Our pastor had to fly to his home state for his grandmothers funereal so I visited another church because mine didn't have services. Some churches are full on Sunday mornings but not well attended on Wednesday nights. And most churches seem to be over populated with old people. Now I like old people as I am one but when we die out who will be attending our churches?
Part of the problem is that churches have changed their services and programs to cater to the wants of the younger generations but it seems to have failed. When I was young I grew up in a rural area. The nearest town had a population of around 12,000 but the church I attended had an average attendance of over 1,000 on Sunday mornings. The population of America has doubled and the population of the nearest town has tripled but the average attendance on Sunday morning at that very church is now around 350. By population growth the attendance should be between 2 and 3 thousand.
The decline began when evolution and the women's movement began. It seems the churches that continue to teach the fundamentals of the faith as has always been taught are aging out and the churches that that attracting young people and growing are preaching a more social gospel and appeal to the more basic wants of people. Instead of music that uplifts the name of God and praises him, more churches are playing music that entertains. Churches are hiding their denominations by changing their names, and teach about God's love, grace and helpfulness and leave out the service, the sacrifice and the blood.
Christ is still relevant today. I still believe there is a way to get the message out so it will be received but in the mean time we Christians cannot give up.
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