Liberal Churches Are Losing Members

[Guest shiloh357]

The Real Reason Liberal Churches Are Losing Members

By Dr. Michael Brown

 

 

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.

 

God will back His gospel, not some man-made, watered-down message.

 

God will back the exaltation of Jesus, not some muddled, every-path-leads-to-God nonsense.

 

God will back the call to take up the cross and live for Him, not some flesh-pleasing success formula.

 

God will back biblical standards, not some meet-me-halfway, worldly-wise compromise.

 

The truth be told, most people who are serious about spiritual things are looking to join with people of like mind, while most people who don't take God's Word seriously will not take spiritual commitment seriously either.

 

Why bother going to church if you don't believe what's being preached? Why go to a prayer meeting or a Bible study if you're not sure any of it is real? Why make a serious commitment to church life if you view committed Christians as radical extremists?

In 1974, a German theologian named Gerhard Meier wrote a bold and controversial book entitled The End of the Historical Critical Method, explaining that what the seminaries were teaching the pastors was not helping the people.

 

Maier argued that pastors in training would attend seminary, where they would learn the "historical critical" method of interpretation, being told that Moses didn't write the Pentateuch, that the prophets didn't predict the coming of the Messiah, that Jesus didn't really rise from the dead, and that the Bible was not truly God's Word, among other things. Then they would go and preach to their congregations, but they had nothing to give them.

 

The congregants came to church services to find strength and guidance, to grow in faith and hope, to learn how to cope with difficult circumstances, but the pastors were full of unbelief. And so, cathedrals that seated 3,000 people would have 30 in attendance on Sunday morning.

 

Recently, in light of a steep decline in attendance at Church of England services, Baroness Brenda Hale, one of England's top judges, told a conference at Yale Law School that the Church of England is in decline precisely it makes so few demands on its adherents: "It has no dietary laws, no dress codes for men or women and very little that its members can say is actually required of them by way of observance."

How remarkable. It appears that Lady Hale is aware of the old adage that if something costs nothing, it is worth nothing.

 

For the whole article  http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/44427-the-real-reason-liberal-churches-are-losing-members

 

[Tina2]

I think there is a whole lot of truth in this article. It makes me think about some of the different types of church services that I have set in, wondering are what they saying really biblical. 

 

Tina2

[Qnts2]

I am not sure I entirely agree with Dr. Brown.

 

In our society today, time is a premium, so people put their time into something they feel is beneficial or to something which they have chosen to dedicate themselves.

 

In a liberal church, I will assume there are a minimum of born again Christians. So, giving away precious time to attend a church, must have a perceived benefit. From there, I can put together are partial list, which is not going to be complete.

 

1. Grew up attending church, and now have children whom the parents want to have some religious education or a youth group

2. Grew up attending church and a works based feel good theology, so attending church satisfies a need to work to to feel like a good person 

3. Likes the motivational sermons

4. The church is a place to socialize with others.

5. The church has good/interesting/fun recreational opportunities.

6. A gathering of people with some common interests

 

The society around the churches might provide at least 4 of the six, making the perceived benefit of a liberal church minimal in the eyes of a potential attender. After all, if you do not believe, sitting for a 20 minute to 40 minute lecture (sermon), was not fun in school, or to most children growing up attending church. Reading a motivational book can be easier. Or getting on youtube and finding a motivational speaker, where you can choose one of hundreds based on a potentially interesting topic.  

 

I was once told by a mentor to go and attend a service at variety of churches, to see the differences. One church I attended was a Universalist church. I was greeted at the door by a man dressed in a very nice Sunday, go to meeting dress. He was the greeter who passed out the bulletin. He had several friends, dressed very nicely in dresses also. The place was packed. That church held weekly meetings for transgender people to discuss their common experiences as they go thru the process of 'changing genders'. In the sermon, Jesus received one mention (and this was on an Easter Sunday), along side the great spirit and various goddesses. This was clearly a church which did not challenge, but instead like minded people came together to support each other, and discuss common experiences and interests. It just so happened that their needs were being met in a church, and their social gathering was at the church.    

