Comments on: Churches of Christ in Decline? Reflections http://oneinjesus.info/2008/04/churches-of-christ-in-decline-reflections/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:41:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joe Baggett http://oneinjesus.info/2008/04/churches-of-christ-in-decline-reflections/#comment-2524 Joe Baggett Thu, 01 May 2008 07:11:15 +0000 http://jayguin.wordpress.com/?p=1105#comment-2524 May I suggest something? When we helped with a plant, we realized that the main problem was not the method or format; it was our theology, attitude, and spirit. We were a group of five families that had been through all the baggage that the cofC has to offer church splits, preacher firings, disfellowshipping, family problems, judgementalism, authoritarian elderships, and arrogance and so on. Truth number one we are products of our teaching. We simply prayed and fasted for 40 days. God showed us that we must make spiritual and attitudinal changes before tying to reach others. The majority of the lost and un-churched people in the USA today are white people over forty who used to go to church somewhere. If you don’t believe me then go to the store or your work or wherever and ask people. The response you will get is I am a non practicing ………..fill in the blank (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran church of Christ). So a reality of organized religion in America is this it has failed! These people are not about to set one foot in a building that looks anything like the failed organized religion that have already left. Failed? Failed to produce spiritual fruit in the lives of those who grew up with it. This is evident when we look close enough. In fact studies show that those who go to church once every month to once a week are some of the most racist people in the country. The problem is our teaching, thinking, theology, and attitude that is why our mission suffers. So for the existing church and potential church plant, problem solving will be the key. Getting and knowing how to use good information is especially important here. If the root problems are not addressed then the band aids we are currently employing will eventually loose their effectiveness. May I suggest something? When we helped with a plant, we realized that the main problem was not the method or format; it was our theology, attitude, and spirit. We were a group of five families that had been through all the baggage that the cofC has to offer church splits, preacher firings, disfellowshipping, family problems, judgementalism, authoritarian elderships, and arrogance and so on. Truth number one we are products of our teaching.
We simply prayed and fasted for 40 days. God showed us that we must make spiritual and attitudinal changes before tying to reach others. The majority of the lost and un-churched people in the USA today are white people over forty who used to go to church somewhere. If you don’t believe me then go to the store or your work or wherever and ask people. The response you will get is I am a non practicing ………..fill in the blank (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran church of Christ). So a reality of organized religion in America is this it has failed! These people are not about to set one foot in a building that looks anything like the failed organized religion that have already left. Failed? Failed to produce spiritual fruit in the lives of those who grew up with it. This is evident when we look close enough. In fact studies show that those who go to church once every month to once a week are some of the most racist people in the country. The problem is our teaching, thinking, theology, and attitude that is why our mission suffers.

So for the existing church and potential church plant, problem solving will be the key. Getting and knowing how to use good information is especially important here. If the root problems are not addressed then the band aids we are currently employing will eventually loose their effectiveness.

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