Yesterday, the annual statistics (for
the denomination that I belong to) were published and they are not very
encouraging. In the PCUSA, we decreased by 102,000 people in our total
membership during the last year, which is equivalent to a 5% reduction in
numbers. Several reasons were given for the reduction, which you can read at
the following link: http://www.pcusa.org/news/2013/5/30/stated-clerk-releases-pcusa-2012-statistics/
No matter how we interpret the
statistics, the reality of Western Christianity is this: even though we are
living longer and the overall population is growing, the mainstream Christian
church is declining instead of growing. From my perspective of pastoring for
over 25 years in both Scotland and the United States, the more that the Church
appeases or reflects Society, the less effective and relevant it actually
becomes. Despite embracing many cultural changes, Western Christianity has no
attraction for many people.
This may be the reality over here, but
around the rest of the world, the Church continues to grow. Christianity, for
all that it is maligned by Western Society, is still the fastest growing faith
in Africa, Asia, and South America. Millions of people in far off places make
personal decisions each year to give their lives to Christ, even though it may
cost them their families, their careers and, in some severe cases, their lives.
Christ’s Kingdom, as promised in the Book of Daniel, can never be destroyed.
All over the world, different people and communities, nations and languages are
praising God for their Savior Jesus. They are growing because, unlike us, they
are willing to submit their lives to God’s Authority, Word, and Teaching. In
decades to come, they will see our Western lands as mission fields, and bring
back the Gospel of Christ to a wayward society that increasingly seeks to serve
and idolize itself.
Questions for personal reflection
To what do I
attribute the decline of Western Christianity? Do I really understand that
Christianity is a global faith and not just a westernized one?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to see the
Church as You see it, made up of people and nations from all over the Earth.
Speak to our spirits through a Global Gospel and lead us away from self-serving
and self-love to selfless serving and sacred love. In Your Holy Name, we humbly
pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If
you would like to ask questions or make comments about today’s message, please
send him an email to traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
image is one of John’s symbolic denominational drawings called ‘A New Day.’ If
you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7186/6857135507_2823395f41_b.jpg
3 comments:
As always, a fine devotional challenge! We in Canada have seen the mainline churches decline dramatically and, in the case, of The Presbyterian Church in Canada we have done from around 300,000 "communicant members" (now "professing members") to around 105,000. There are many congregations that will be gone in a few years as members age. However, the Korean part of our denomination keeps on growing, as do other ethnic congregations. I recently wrote a pamphlet for our national church to be translated into several languages explaining the governance and such of The PCin C.
Good stuff as usual, John - a devotional challenge! Matters are about as bad in Canada. There are many congregations that will not survive the next 10-15 years. However, ethnic congregations, like the Koreans and others are growing. I recently wrote a pamphlet for our national church to be translated into various ethnic languages in order to welcome such groups into The PC in C and inform them about governance and such.
Thanks Tony. I appreciate your reading the blog and offering your own thoughts. God bless.
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