Conservative Churches In US In Decline
Has the United States begun the same pattern of decline in membership, attendance and visibility that has led to the near collapse of the church in Western Europe?
If polls are any indication, the answer is, yes. Pollsters say the only conservative church groups not declining at present are the Assemblies of God and the Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee. This year’s “Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches” traces the loss in membership of several groups. The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod lost 45,735 members last year (1.44%). The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) lost members for the first time in its 37-year history. The Southern Baptist Convention lost 40,000 members (0.24%) – Martin E. Marty, US Conservative Churches in Decline, 12/15.
What does all of this mean? I’m not sure exactly.
I do think we are in the Laodicean age of the church. And, I don’t think mere numbers tell the whole story. Sometime less is better. Big numbers provide big bragging rights, but not a whole lot more. Also, keep in mind, at any time, God can send a revival and sweep millions into the fellowships of Bible-believing churches. I also think Bible-believing churches must guard against watering down the truth of God’s Word to get a crowd. It’s not about getting a crowd. It’s about building a church.
