Barna: 1 in 5 Churches Could Close in the Next 18 Months

This Carey Nieuwhof article was an interesting take on church decline coming out of this season.

The NEW Characteristics of Churches That Will Be In Decline Five Years From Now

https://careynieuwhof.com/the-new-characteristics-of-churches-that-will…

I wonder if any analysis of the sort of churches in decline is posted anywhere. There are a lot of groups with the name “church” but their Christianity isn’t robust (and hasn’t been for some time).

What are the rest of you experiencing? We (small sample size) haven’t missed a lick and are seeing visitors every week, some expressing keen interest in continuing. This includes folks moving into town, moving from weaker churches (theologically speaking), and even some unique evangelistic opportunities.

But we are just one small group, I wonder what others are experiencing in the SI circle?

[Don Johnson]

I wonder if any analysis of the sort of churches in decline is posted anywhere. There are a lot of groups with the name “church” but their Christianity isn’t robust (and hasn’t been for some time).

What are the rest of you experiencing? We (small sample size) haven’t missed a lick and are seeing visitors every week, some expressing keen interest in continuing. This includes folks moving into town, moving from weaker churches (theologically speaking), and even some unique evangelistic opportunities.

But we are just one small group, I wonder what others are experiencing in the SI circle?

Interesting observation. My church also has seen more visitors during this time than any similar period in previous years. A couple of them came because we were open and their church wasn’t, and they like our church and decided to stay and take the new members’ class. Maybe we’ll see them added to the church soon. But a number of other visitors have been regular attenders almost since March. Our church has seemed quite healthy through this “crisis.”

While we have a couple families that have stayed away due to Covid, they can still watch the messages remotely. Another interesting point — our giving has not really decreased. The families that are away are using mail or e-pay. We have experienced extra expenses due to 1. equipment needed to have services outside before we could go back inside, and 2. equipment for filming and doing online video services. But even with that, we have done well enough to not only meet our expenses and keep up regular support of all our missionaries, but also have additional funds for one-time gifts for extra financial needs from a couple of missionaries we support.

While I don’t want to stay in Covid mode (no fellowships, blocking off of pews, no Lord’s supper, having to stay really distanced from one another, no Christian camp for the teens, no missions trips, etc., etc.) God has really blessed and provided, and has enabled our church to continue its ministry well (within the legal limits permitted by Covid, of course).

Our experience is the same as those noted, above.

• Finances
• High rent
• Unable to meet budget
• Some ‘kooks’ who dominate

Financially, we’re fine, but we’re looking for a new pastor because our current pastor decided that the load required a man with more energy.

(Craig, sounds like reason #4 is the biggest thing going there…but how do you show the kooks the door without totally torpedoing finances for enough time to kill the church?)

Here in PA, we stopped meeting publicly when the numbers for potential catastrophe were in the 1-2 million range. We felt it was a loving thing to do to protect our community. We had experienced a 40% drop in attendance during the first 2 weeks of March, with the 15th being our last public service before shutdown. The following week we began to livestream. We gave it 2 months, then started back slowly in mid May and full public service at the beginning of June. By the end of June, we had climbed back to 60% of our pre-covid attendance. When our governor (Tom Wolf-PA) mandated masks and social distancing, we saw attendance numbers decline again, as many here felt that the mask mandate was a repression of personal liberty and example of government overreach. It has been a time of personal and ecclesial challenge and growth, seeking to be under biblical authority as well as functioning as an informed and free citizenry. I can rejoice in some visitors who have come in during this time, although due to social distancing, follow up has been a challenge. I rejoice as well that we have a baptism coming up this week, with 6 going public for Jesus. Through this extended period, I have found that combining some new methods with the good old fashioned shepherding has continued to be effective. Grateful to the Lord for the privilege of serving.

In my 28 years as a Christian almost every church I have attended, with one notable exception, was controlled, so to speak, by either kooks, as Craig said above, or the unlearned but charismatic and well off. My last church, which I have just left (I have been discussing several of the issues for a while here) was a good church in many ways, but the “leadership” broadly speaking was dominated by men who didn’t really know their Bible, but whom everyone pretended they did. That’s the worst. A kook is one thing, but a clueless man who is accepted as a leader… that is more than a man can take. Let me be clear, this is not just one person. It is several. People proud of their ignorance, and despite my attempts from the sideline to encourage something different, I was just way outnumbered.

I long for a group of men who really want to learn the Bible and live holy lives… not looking to hunt and fish all day. Not looking to own fishing boats, refurbished classic cars, and living the good life. I’ve NEVER been part of such a thing.

I am truly sad deep into my bones. I have no idea what I am going to do. I have been praying for a while but the answer is not forthcoming.