Trends are nothing new. While our culture may be obsessing about trends currently, the fact is that trends have been rising and falling like waves in the ocean since the dawn of time.
What is particularly valuable, though, is to observe trends over long periods of time and what they tell us about people's behavior. To be more specific, observing church trends reveals something that is, frankly, alarming in our time. With a steady decline, we have to decide what exactly is going on and what to do about it.
Finding out why church attendance is in decline is the first step because without that answer, we are at best guessing at the appropriate response. The second answer is what we ought to do about it, and the truth is that we need to do something about it. This is, in fact, the great commission that Jesus gave the disciples and all who would believe. The third and more hard hitting question is whether or not we're being obedient to that commission.
Trends are nothing new. While our culture may be obsessing about trends currently, the fact is that trends have been rising and falling like waves in the ocean since the dawn of time.
What is particularly valuable, though, is to observe trends over long periods of time and what they tell us about people's behavior. To be more specific, observing church trends reveals something that is, frankly, alarming in our time. With a steady decline, we have to decide what exactly is going on and what to do about it.
Finding out why church attendance is in decline is the first step because without that answer, we are at best guessing at the appropriate response. The second answer is what we ought to do about it, and the truth is that we need to do something about it. This is, in fact, the great commission that Jesus gave the disciples and all who would believe. The third and more hard hitting question is whether or not we're being obedient to that commission.