“One way to persevere in effectiveness is to consider the messages to the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 and hear the warnings directed toward them.” - P&D
Why Are Southern Baptist Churches Dying?
“Churches must change or risk dying. I don’t mean they should change their theology, but they should change their programs and methods. Churches that refuse to change choose to die.” - SBC Voices
Why Churches Experience the Doldrums
“1. Mission Drift Without Mission Denial… 2. Comfort Has Replaced Expectancy… 3. Leadership Is Managing More Than Shepherding… 4. Too Many Ministries, Too Little Focus… 5. Unresolved Loss or Change… 6. Few New Stories of Life Change” - Church Answers
Embracing the Journey: A Guide for Pastoral Resilience amid Church Decline
“What can a pastor do when his church is in decline? The answer boils down to something deeply personal: evaluating the pastor’s connections.” - Brian Cederquist
PCUSA reports another year in declining membership, churches
“The largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S. continued its downward trend as it hemorrhaged more than 100 churches and 53,000 members while losing 285 ministers last year, according to statistics released this week.” - Fox
Serving God in the Midst of Ministry Decline
“Whether short-term or long-term in nature, most of those serving in the church have seen their church’s numbers decline. What, then, creates a healthy ministry mindset during a downturn?” - Lifeway
Protestant Church Closures Outpace Openings in U.S.
“In 2019, approximately 3,000 Protestant churches were started in the U.S., but 4,500 Protestant churches closed, according to estimates from Nashville-based Lifeway Research.” - LifeWay
5 years without a pastor, church retains 'high hopes'
“The church is on the North Alabama Hallelujah Trail, a list of 32 churches that are at least a century old, still stand on their original sites, are accessible to the public and still hold services.” - BPNews
