Tag Archives: church growth
Churches in decline
Fifty years ago, congregations of the Lord’s people were booming in metro Detroit. Large buildings, with capacities of up to 1,000, were regularly built, and filled.
As we sat at lunch with some brethren from one metro-area congregation, they mentioned that their building, built in 1968, had a capacity of 700. Current attendance is 60-65. They have twenty classrooms. None are in use. Most members sit in the front for worship, and visitors sit aloof in the back. The disheartening scene!
On our way to peas in a barrel?
According to something I read this past week, the average congregation size among churches of Christ is 160. They baptize an average of 8 souls per year, two-thirds of those are children of the members, and half of them leave the church (fall away).
Roughly 60 years ago, the churches of Christ were growing at a rate of nearly 200%. Today, it is reportedly one-half of 1%.
Limiting Our Success
When the prophet Elisha was about to die, Joash, King of Israel, visited him and wept (2 Kings 13:14). During this visit, the prophet told the king to take out a bow and some arrows. As Joash put his hand on his bow, Elisha’s hands covered the hands of the king. He then told Joash to open a window and shoot. When he shot the first arrow, Elisha explained that the arrows represented deliverance from Syria, one of Israel’s enemies.
