Why Aren't We Growing ?!?
I listened on CD as I was driving to the three classes Rick and Dave Stone did on "Healthy Churches" at the PU lectureships. Dave, if I heard them right, is at the Southeast Christian church in Louisville that has around 20,000 members.
Here is something I heard that almost made me go in the ditch. In 1990, Churches of Christ had between 30 and 40 congregations of 1,000 members or more. The Christian churches had around 15. In 2005, Churches of Christ still had around 30 to 40, and the Christian churches had.........drum roll........sit down........around 150!!! What's up with that? I will tell you later in the week the main reason Rick sees as to why this has happened. Oh, by the way.......our total numbers have fallen by 4%......the Christian church has risen by 18%. I will go ahead and give you a hint......it's not the message each group is delivering. Both fellowships have basically the EXACT same message in every area, and for sure the core Gospel message. So it's not that.
So, I want you to give me your conclusions.........or guesses! Over a 15 year period, why did the Christian churches have such wonderful growth, while Churches of Christ were at best stagnant?
I will be at a church of Christ tonight that has really grown in the past 10 years....the Overland Park church outside of KC. They for sure are not your dyed in the wool c of C. I wish all of you could visit here someday. You would be blessed.
Back home tomorrow night in good ole Searcy. Yeah, Jack........a good place to live! :)
3 Comments:
Say hello to the Overland Park people for me. Good people, absolutely. As for why we grow or don't, I'm sure I don't have the answers. However, there is an element of fear in the CoC that troubles me and stiffles growth. Fear of being different, fear of not being different, fear of offending the gatekeepers and watchdogs, fear of the editor-bishops, and fear of the unchecked box on the orthodoxy checklist or the checked box on the unorthdoxy list!
Mike Cope's got a good post today, The Ends, The Means which says what I wanted to say, but better:
How do you measure growth? By numbers only?
If the message is the same exact one, then it's not "what" the Christian Church is saying and preaching, so it must be WHO they are seeking to bring in, HOW they are going about it and WHERE they are going about it.
As Keith says (and Mike), numbers certainly aren't a sign of growth in many ways, but on the other hand, that's an astounding number and an indication that they are reaching a whole lot more people in some way or another that we're not.
I'm anxious to find out what you have to say next about all of this, David. Then, we can all talk about that, maybe.
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