Church in a Digital Age

Membership vs Relationship

I’m at a special theological course in Columbia Seminary, Decatur, GA which is all about the Church in a Digital Age. It’s a great program and is opening up new ideas which are challenging me. The biggest thing regarding church life is the major shift from emphasizing church membership to cultivating congregational relationships. The vast majority of the upcoming generation – 35 and under – no longer feel the need to join a church, they just want to be accepted, embraced, and allowed to participate in the life, ministry, and mission of a local congregation.

This means that we are transforming from a 20^th century statistical institution into a 21^st century relational community. Numerical statistics are not as important anymore; nurturing spirits is the key process for churches to survive and thrive.

Wow! This takes Church World to a whole new level, as well as a new way of thinking. I hope I can begin to embrace this change.