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Notice A Trend?
- Thread starter hobbs27
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centerpin fan
Senior Member
Money quote:
In a related story, the PCUSA has decided to dry up and blow away.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/03/1...approves-gay-marriage-in-church-constitution/
In a related story, the PCUSA has decided to dry up and blow away.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/03/1...approves-gay-marriage-in-church-constitution/
formula1
Daily Bible Verse Organizer
Re:
The trend I see is 'Jesus is still Lord'!
The trend I see is 'Jesus is still Lord'!
Lowjack
Senior Member
The trend is the prophecy in Thessalonians " The Apostasy is here"
rjcruiser
Senior Member
hobbs27
Senior Member
I think compromising The Word is not an effective method to grow membership. I was pleased to see that there are more people participating in church now than ever before, although there has been a shift. The media tends to make us think there's less active Christians these days, and that may be true on percentage but not in actual numbers.
I felt it was an overall positive report.
I felt it was an overall positive report.
hobbs27
Senior Member
For you, A gift, enjoy. http://www.anewdaydawning.com/blog-1/2015/1/13/why-it-is-finished-was-finished-in-70ad
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
I wonder if the members of the liberal mainstream churches are leaving or just dying off? Maybe their kids are so liberal the don't even attend the churches of their parents. The children of conservative/fundemental Church parents would naturally keep attending because they themselves are conservative/fundemental.
I don't know if they are saying something like, "this church is too liberal, I'm gonna join a more conservative Church" or " well this Church is making progress in becoming more liberal but not fast enough, I'm leaving. I want to attend a cool mega-Church."
Or, I'm so liberal and free, I won't attend any Church.
I don't know if they are saying something like, "this church is too liberal, I'm gonna join a more conservative Church" or " well this Church is making progress in becoming more liberal but not fast enough, I'm leaving. I want to attend a cool mega-Church."
Or, I'm so liberal and free, I won't attend any Church.
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
Preterism and Calvinism are gaining in popularity. Maybe that's where the new members are being lead.
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
I've been reading this article written in 1993 pertaining to the decline of mainstream Churches. This mostly pertains to baby boomers dropping out of Church attendance for various reasons.
It shows a few different theories.
One theory attributes the decline to the shift toward greater individual autonomy and freedom from institutional restraints that got under way in the mid-1960s.
I can see a trend in this a younger people don't associated as much in civic clubs and events.
Young people can't identify in a Church full of old people;
One can sit today in the balcony of a typical United Methodist church and look over a congregation of graying and balding heads. Unless there is a surge of new recruits, rising death rates will diminish the ranks of the mainline denominations even further in the years ahead.
Since careful tests of these theories have never been made, no consensus has emerged as to which, if any, of them best explains why mainline churches have lost members.
Our findings cast doubt on most of the popular theories about the decline of mainline churches.
It's an interesting read from a few years back but more on a sociological order.
http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9303/articles/johnson.html
It shows a few different theories.
One theory attributes the decline to the shift toward greater individual autonomy and freedom from institutional restraints that got under way in the mid-1960s.
I can see a trend in this a younger people don't associated as much in civic clubs and events.
Young people can't identify in a Church full of old people;
One can sit today in the balcony of a typical United Methodist church and look over a congregation of graying and balding heads. Unless there is a surge of new recruits, rising death rates will diminish the ranks of the mainline denominations even further in the years ahead.
Since careful tests of these theories have never been made, no consensus has emerged as to which, if any, of them best explains why mainline churches have lost members.
Our findings cast doubt on most of the popular theories about the decline of mainline churches.
It's an interesting read from a few years back but more on a sociological order.
http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9303/articles/johnson.html
Last edited:
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
Reasons are cited by The Christian Century:
Worshipers attend less frequently.
Aging constituencies.
Fewer younger members.
Lack of interest in religion.
Evangelical Mega Churches are popular;
But while traditional Christianity is on the decline, other types of religion are on the rise. Many people are turning more to spirituality, and Evangelicals, or born-again Christians, are also very common across certain parts of the United States.
