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When its the liberal churches(Episcopal, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ) that are declining the most rapidly and Pentecostal churches and LDS are growing by leaps and bounds? Non-denominational churches are also growing really fast and these mostly lean conservative. Maybe our churches don't need to become more liberal- maybe they should become more conservative.
Here is an interesting blog that I definitely agreed with.
Almost every day conservative Christians are told that if we don't become more enlightened and progressive, we will become irrelevant to society as our numbers continue to decline.
In reality, the opposite is true: We will only be relevant to the extent we honor God and hold fast to biblical truth, which is why the more "progressive" and "enlightened churches" are the ones losing members the most rapidly.
Also this:
Evangelical Churches Still Growing, Mainline Protestantism In Decline
Speaking as a Catholic I see the decline in our church is being caused by the Catholic Church becoming more Liberal over the last 50 years.
You're obviously seeing something that I'm not seeing.
I was born and raised a Catholic too, and the decline in Catholicism has nothing to do with liberalism and everything to do with Catholics becoming more educated, therefore more skeptical.
Skepticism turns into outright criticism after a while...and then the dominoes start falling.
When its the liberal churches(Episcopal, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ) that are declining the most rapidly and Pentecostal churches and LDS are growing by leaps and bounds? Non-denominational churches are also growing really fast and these mostly lean conservative. Maybe our churches don't need to become more liberal- maybe they should become more conservative.
Here is an interesting blog that I definitely agreed with.
A non denominational church, by definition, is not conservative... atleast not by the standards you are using.
But Church membership overall is declining, so the argument that it is "Just the liberal churches dying out" would actually prove the point you are arguing against.
Either way, a decline overall is a decline overall.
You cant say that if 20 people level a "Liberal" church and 14 of them never join another church while 8 become conservative that it means the overall organization of religion is growing.
Idk, why im even responding to this thread, i have rarely seen you participate in your own threads.
Speaking as a Catholic I see the decline in our church is being caused by the Catholic Church becoming more Liberal over the last 50 years.
Liberalism isnt why your church is dying. It is dying because of Urban sprawl ( You dont find to many catholic churchs in the burbs), and because of the negative image your priesthood has.
Because lefties have no standards.....everything goes.
Except for wealthy conservatives. Wealth is evil, unless you're a democrat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesus
"How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
Jesus must have been a Democrat.
Let me be clear, i have yet to meet a single Democrat who does what you claim, but if you are going to put your foot in your mouth, i might as well help.
Churches that are growing are growing because many other churches are failing, and therefore the declining number of churchgoers are becoming concentrated within fewer churches. According to research from Duke University based on a 2006-2007 study, church membership has become so concentrated in so few churches that it is now the case that the largest 10% of congregations contain about half of all churchgoers. The overall portion of Americans who are religious continues to fall, decreasing by 4.3% over five years 2007-2012 according to a Pew Research study.
I don't tell churches what to do or what to believe. As long as we maintain a strict separation of church and state, there is room for all kinds of beliefs in the U.S.
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