Mainline Protestant churches are dying

[TPop]

Hello TPop. I agree with you, that's the way it should be. Sadly though it can be that worldly music is often used to attract people to certain types of church.

To make a suggestion to the OP: a cafe. I have seen churches from several denominations start a cafe, it's a good way to get people in. Coffee, cake, some company. Churches can do it very reasonably priced, non-profit, a good draw when people are feeling the financial squeeze and feeling lonely. God Bless You

So long as they do not mix revenues and such.

My church has a K-12th grade school. Very well accredited and awarded. It is also one of the cheapest private schools around. Not run for profit making purposes. It is growing huge. Added a million $ Gym and classrooms 7 years ago? And added another million $ addon couple years ago. Like $7k to $8k per year.

And they do not mix revenue between the Church and School.

Peace and Blessings.

 

[FireDragon76]

I have heard of churches doing cafes. I don't think that kind of approach would align with our church.

We do have quilt fairs from time to time, to generate revenue for the church and to serve as a social activity. We have a food pantry and a thrift store. We also host the Orlando Gay Chorus. So we do have some community outreach activities. But it's not really bringing in new people at a rate that can replace members that are dying.

 

[Pioneer3mm]

a cafe

I remember..having coffee (& cake)..many years ago.
- at the cafe (church).

 

[TPop]

I have heard of churches doing cafes. I don't think that kind of approach would align with our church.

We do have quilt fairs from time to time, to generate revenue for the church and to serve as a social activity. We have a food pantry and a thrift store. We also host the Orlando Gay Chorus. So we do have some community outreach activities. But it's not really bringing in new people at a rate that can replace members that are dying.

One megachurch, that I do not care for, I think they lost scripture along the way, did advertising on Google for inappropriate content.

They built Google advertising around people searching for inappropriate content words. So when they searched, instead of only getting inappropriate content sites, they got something like "Searching for sexy ladies, maybe you're really searching for Jesus?"

Maybe worth a try. Locally.

Maybe the church is dying because it is not very good. Because it is not honest scripture. Or maybe it is because no one goes door to door spreading the word of God and their local church that it is an obvious choice.

Peace and Blessings.

 

[FireDragon76]

One megachurch, that I do not care for, I think they lost scripture along the way, did advertising on Google for inappropriate content.

They built Google advertising around people searching for inappropriate content words. So when they searched, instead of only getting inappropriate content sites, they got something like "Searching for sexy ladies, maybe you're really searching for Jesus?"

Maybe worth a try. Locally.

There's so many things wrong with that ethically, I wouldn't know where to begin...

 

[Paidiske]

I have heard of churches doing cafes. I don't think that kind of approach would align with our church.

We do have quilt fairs from time to time, to generate revenue for the church and to serve as a social activity. We have a food pantry and a thrift store. We also host the Orlando Gay Chorus. So we do have some community outreach activities. But it's not really bringing in new people at a rate that can replace members that are dying.

One mistake a lot of churches make, is that they have outreach activities, but they don't design them to invite and support people to take the next step. So for years they faithfully run these activities, and wonder why that doesn't bring people to church.

What can help is to look at the whole pathway - from "someone in my community knows my church exists" to "that person is now a giving and volunteering member" - and ensure that the whole way along there is a clear and logical pathway, with each step not being too big or too hard, deeper in, and that your church is intentional about inviting people along that pathway.

So for example, for your quilt fairs, a pathway might look like: we have a quilt fair; we have a social lunch for the quilters and deliberately invite others; we say grace at the lunch; we have an annual "blessing of the quilts;" we invite the quilters to church for the blessing of the quilts; we invite the quilters to be involved in some work for the church (making new paraments or the like); we invite them to Christmas services; we invite them to regular services; we invite them to become members; we discover what their gifts are and invite them to serve in some way; and at each step of the way we make sure there are people who will accompany and befriend them, forging social ties and helping people feel safe and at home etc.

That's just an off-the-top-of-my-head example, but it demonstrates the kind of thing I mean.