"They're contemporary, aggressively evangelistic and evangelical and they're moving beyond the 'big box' megachurch model. The best churches have very intentional systems to move people from sitting in rows to sitting in circles (in small groups) to going out and making a difference in the world." (USA Today Online 9.09)
These new churches are not simply places of worship, but are active and energetic family ministries. If you go into any one of a thousand large evangelical churches in the South, you will find every room filled with day-care centers, senior citizen activities, women’s groups, bake-offs, music, and Bible study. Far from moving off message, these churches maintain their ‘strong, clear sense of purpose’ by linking these family activities to a Christian mission – the strength of the family is paramount.
http://www.uncleguidosfacts.com/2012/07/liberal-christianitythe-decline-of.html
Worshipers attend less frequently.
Aging constituencies.
Fewer younger members.
Lack of interest in religion.
Evangelical Mega Churches are popular;
But while traditional Christianity is on the decline, other types of religion are on the rise. Many people are turning more to spirituality, and Evangelicals, or born-again Christians, are also very common across certain parts of the United States.
"They're contemporary, aggressively evangelistic and evangelical and they're moving beyond the 'big box' megachurch model. The best churches have very intentional systems to move people from sitting in rows to sitting in circles (in small groups) to going out and making a difference in the world." (USA Today Online 9.09)
These new churches are not simply places of worship, but are active and energetic family ministries. If you go into any one of a thousand large evangelical churches in the South, you will find every room filled with day-care centers, senior citizen activities, women’s groups, bake-offs, music, and Bible study. Far from moving off message, these churches maintain their ‘strong, clear sense of purpose’ by linking these family activities to a Christian mission – the strength of the family is paramount.
http://www.uncleguidosfacts.com/2012/07/liberal-christianitythe-decline-of.html
hobbs27
Senior Member
Art, I have an old book I bought at an antique store written in the 1800's by a Presbyterian preacher. This book covers several of Jesus' parables. The man gives an extremely spiritual commentary on them.
I have a hard time getting interested in church when the teaching and preaching is non spiritual " milk".
I wonder if some people just feel they aren't growing spiritually in many of the modern churches?
I have a hard time getting interested in church when the teaching and preaching is non spiritual " milk".
I wonder if some people just feel they aren't growing spiritually in many of the modern churches?
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
Yes that is part of the reason for the decline.
Our Founding Fathers were members of these mainstream denominations. They sure have changed.
This is from the link I posted;
It is no coincidence, says Douthat, that the precipitous decline in attendance paralleled the sweeping changes in the Church. Why should people go to a church when their spiritual needs are not met and when secular issues crowd out religious ones?
http://www.uncleguidosfacts.com/2012/07/liberal-christianitythe-decline-of.html
gemcgrew
Senior Member
If they are attending a modern church, would they care?
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
hobbs27
Senior Member
There's milk in many of those, and you may get the necessary bread, but to grow one needs meat.
It's easier to be controlled if you never come off the milk because you are dependant on someone to feed it to you, and that could be the goal of some of these modern churches.
I believe eventually all of us begin to crave meat and this could be why some denominations are losing members and others are gaining.
rjcruiser
Senior Member
I think the trap many of these churches fall into is the trap of using church to do the job of evangelism. They design a service, a message, a layout to entertain and reach the lost. Problem is, once the lost figure out they have to change, they don't want to come back. So, either the church changes (what is happening in most cases) or the people leave and don't come back (also happening).
Church was never designed to reach the lost. It is and was for the edification/growth of the saints. Then, the saints go and proclaim the Word to those that need it.
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
How do the saints go about evangelism? Would you say many saints fail in this task?
Can't the saints evangelize under the umbrella of the Church as an organized group of individuals?
I understand witnessing as an individual but also as an organized group from the Church.
I will say I look at evangelism as spreading the message of Jesus more than one's church. That being said, an invite to the local Church might enlighten them to God better than I can.
rjcruiser
Senior Member
Go and live a life that reflects Jesus. Tell your neighbors about Jesus. Debate on the Gon forum
Yes, many Christians fail miserably with witnessing. Their lives are full of sin...so to keep from being called a hypocrite, they accept others sin and try and fall under the umbrella of being "loving."
And yes, the church can be utilized for witnessing. That being said, it isn't the purpose of the Church. But...that is the great thing about the Bible. If you preach the Word of God expositionally, the Word will convict and the sinner (both saved and unsaved) will respond in one of two ways. Repentance or hardness of heart and unbelief.
And that is what is wrong with so many contemporary churches imo. People invite the lost because of the music, because of the coffee bar, because it is a great way to network. The people who attend get a motivational speech that convicts, but doesn't require too much change so not to run off anyone in attendance. And when tough times come...they are like the shallow soil in Matthew 13.
