communities,” he said.
“We have got behind the eight ball and held onto things of our own traditions, heritage and generations. I think the church needs to lead society again in arts, education and social structure.”
Mr Risson said a message of hope, grace and love that transformed was important.