[Guest shiloh357]

I am not sure I entirely agree with Dr. Brown.

 

In our society today, time is a premium, so people put their time into something they feel is beneficial or to something which they have chosen to dedicate themselves.

 

In a liberal church, I will assume there are a minimum of born again Christians. So, giving away precious time to attend a church, must have a perceived benefit. From there, I can put together are partial list, which is not going to be complete.

 

1. Grew up attending church, and now have children whom the parents want to have some religious education or a youth group

2. Grew up attending church and a works based feel good theology, so attending church satisfies a need to work to to feel like a good person 

3. Likes the motivational sermons

4. The church is a place to socialize with others.

5. The church has good/interesting/fun recreational opportunities.

6. A gathering of people with some common interests

 

The society around the churches might provide at least 4 of the six, making the perceived benefit of a liberal church minimal in the eyes of a potential attender. After all, if you do not believe, sitting for a 20 minute to 40 minute lecture (sermon), was not fun in school, or to most children growing up attending church. Reading a motivational book can be easier. Or getting on youtube and finding a motivational speaker, where you can choose one of hundreds based on a potentially interesting topic.  

 

I was once told by a mentor to go and attend a service at variety of churches, to see the differences. One church I attended was a Universalist church. I was greeted at the door by a man dressed in a very nice Sunday, go to meeting dress. He was the greeter who passed out the bulletin. He had several friends, dressed very nicely in dresses also. The place was packed. That church held weekly meetings for transgender people to discuss their common experiences as they go thru the process of 'changing genders'. In the sermon, Jesus received one mention (and this was on an Easter Sunday), along side the great spirit and various goddesses. This was clearly a church which did not challenge, but instead like minded people came together to support each other, and discuss common experiences and interests. It just so happened that their needs were being met in a church, and their social gathering was at the church.    

You say that you disagree with Brown but then fail to actually address the issues Brown raised.

[OakWood]

This is just the first step. See how far they'll eventually fall.

[Qnts2]

 

I am not sure I entirely agree with Dr. Brown.

 

In our society today, time is a premium, so people put their time into something they feel is beneficial or to something which they have chosen to dedicate themselves.

 

In a liberal church, I will assume there are a minimum of born again Christians. So, giving away precious time to attend a church, must have a perceived benefit. From there, I can put together are partial list, which is not going to be complete.

 

1. Grew up attending church, and now have children whom the parents want to have some religious education or a youth group

2. Grew up attending church and a works based feel good theology, so attending church satisfies a need to work to to feel like a good person 

3. Likes the motivational sermons

4. The church is a place to socialize with others.

5. The church has good/interesting/fun recreational opportunities.

6. A gathering of people with some common interests

 

The society around the churches might provide at least 4 of the six, making the perceived benefit of a liberal church minimal in the eyes of a potential attender. After all, if you do not believe, sitting for a 20 minute to 40 minute lecture (sermon), was not fun in school, or to most children growing up attending church. Reading a motivational book can be easier. Or getting on youtube and finding a motivational speaker, where you can choose one of hundreds based on a potentially interesting topic.  

 

I was once told by a mentor to go and attend a service at variety of churches, to see the differences. One church I attended was a Universalist church. I was greeted at the door by a man dressed in a very nice Sunday, go to meeting dress. He was the greeter who passed out the bulletin. He had several friends, dressed very nicely in dresses also. The place was packed. That church held weekly meetings for transgender people to discuss their common experiences as they go thru the process of 'changing genders'. In the sermon, Jesus received one mention (and this was on an Easter Sunday), along side the great spirit and various goddesses. This was clearly a church which did not challenge, but instead like minded people came together to support each other, and discuss common experiences and interests. It just so happened that their needs were being met in a church, and their social gathering was at the church.    

You say that you disagree with Brown but then fail to actually address the issues Brown raised.

 

 

I am putting forth a different set of reasons a person chooses to attend or not to attend a liberal church.

