The church in North America is in decline. This was the trend before pandemic, political polarization in congregations, and division over social issues. Those events have only accelerated that decline. In recent days, two excellent articles based on good research addressed both the reality of a mass exodus and why people are leaving. So, what does that mean for us?
The church as an institution is caught in a tsunami of cultural, social, and demographic forces—all of which seem to be peaking at one time. The interesting point is that this comes as a surprise to many church leaders and adherents of the faith. If we are realistic, this crisis is a natural consequence of the way that we have done church for over half a century. I know because I have lived through it.
The Church (big C—the Church Universal) has continued to thrive over two thousand years because of its ability to build on two key qualities—spiritual vitality and relational vitality. In Leading Congregational Change, Jim Herrington notes that effective congregational change emerges from these qualities. This is true not only for the local congregation but the Church itself.
If we have stumbled, it is because we have neglected these aspects of the faith. When Jesus was asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” he replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “(Luke 10:27, NIV). These are the essential spiritual (our fellowship with God) and relational (our fellowship with humanity) dimensions of our faith.
I submit that many of us have failed to emphasize these dimensions of the faith within our churches.
First, we have not cultivated a healthy relationship with God as revealed in the Son. We have failed to clearly articulate what it means to have a meaningful and committed relationship with the Triune God. A healthy relationship moves our focus from ourselves to God.
I was making a presentation in a church a couple of years ago and shared the challenge of moving from "membership to discipleship" (something we include in MAKING THE SHIFT). One person responded that he did not like the word “disciple.” He argued that “disciple” carried the connotation of being part of a cult. The fact that it is the best translation of the word used in the New Testament did not make a difference for this person. Those of us who have stood in the pulpit and taught in the classroom for several decades evidently have allowed a perfectly good theological concept to be subverted.
That is just one example of allowing biblical and theological ignorance to flourish in our churches. We have often avoided the uncomfortable discussions about biblical interpretation, cultural context, and the “hard sayings” of the Bible. I laugh when someone says, "Let's just practice the biblical approach to marriage, sexuality, etc." Which approach? Again, biblical illiteracy is part of our problem.
We have also ignored the work of the Holy Spirit as the sustaining presence of God in our lives. We have allowed ourselves to recite rote prayers that do not open our hearts to the Spirit of God. We have failed to allow the Spirit to speak through the community of believers.
Second, we have neglected the practice of loving one another. Too much effort has been spent on deciding who we will allow to join us rather than embracing those on the journey who hunger to be part of our fellowship.
I was doing Bible study on a recent Sunday morning and contrasting the message of John the Baptist and the message of Jesus--John was all about fear and judgement; Jesus was about healing and redemption. I started to say, "Well, the message of Jesus ultimately prevailed," but I stopped and realized that the struggle goes on. Judgement is more often practiced by believers that is acceptance and love.
When we “open the doors” to new members, we often seek those who will join us to assure the future of the local congregation. Nobody wants to become part of your church to save it. They have better things to do. They want to engage in a movement of like-minded individuals rather than bail out a floundering structure. They want to join a group of disciples committed to changing the world.
Even so, in these days, I see signs of hope for the people of God. I talk with pastors who love engaging the Word of God and sharing it with their people. I meet lay leaders who are bright, creative, and open to new ways of doing church. I work with seminary students--many mid-career folks--who see new opportunities to lead churches and not-for-profits to address human need--spiritual, physical, and relational. I lead coach training for people who sincerely want to help both believers and non-believers to move in constructive ways.
When I talk with seminary students about the Church, I remind them that the mission given to believers has not changed, but the expressions of it have. The churches that the Apostle Paul helped start no longer exist. The churches in Asia Minor that the Elder John wrote to in the book of Revelation are long since gone. The Church (big C) is still here. This is a time of opportunity.
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