Lance's first eNews turned out to be a commentary and response to the Supreme Court's then recent decision to legalize same sex marriage.
This second article serves as Lance's introduction of himself as, as the CGGC Constitution defines his role, our CEO.
In the article, Lance cites statistics that demonstrate unquestionably that, at the time he became the CGGC E.D., our American body was in the midst of decay and decline.
As Lance suggested then, "we need to come to grips with our present reality."
In my opinion, Lance's description of the state of the CGGC five years ago is insightful and honest and bold.
Lance concludes by asking some progressive church-focused questions. How different are our answers today than they were five years ago?
(Please excuse my ineptitude in copying and pasting. For some reason, some of the print appears in a sort of a chartreuse color and I can't get rid of it.)
I went to the doctor earlier this week for a routine check-up. These experiences are always humbling for a variety of reasons. I live in a pretty consistent mental state with the sincere belief that I’m generally in good health: I have been known to exercise, I can identify others who need to lose more weight than I do, and I have occasionally enjoyed a salad or some other healthy option for a meal. While sincere in my belief that I am one small step away from becoming a certified health nut, the numbers at the doctor’s office typically tell another story (don’t worry – it doesn’t look like I’m on death’s doorstep, but I do have some work to do). Every four to six months I get a humbling dose of reality – I’m not nearly as healthy as I’d like to believe (and back to the elliptical machine I must go).
A vital part of moving forward with any sense of vision for the future is simply coming to grips with our present reality. I’m not inclined to make many changes if I think that things are really just fine. Let’s be honest: if our local congregation is making budget and attendance is holding its own, we can be lulled into the feeling that things are generally okay. At times we may be inclined to ignore the numbers and the trends that they reveal because it’s easier to live in a false sense of security or success.
So, what’s our present reality in the CGGC?
We’re in a culture where most of the trends are moving the wrong direction. Loyalty for loyalty’s sake is down, the value of denominational ties are down, and faithful/committed church attendance now means twice a month. Add to this the rise of the “nones” (the non-affiliated) and the fact that Millennials make up the largest segment of the “nones,” it’s a much tougher landscape than we’re accustomed to.
Some of the numbers specific to the CGGC are pretty troubling as well.
In the U.S. we’re in decline:
Over a 10-year period (2004-2013) 65% of our churches were in decline/stagnation in worship attendance. If you look at the most recent 4-year period (2010-2013), 80% of our churches were in decline/stagnation in worship attendance.
Nearly one-third of our churches haven’t reported a conversion in the three most recent years (2013, 2012, and 2011).
We’re in a culture where most of the trends are moving the wrong direction. Loyalty for loyalty’s sake is down, the value of denominational ties are down, and faithful/committed church attendance now means twice a month. Add to this the rise of the “nones” (the non-affiliated) and the fact that Millennials make up the largest segment of the “nones,” it’s a much tougher landscape than we’re accustomed to.
Some of the numbers specific to the CGGC are pretty troubling as well.
In the U.S. we’re in decline:
Over a 10-year period (2004-2013) 65% of our churches were in decline/stagnation in worship attendance. If you look at the most recent 4-year period (2010-2013), 80% of our churches were in decline/stagnation in worship attendance.
Nearly one-third of our churches haven’t reported a conversion in the three most recent years (2013, 2012, and 2011).
We need to come to grips with our present reality – things are not as good as we might like to believe. It’s going to be very difficult to grasp a vision of where God is leading unless we can first acknowledge the truth about ourselves.
Here are some questions that might help you get a better sense of the current reality in your local congregation:
How much of our time, energy and resources are leveraged toward gathering as opposed to sending/blessing?
How much of our growth has come from the unchurched or de-churched as opposed to just a shuffling of the sheep?
Who are the names of those outside our fellowship that we are loving, serving and blessing in order to bear witness to the reality of Jesus and his kingdom?
Who has been discipled here in the last year and who are those individuals discipling as a result?
How much of our growth has come from the unchurched or de-churched as opposed to just a shuffling of the sheep?
Who are the names of those outside our fellowship that we are loving, serving and blessing in order to bear witness to the reality of Jesus and his kingdom?
Who has been discipled here in the last year and who are those individuals discipling as a result?
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