The quadrennial theme of the CME Church is An Essential Church: Poised for 21st Century Ministry
Below are some stats and conclusions from the introduction of the book Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts by Thom & Sam Rainer (B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, TN).
- Big stat: 70% of church going young adults drop out of church between the ages of 18-22!
Top Ten Reasons Church Dropouts Stopped Attending Church:
1. Simply wanted a break from church.
2. Church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical.
3. Moved to college and stopped attending church.
4. Work responsibilities prevented me from attending.
5. Moved too far away from the church to continue attending.
6. Became too busy though still wanted to attend.
7. Didn’t feel connected to the people in my church.
8. Disagreed with the church’s stance on political or social issues.
9. Chose to spend more time with friends outside the church.
10. Was only going to church to please others.
General conclusions: 1) Churchgoing students drop out of the church because it is not essential to their lives.
2) Young adults are likely to stay in church if they see church as essential to their lives.
Here's a link to the introduction of the book. http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_PDF_Rainers_Essential_Church_Sample.pdf
Questions to begin discussion:
1. Do you see these top 10 in your congregations? In your life/ past, personally?
2. Do we address these reasons one at a time or in some more comprehensive strategy? Keep in mind that these are the top 10 reasons, not the only 10 reasons.
3. What does an essential CME Church look like?
*If anyone has a link to the text or audio of the 2010 Episcopal Address, please post it.
Below are some stats and conclusions from the introduction of the book Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts by Thom & Sam Rainer (B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, TN).
- Big stat: 70% of church going young adults drop out of church between the ages of 18-22!
Top Ten Reasons Church Dropouts Stopped Attending Church:
1. Simply wanted a break from church.
2. Church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical.
3. Moved to college and stopped attending church.
4. Work responsibilities prevented me from attending.
5. Moved too far away from the church to continue attending.
6. Became too busy though still wanted to attend.
7. Didn’t feel connected to the people in my church.
8. Disagreed with the church’s stance on political or social issues.
9. Chose to spend more time with friends outside the church.
10. Was only going to church to please others.
General conclusions: 1) Churchgoing students drop out of the church because it is not essential to their lives.
2) Young adults are likely to stay in church if they see church as essential to their lives.
Here's a link to the introduction of the book. http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_PDF_Rainers_Essential_Church_Sample.pdf
Questions to begin discussion:
1. Do you see these top 10 in your congregations? In your life/ past, personally?
2. Do we address these reasons one at a time or in some more comprehensive strategy? Keep in mind that these are the top 10 reasons, not the only 10 reasons.
3. What does an essential CME Church look like?
*If anyone has a link to the text or audio of the 2010 Episcopal Address, please post it.
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ReplyDeleteAn essential church is one that reaches and embraces the needs of all members on all levels. We are living in a generation where people don’t want to hear and do the same old things. We must seek Gods guidance, pray and ask God how we should be the church in order to reach all. We've got to go back to trusting God. An essential church has an eager anticipation that God is doing something fresh, new and exciting, because He is in charge. An essential church doesn;t hide in a corner or behind rituals but rather listens to God say, "Be My people in my world". Church cannot be a place where we put on a sugar-coated façade. People are hurting. We need to look at the Word of God and ask Him what the foundational values and truths are, and how will He take us into the future. God provides all the basic needs of humanity so we are not without help. As each generation gets weaker and wiser we must continually renew our vision. It must be a passionate and clear vision of what God has called us to do and of what we need to be. We can no longer afford to look in the rear view mirror at past glories. When the memories become greater than the dreams, we can never make a difference in changing our world for God. We must know where we are going and what we are going to do! The challenge before us is to aim high. God told Isaiah in Isaiah 43:18-19: "To forget what happened before and don’t think about the past. Look at the new thing, I’m going to do”."God is a God of new ideas, of innovation. God is a God who uses change. If we expect to be an essential church and have growth in the 21st Century, We can’t afford to be content with what is. We must crave what can be. An essential church allows God to lead and serving God requires true commitment. Pledging obedience to God to give Him use of your personal life and your church life is hard because it means giving away what you thought you owned. We have teach and help people to develop behaviors that help them to hear the Lord speak. What's the point if God knows the future and we don't listen to Him? We need to learn to recognize His voice in everyday life so that when the stress comes we don't mistake His voice. If we as a church can't hear what God is saying to us we have no future. The song "A Charge to keep" we have, A God to glorify says it best. To Serve this PRESENT AGE is our calling to fulfill. May it all our powers engage to do our Master's will.
ReplyDeleteI do see the 10 in the congregation that I serve. I also see young adults joining our church however not remaining because we don't actively engage them. I believe, that we need more committed leaders to assist us in actively engaging the young adults.
ReplyDeleteI further believe that we should address these reasons in a comprehensive strategy;nonetheless, ensuring that all are adequately addressed. A essential CME Church looks like a holistic CME Church. A church that focuses on the whole person(spirit, mind, body and soul). A church that is willing to take risks and do something different. A church that is not afraid to operate out of the box and change. A church that is not content with what has already been accomplished but striving to accomplish more for the kingdtom of God. A church where its members realize, visualize and actualize, moving beyond the 4 walls of the building reaching lost and hurting people letting them know that God loves them. A church that will be more interested in preforming ministries than raising money. A church that will be more interested in fellowshipping with people, seeing where people are, helping to meet the people needs, than fellowshipping with the same crowd with food. A church that will not be afraid to invest in the youth and young adult with time and resources. And finally, a church that will work (whatever work maybe) as unto the Lord.
I agree with you both my sisters. But, what's next? The book identifies 4 things Essential Churches do: 1)Simplify, 2) Deepen, 3) Expect, 4) Multiply (pgs. 20, 21).
ReplyDeleteHow will those 4 steps look in our churches as we put them into practice? or is the 1st question: How will they not look?
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ReplyDeleteBottom line: The church won’t thrive unless people are sharing their faith. How can we get members to do that?
ReplyDeletePeople influence others. As Pastors we preach and teach THE Word, but unless our members share, those outside will never know that GOD Can, God Will and God is. Building new churches is not the answer, the CME structure is clear, the people have to be committed to work unto the Lord as Rev. Carlisle stated. The atmosphere of worship needs to return to the church. There does not seem to be a reverence for the Lord, churches have become more of a social club. The bible says not to forsake the assembling to encourage one another in the Lord, If you listen, the conversations in our churches is about everything but the Lord. We are living in the time that Paul preached to Timothy about. In the latter days, we are seeing it now a falling away from the faith. Paul told Timothy to Preach the Word, maybe our sermon needs to be the same in all churches preaching "This Present Age to Service" like Noah preached about "Its going to rain". Until the people share and start caring about truly serving the Lord in Spirit and in Truth, the church will continue to have slow growth.