 

[TPop]

There's so many things wrong with that ethically, I wouldn't know where to begin...

Please give at least 2 or 3 reasons.

Its not like your building a inappropriate content site. Or going to a inappropriate content site. Just meeting people where they are and offering an alternative.

Peace and Blessings

 

[RileyG]

One megachurch, that I do not care for, I think they lost scripture along the way, did advertising on Google for inappropriate content.

They built Google advertising around people searching for inappropriate content words. So when they searched, instead of only getting inappropriate content sites, they got something like "Searching for sexy ladies, maybe you're really searching for Jesus?"

That sounds so inappropriate...I can't imagine any Christian actually supporting it.

 

[RileyG]

There's a liberal Methodist Church that is a cafe- if that makes sense. I am not sure how they are in number, but it was part of their outreach program. I think they did to get new members and meet people where they are.

 

[lismore]

One mistake a lot of churches make, is that they have outreach activities, but they don't design them to invite and support people to take the next step. So for years they faithfully run these activities, and wonder why that doesn't bring people to church.

That's a good point. We have a lunch club on Tuesdays, soup a sandwich and some fellowship. But we've added a spiritual part at the end, a short presentation from a speaker with a faith theme that people can stay for if they choose. A few people have come into the church through the spiritual content. Otherwise we might be giving them a pleasant lunch weekly but not much more. People will come in for food and fellowship, but bringing them into the church is important too. God Bless

 

[DragonFox91]

I occasionally attend a mainline church w/ family. I find many times it's too wishy-washy & vague for it to be my regular church, like they're not trying to offend anyone, & I've seen this lead to heresies b/c they don't take stands.

But: I've seen some stats saying it's the mainline churches that are seeing increased numbers?

Some pros to mainline churches I've seen:
Seems more social activities & more general community outreach (as thread is discussing, I do think this often gets priority & the Gospel is many times forgotten)
Sometimes the 'too wishy-washy' is in my head (just b/c a mainline church I've attended in the past adopted false teachings, that doesn't mean others will)
There are plenty of God-fearing people in these congregations (& there are plenty of people who don't fear God in non-mainline congregations!)
They seem more for people who were 'burned' by the other kinds of churches or find it 'hard to believe' but are still attracted to the Gospel. I think there can be good in this.

 

[Paidiske]

I occasionally attend a mainline church w/ family. I find it too wishy-washy & vague for it to be my regular church, like they're not trying to offend anyone.

Did you mean they're trying not to offend? Or did you mean that you think churches should, on some level, be trying to offend?

 

[DragonFox91]

Did you mean they're trying not to offend? Or did you mean that you think churches should, on some level, be trying to offend?

They're trying not to offend, sorry, I said that wrong.

but yes, I do also think churches s/b offending on some level b/c we are sinners.

 

[TPop]

They're trying not to offend, sorry, I said that wrong.

but yes, I do also think churches s/b offending on some level b/c we are sinners.

Convicted. We like to be convicted do we not?
Many churches these days, and perhaps always, do not want to be convicting. Then there are those that have rules, rules, rules...

Peace and Blessings.

 

[hedrick]

I occasionally attend a mainline church w/ family. I find many times it's too wishy-washy & vague for it to be my regular church, like they're not trying to offend anyone, & I've seen this lead to heresies b/c they don't take stands.

But: I've seen some stats saying it's the mainline churches that are seeing increased numbers?

Some pros to mainline churches I've seen:
Seems more social activities & more general community outreach (as thread is discussing, I do think this often gets priority & the Gospel is many times forgotten)
Sometimes the 'too wishy-washy' is in my head (just b/c a mainline church I've attended in the past adopted false teachings, that doesn't mean others will)
There are plenty of God-fearing people in these congregations (& there are plenty of people who don't fear God in non-mainline congregations!)
They seem more for people who were 'burned' by the other kinds of churches or find it 'hard to believe' but are still attracted to the Gospel. I think there can be good in this.

