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This report highlights the decline in the percentage of the population attending a Christian Church in Kentucky from 2000-2010, along with the implications and reasons behind this trend. It also explores the need for new faith communities and discusses strategies for growth.
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KENTUCKY UNITED METHODIST NEW FAITH COMMUNITIES
Growth or Decline in the Percentage of the Population Attending a Christian Church from 2000 - 2010 -10.3% -6.8% NH WA -14.4% -11.8% -5.6% -3.9% ME -9.7% MT VT ND MN -13.1% OR -15.5% MA -9.0% -14.2% -17.5% -10.8% ID WI NY SD -11.5% -6.6% -17.6% WY MI RI -9.4% -8.6% -14.6% -8.7% PA IA CT NE -7.9% -12.7% -1.9% OH NJ -6.3% -6.6% -9.5% NV -5.6% IN -7.5% UT IL -7.2% CA -4.3% -4.2% CO WV -5.8% -7.0% DE VA KS -3.6% MO KY -6.8% -7.4% -5.6% MD NC TN -3.0% -12.0% -14.3% OK -0.8% AZ -4.4% NM AR SC -6.6% -1.6% GA -3.8% AL MS -8.5% -8.2% TX LA -11.0% AK -10.8% FL Decline Growth
Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Americans do not have a consistent, life-giving connection with a local church.
The percentage of the population attending a Christian Church each weekend is projected to continue to decline, 1990-2020.
22.1% of Kentucky’s population attends a Christian Church on any given Sunday. This is slightly above the national average of 18%. churchgoing - KY The American Church Research Project
Generations Involved in Church Thom Rainer
Dave Kinneman, UnChristian “... nearly two out of every five young people claim to have a negative impression of present day Christianity and the church, in which they do not even want to be associated.”
United Methodist Church, 1968-2010 • Churches, 80%
United Methodist Church, 1968-2010 • Churches, 80% • Attendance, 78%
United Methodist Church, 1968-2010 • Churches, 80% • Attendance, 78% • Membership, 71%
United Methodist Church, 1968-2010 • Churches, 80% • Attendance, 78% • Membership, 71% • Professions of Faith, 57%
United Methodist Church, 1968-2010 • Churches, 80% • Attendance, 78% • Membership, 71% • Professions of Faith, 57% • Children and Youth, 44%
In America vs. United Methodism: • Ave Age – 35 UMC – 59 • White – 62% UMC – 92% • Since 1968 – Membership down 22%, Attendance down 20%
“Essentially, what was a churched, supposedly Christian culture has become an unchurched, post-Christian culture. People in our culture are not antichurch; they simply view the church as irrelevant to their lives.” – Aubrey Malphurs
Relevance or Incarnation? • ‘The issue is not relevance so far as the church is concerned. The issue is incarnation. When so called “traditional” churches are out of touch with the people who live around them, the problem is not that they are irrelevant, but that they are not incarnational.’ - Tex Sample
Winn-Arn Survey (5000) – what is the main purpose of the church?
Winn-Arn Survey (5000) – what is the main purpose of the church? TO SERVE ME (CONGREGANTS) – 88%
Four responses: • Accept (resignation)
Four responses: • Accept (resignation) • Leave (like everyone else)
Four responses: • Accept (resignation) • Leave (like everyone else) • Grouse and complain
Four responses: • Accept (resignation) • Leave (like everyone else) • Grouse and complain • Drive change
John 21:1 Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Lake of Galilee. This is how it happened: 2 A group of us were there—Simon Peter, Thomas, “The Twin,” Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, my brother James and and two other disciples. 3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come too,” we all said. We did, but caught nothing all night. 4 At dawn we saw a man standing on the beach but couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called, “Any fish, boys?” “No,” we replied. 6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get plenty of them!” So we did, and couldn’t draw in the net because of the weight of the fish, there were so many! 7 Then I[c] said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”
WE WILL DO ANYTHING SHORT OF SIN TO REACH PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW CHRIST. TO REACH PEOPLE NO ONE IS REACHING, WE WILL HAVE TO DO THINGS NO ONE IS DOING.
Two-pronged approach to growth: • Transform existing • Build new faith communities
Why plant new churches? Objections: • 'We already have plenty of churches • '“The Churchgoing public is a “shrinking pie” • 'Help the churches that are struggling first. • 80% of new churches in America fail.
The Church population ratio is declining rapidly • In 1900, 27 churches / 10,000 • In 1950, 17 churches / 10,000 • In 1996, 11 churches / 10,000
Institutional church • Closing 4000 churches every year. (Over 75 churches every week) • 50% of number of churches • 2.7 million people from church each year
Why plant new churches? A. The Biblical Mandate
Mark 4:20 “Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
“Healthy people don't need a doctor – sick people do. I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough.” (Mark 2:17 – NLT)
Of the 15 percent that are growing, 14 percent are growing from transfer (people coming from other churches), rather than conversion growth.
Why plant new churches? B. New Churches are exceptionally Wesleyan
Lovett H. Weems Jr., Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit – “The Wesleyan movement became a powerful spiritual force in America by going where the people were. The movement did not exist to serve churches.... It was a passion and urgency for all to know God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ that propelled this movement of God, against all odds, to every corner of a vast nation.”
‘The Infidel a motley band in counsel met and said that churches die throughout the land the last will soon be dead. When suddenly a message came, it filled them with dismay. All hail the power of Jesus name we're building two a day. We're building two a day dear Bob, we're building two a day. All hail the power of Jesus name we're building two a day.’”
Why plant new churches? C. Best way to reach the unchurched and new generations