 

Brown does not really have a cohesive theory from what I have read. He seems to propose the following list but does not actually deal with the list biblically.

 

God will back His gospel, not some man-made, watered-down message.

 

God will back the exaltation of Jesus, not some muddled, every-path-leads-to-God nonsense.

 

God will back the call to take up the cross and live for Him, not some flesh-pleasing success formula.

 

God will back biblical standards, not some meet-me-halfway, worldly-wise compromise.

 

Yes, God does prefer these things, but these things do not translate as increased membership, and the lack of these things does not translate as decreased membership. True born again Christians have always been a minority. We are the remnant.  So, if the majority of people are not born again, and liberal churches are generally not born again, the comparison to a born again church and a non-born again church is invalid as they are appealing mostly to differing audiences. Take a liberal church and make it conservative, God will likely be pleased, but the attending population will change or the church will die as liberals leave the church.  

 

My list was more focused on what liberals might look for in a church. Clearly, they are not looking for biblical standards. Liberals, non-born again people, are not attracted to biblical standards. So establishing biblical standards will not help liberal churches retain their liberal membership.

 

Another point made by Brown is a quote of a professor 'Baroness Brenda Hale, one of England's top judges, told a conference at Yale Law School that the Church of England is in decline precisely it makes so few demands on its adherents: "It has no dietary laws, no dress codes for men or women and very little that its members can say is actually required of them by way of observance."'  This is interesting, and might be true, as people in general like to 'work' for their success. People like to have accomplishments. That is one thing about true Christianity. To become pleasing to God requires only faith and no works of our own. It appears to me that Brown agrees with Hale as Brown comments "How remarkable. It appears that Lady Hale is aware of the old adage that if something costs nothing, it is worth nothing." But, isn't the contrariness of Christianity that some people object to, is that we are not good and can't do anything eternally worthwhile, and salvation is 'free', no works of our own. Salvation costs nothing to us. People who attend a biblically based church, don't attend because of accomplishment of works, they attend because of what Jesus did for us, and we appreciate Jesus and want to learn more. But a liberal, might want to have works, to show that they are good people.  

 

While it is an interesting article, I do think Brown missed the boat. Liberal church are entirely different then biblically based churches. The two differing audiences would not be likely to cross over between these churches, except a work of the Holy Spirit on an individual. And biblically based churches, which should attract born again people, will always be the minority. Size is not a measure of a churches success in the born again realm. Mature Christians dedicated to God and trained for their ministry, are an indication of a successful biblical church.

[OakWood]

Although Liberal churches are losing members at the moment, I think they will start to gain more members too as more and more people are dragged into the false Christian cult.

[kwikphilly]

Blessings Shiloh,,,,

     Good article & I think those are all solid facts that he points out ....the basic truth is "If God is for you....."(Romans 8:28)and we know the rest!!!!!!Glory to God!

      It is funny how people still really think that they can play God......we do live in a world that we are not a part of,these religious teachers & preachers that have little faith themselves think that if they conform to the world they will attract many people......this may be true but they are not making disciples of men,they are not Gods vessels & the Truth is nowhere to be found......His sheep know His voice........these liberal "anything goes"churches will always be in decline of membership

                                                                                                                                                              Love,Kwik

[OakWood]

The only way that Christianity is going to survive relatively free of persecution is if it is a false Christianity - in which case it won't actually be Christianity at all.

I expect to see more of this sort of stuff. Tragic but true.

[Persuaded]

How God grows the Church:

 

Act 2:42 KJV And they continued stedfastly in

  1) the apostles' doctrine [biblical teaching]

  2) and fellowship,

  3) and in breaking of bread,

  4) and in prayers.

 

Act 2:47 ...And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

 

Item 1 is especially rare in most churches. If the good book is even cracked open during a sermon, great. How much better to have a pastor that will teach the word from cover to cover? I think Chuck Smith credited that one thing to the growth of his Calvary Chapel from a tent-church to the expanding movement it remains today. Teach the word, and God will add to the church, simple.