I saw this discussion of the decline in U.S. Presbyterians over at "World: Sound journalism, grounded in facts and Biblical truth." The quoted text rings true,
"Here, for example, are the headlines that The Presbyterian Outlook had (at the time of this writing) listed on its Current Affairs page before its article about the PCUSA statistical report: 'The climate crisis is increasingly a refugee crisis,' 'Finding diversity and equity in investing decisions,' and 'We’ve got to move Earth Day to 12 months a year.' That’s one way to 'reinterpret' Christianity for modern people. It’s just not a Christianity that’s going to compel new people to give up their Sunday mornings."
"And that’s the rub. Relevant Christianity doesn’t stay relevant for long. Reinterpreted Christianity may appeal to the deconstructing, but it does not win the hearts and minds of the lost. We have no guarantee that faithful churches will thrive. But after almost 60 years of constant mainline decline, we have a pretty good idea of how churches die."
It is sad to watch the death of the old mainline protestant churches. In trying to keep up with progressive cultural change, they proved that to be a recipe for decline.
Progressive minded people will never understand that after two thousand years of experience with change, Christianity's job is not to constantly change its menu to satisfy customers. The old, tried, and true Bible, and the way of the apostles is what fills hungry souls.
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Without Jesus the shelf life of a church is short lived.
ReplyDeleteAs is the shelf life of the church that uses Jesus to espouse the political whim of the day.
DeleteWatt
ReplyDeleteThe whole project of churches espousing and then proclaiming one or more current political/social issues as their raison d'etre is a recipe for failure on its face (whether it's the left, where it appears to be more pervasive, or the right). We get all that material from TV and internet news, from the late-night talk shows, from blogs and their comment sections, and so on. So, why bother to go to church to hear the same things from the pulpit and then discuss them during coffee hour (aka echo chamber)? What's the point? There is none; hence such churches die.
I mean, I go to church to hear the Gospel. But, secondarily, it's also refreshing to hear SOMETHING else.
I go to hear the Gospel and to worship the God who died for me to be able to hear it.
DeleteIslam grows because there are no compromises. Blessed be the Prophet. God is great.
ReplyDeleteMy dear anon,
DeletePlease try to read the Gospels and the Epistles. I pray that you will find Jesus therein and recognize him as your Saviour.