She’s Dying

March 31, 2009 in Random Thoughts 8

A very challenging post over at Ragamuffin Soul about the decline of the American Church:

This is taken from Skye Jethani’s “The Divine Commodity” which is required reading for any Ragamuffin.

“In 1990 approximately 20% the population (of America) attended church on any given weekend. By 2004 the figure had dropped to 17%. If the trend continues, by 2050 only 11% of Americans will attend church. Although megachurches have multiplied across the fruited plains, the numbers show that Christianity in America has been consolidating and not exploding”.

Now hear me.
I work for a “megachurch”.
I love my “megachurch”.
But in 2050, when I’m old and wrinkly, I want my grand kids to see the hope of glory and the beauty of His bride.
The Church.
Perry Noble said something at Unleash in reference to denominations shrinking. Something akin to if it were their money that was shrinking, there would be a strategy in place to fix it yesterday.
That is some truth spittin’ double slap right there.
So.
The “Church” is shrinking.
Some of our “churches” are not.
So instead of feeling comfortable about our local church growth, I think we need to step back and take a look from the roof of your local town hall.
Holy crap. The church in America is dying.

At what point does one sacrifice the success of one’s local church in order to spur the existence of His global Church?
Los

Now, I realize that Los is speaking from an American perspective, but I’d suggest that the Canadian Church isn’t much better. Things need to change. We have to stop doing things the way we’ve always done them and begin to allow God to work through us in a new, fresh way.

The message is the same, how we present it much constantly change.

  • Micheline

    What does it say about the church when the lead story on CNN yesterday was about a mom (won’t even capitalize her name) who allowed her son to be starved to death on the promise from her pastor that he would be resurected, and therefore no actual murder would be committed? You’re supposed to have conviction in God’s Grace but sadly, the only conviction(s) in this story are judicial. When the story of the mislead in the name of Church is at the forefront and is what many only hear … then it’s no wonder the church is in decline. How can something so vile as this (granted it’s an extreme example — I get that) fulfill the needs of those who really need to hear the truth? Hard to wade thru the fluff to get to the good stuff sometimes.

  • Micheline

    What does it say about the church when the lead story on CNN yesterday was about a mom (won’t even capitalize her name) who allowed her son to be starved to death on the promise from her pastor that he would be resurected, and therefore no actual murder would be committed? You’re supposed to have conviction in God’s Grace but sadly, the only conviction(s) in this story are judicial. When the story of the mislead in the name of Church is at the forefront and is what many only hear … then it’s no wonder the church is in decline. How can something so vile as this (granted it’s an extreme example — I get that) fulfill the needs of those who really need to hear the truth? Hard to wade thru the fluff to get to the good stuff sometimes.

  • http://www.robdale.ca robdale

    How true. But let’s face it, if we were more diligent in touching our neighbours, then we wouldn’t have to worry about what CNN headlines. Our neighbour would watch that and say, “Well, my neighbour, who loves God, isn’t anything like that.”

  • http://www.robdale.ca robdale

    How true. But let’s face it, if we were more diligent in touching our neighbours, then we wouldn’t have to worry about what CNN headlines. Our neighbour would watch that and say, “Well, my neighbour, who loves God, isn’t anything like that.”

  • Micheline

    I heard what you said … but at the moment when this woman was being woefully mislead, didn’t she in her heart believe she loved God? The fact is, she still does. The story went on to note that upon realizing her son was gone from this Earth — by her own hand and by the ‘brainwash’ of her pastor/church, she finally broke from the choke hold. Again, I know this is an extreme case. Where, I think, we fail as human beings in this busy over-saturated world of instant gratification is taking the time to seek fact from fiction on our journey. Just because you’re our Pastor doesn’t mean I’m prepared to follow you blindly (sorry dude). And just because 1000+ attend one particular designer-duded up church doesn’t mean the message is all fact no fiction. It’s scary enough out there and I can only imagine that it’s tremendous pressure on your profession to keep it real. Too many are spinning a good yarn and ruining it for too many.

  • Micheline

    I heard what you said … but at the moment when this woman was being woefully mislead, didn’t she in her heart believe she loved God? The fact is, she still does. The story went on to note that upon realizing her son was gone from this Earth — by her own hand and by the ‘brainwash’ of her pastor/church, she finally broke from the choke hold. Again, I know this is an extreme case. Where, I think, we fail as human beings in this busy over-saturated world of instant gratification is taking the time to seek fact from fiction on our journey. Just because you’re our Pastor doesn’t mean I’m prepared to follow you blindly (sorry dude). And just because 1000+ attend one particular designer-duded up church doesn’t mean the message is all fact no fiction. It’s scary enough out there and I can only imagine that it’s tremendous pressure on your profession to keep it real. Too many are spinning a good yarn and ruining it for too many.

  • http://www.robdale.ca robdale

    No need to apologize :-) … if you listen to any of my talks, you will hear me say many times, “Don’t believe something just because I told you … discover for yourself!”

    I think your comments are great … and important to heed.

  • http://www.robdale.ca robdale

    No need to apologize :-) … if you listen to any of my talks, you will hear me say many times, “Don’t believe something just because I told you … discover for yourself!”

    I think your comments are great … and important to heed.