I’ve seen those stats, too. Two things. First, for places like Pew, mainline means anyone who doesn’t self identify as Evangelical. Second, it’s personal identification, not church membership or attendance there’s no sign that mainline attendance is recovering, as far as I know. Not only have nones grown. So have unchurched Christians.

 

[J_B_]

One mistake a lot of churches make, is that they have outreach activities, but they don't design them to invite and support people to take the next step. So for years they faithfully run these activities, and wonder why that doesn't bring people to church.

What can help is to look at the whole pathway - from "someone in my community knows my church exists" to "that person is now a giving and volunteering member" - and ensure that the whole way along there is a clear and logical pathway, with each step not being too big or too hard, deeper in, and that your church is intentional about inviting people along that pathway.

So for example, for your quilt fairs, a pathway might look like: we have a quilt fair; we have a social lunch for the quilters and deliberately invite others; we say grace at the lunch; we have an annual "blessing of the quilts;" we invite the quilters to church for the blessing of the quilts; we invite the quilters to be involved in some work for the church (making new paraments or the like); we invite them to Christmas services; we invite them to regular services; we invite them to become members; we discover what their gifts are and invite them to serve in some way; and at each step of the way we make sure there are people who will accompany and befriend them, forging social ties and helping people feel safe and at home etc.

That's just an off-the-top-of-my-head example, but it demonstrates the kind of thing I mean.

A good example.

 

[J_B_]

Among other things, I wonder whether our tradition of not being political in sermons is hurting us.

I've wrestled with the Kingdoms of the Left/Right in Lutheran theology for some time. If you're unfamiliar, it a separation between the civil and religious spheres, but not in the way the U.S. has implemented. In the end, I don't think it would be a good idea to start preaching politics from the pulpit. Rather, I think a better approach is to send the clergy out into the world. In other words, clergy without a congregation. But I don't mean they would be missionaries. Rather, they would operate as the mayor's confessor (or the governor, etc.) just as Luther acted as confessor for Frederick III. Or they could be hospital chaplains, military chaplains, prison chaplains ... a whole list of things our church doesn't do.

But that takes financial support, and in that regard it may be too late for such an idea.

 

[FireDragon76]

I've wrestled with the Kingdoms of the Left/Right in Lutheran theology for some time. If you're unfamiliar, it a separation between the civil and religious spheres, but not in the way the U.S. has implemented. In the end, I don't think it would be a good idea to start preaching politics from the pulpit. Rather, I think a better approach is to send the clergy out into the world. In other words, clergy without a congregation. But I don't mean they would be missionaries. Rather, they would operate as the mayor's confessor (or the governor, etc.) just as Luther acted as confessor for Frederick III. Or they could be hospital chaplains, military chaplains, prison chaplains ... a whole list of things our church doesn't do.

But that takes financial support, and in that regard it may be too late for such an idea.

The Lutheran pastor I had several years ago did work as a hospital chaplain. As does my current Congregationalist pastor. In fact, among Mainline Protestant churches, chaplain work is probably over-represented.

 

[Paidiske]

I don't know what it's like in America, but in Australia, at least in the bigger cities where there is more chaplaincy work, my denomination estimates that about one-third of the clergy it ordains will end up in ministries other than parish settings (schools, hospitals, prisons, workplace chaplaincy, the military, the police, welfare organisations and theological colleges being the main areas in which they serve).

 

[FireDragon76]

The cross, the pascal mystery needs to be proclaimed. We intuitively know that a fulfilled life, a happy life, is a life of love, compassion and connection with others. But that takes vulnerability and risk. With vulnerability and risk come pain. It is the pascal mystery: Love one another and take up your cross.

Younger generations seem risk-averse and wary of vulnerability. They are very fragile. And most have been raised with a feeling of entitlement. That makes it hard to communicate any kind of enduring sense of spirituality. Alot are looking to some kind of techno-salvation or political revolution as a substitute for any kind of connection to transcendence.