A cutting-edge church leader known for his innovative ideas on reaching a post-modern generation for Christ contends the reason why churches are declining in America is because they are self-centered.
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(Photo: AP Images / Carolyn Kaster)Kenneth Plummer, left, and Tiffany Knoll, with her daughter Shannon Knoll, 2, listen and watch during the Hanging of the Greens service at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Chambersburg, Pa., Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007.
“My primary assessment would be because American Christians tend to be incredibly self-indulgent so they see the church as a place there for them to meet their needs and to express faith in a way that is meaningful for them,” said cultural architect Erwin McManus, lead pastor at Mosaic Church in Los Angeles, to The Christian Post Monday.
“There is almost no genuine compassion or urgency about serving and reaching people who don’t know Christ,” he added.
McManus, whose church members’ average age is 25 years old, is known for breaking the “rules” of traditional church and applying spiritual creativity to engage and develop the next generation of Christian leaders.
Since becoming lead pastor of Mosaic about a decade ago, McManus’ church membership has grown from about 300 adults to more than 3,000 adults. The historically Southern Baptist church also boasts over 40 different nationalities and is “packed” with artists such as musicians, writers and filmmakers.
Among the attendees are also 80-year-old members from the generation before McManus arrived, who are said to “root on” the younger generation of church members.
While Mosaic and more modern churches are growing, many mainline Protestant churches are reporting worrisome decline in membership.
The United Methodist Church reported last year that its membership was at its lowest since 1930 with just over 8 million members.
Meanwhile, the Lutheran World Federation reported that although its global membership increased in 2006, its western membership declined. Lutheran Christians in North America in general decreased about 1.41 percent, while the LWF witnessed a 1.73 percent drop.
The second largest LWF member church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – accounting for 4.85 million members – saw about a 1.6 percent drop in the same year.
Speaking about church decline in general, McManus concluded: “I think the bottom line really is our own spiritual narcissism. There are methods and you can talk about style, structure and music, but in the end it really comes down to your heart and what you care about,” he said.
He often explains that while the Bible does not change, the methods to effectively communicate the Word of God can.
The self-described cultural architect, someone who leads by combining both creativity and organized systems, helped put together this week’s Rethink Conference at the Crystal Cathedral that will converge global leaders such as Rupert Murdoch, Larry King, former President George H.W. Bush and Christian thinkers to help pastors and ministry leaders better understand the world and thus improve their ability to communicate the Gospel.
McManus and Mosaic Church will also host the annual Awaken conference, Apr. 1-3, where prominent innovative Christian thinkers will offer different perspectives and ways to develop ministry and church.
Some of the Awaken speakers include Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church; Lee Strobel, bestselling author of The Case for Christ; Mark Batterson of National Community Church; and Hollywood producer Ralph Winter.
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Hi I'm Natan from Indonesia.
I feel sad abt this news whereas Christianity grows well in my Country altough there are so many barriers especially for license to build Church.
However I believe that only Jesus can revive.
Keep being optimistic, always pray, do your kindness and do not stop telling anyone abt Jesus.
God Bless U.
Lord Jesus please raise up more youth leaders who are dedicated living holy and who are passonate prayer warriors and Evangelists.
The Gospel of the Kingdom === >>
http://evolutionfacts.blogspot.com/#the_message_that_we_were_born_to_hear
Lord Jesus please raise up more youth leaders who are dedicated living holy and who are passonate prayer warriors and Evangelists.
The Gospel of the Kingdom === >>
http://evolutionfacts.blogspot.com/#the_message_that_we_were_born_to_hear
BobCu, since you had said you "threw it out", I was assuming you had not experienced the reality of God as so many of here have. When you say you "received the usual Christian indoctrination", what does that mean? That you were taken to church? Something else?
Surely you realize that 'telling the truth' about your experience is not 'the truth' of other people's experience - otherwise, there would be no Christians. We know that people have made decisions to follow the the Lord for the last 2,000 years, many have found Him to be good and trustworthy, and they would of course say that is the truth they have experienced.
Surely you know that Christians hear opposing viewpoints all the time - that's not anything new, and it certainly doesn't affect my faith or the faith of Christians I know. It does cause me to feel sad for people who are missing the joy and peace I experience each day.
maranatha7593: "you haven't experienced the Christian life"
I said this and maybe you missed it: "I threw out Christianity more than four decades ago."
I was a Christian and received the usual Christian indoctrination most American children are abused with.
"I hope you will cease showing such disrespect to Christians"
Since when is "telling the truth" the same as disrespecting Christians?
Should I muzzle myself so I don't hurt anyone's feelings? Are people's faith so weak they can't stand to hear an opposing viewpoint?
I just read over my comments and I can't find a thing I said that wasn't honest. Are you trying to censor me? Are you asking me to censor myself? I didn't serve in the US Army so there could be censorship in this country. I plan to say anything I want for the rest of my life, and I would defend anyone who wants to do the same thing, no matter how much I might disagree with them.
Correction (sure wish we could edit our messages):
"...that you haven't experienced the Christian life, so can't speak to that with any authority."
BobCu, I respect your right to hold your own opinion - no problem there. And I hope you will cease showing such disrespect to Christians, and will realize you don't understand where we are coming from - that you haven't experience the Christian life, so can't speak to that with any authority.
maranatha7593: "BobCu, are you a Christian?"
Please don't tell anyone but I'm an atheist. I threw out Christianity more than four decades ago. Since then, as I have learned more about science, my atheism has become stronger. I'm convinced the god of the gaps has run out of hiding places. Thanks to modern science, all gods have become obsolete. Science is the greatest threat there is to supernatural beliefs. I think Christians understand this threat. Some Christians accommodate new scientific discoveries. Some Christians fight science. For example look at the millions of evolution deniers in America. A growing number of Christians are figuring out god just gets in the way of understanding how the world really works, and they throw god and Jesus into the garbage.
BobCu, are you a Christian?
I expect the number of religious Americans to continue to decrease as science education improves. For example in Florida where I live public school science standards are being changed to stress evolution as one of the big ideas of science. The more young people learn about evolution, the more they realize religions are obsolete. The other problem for churches is they are a boring waste of time. Most young people have better things and more interesting things to do.
I absolutely agree. Without truth there is no foundation. It saddens me to know that so many sit in churches and the only truth many know is what they hear not what they learn for themselves.
Oglefam,
Well said; I agree with what you have just shared. It is true that many christians today do not study their bibles like they should. My point was; we should not sacrifice truth for the sake of unity.
I agree with what you say O4H, but Pauls statements were an attempt by him to stop the splintering that was taking place in his day which continues to this day. Mara's point of believers not studying today is correct. Far too many believers today depend on the person behind the pulpit to teach them the truth when in fact that person could be: "of Paul" or "of Apollos" or "of Cephas". Just because there are different parts of the body, does not mean the hand or foot is separated from the body, to do any good it has to be attached, which means it will function with the body. This was the point I was trying to get accross. I am no great Biblical scholar nor am I one who has to be right, I am a disciple(a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of Christ) seeking his truth as I mature in him. Some days learn, some days I teach.
Churches are not well-represented in the meida. When you turn on the TV and see divisive, nit-picking, gay-bashing, types like Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, Ted Haggard, and Pope Benedict, you don't exactly want to run out and join.
On the other hand, people who have been shown true kindness by people of faith are more likely to enter the fold and stay. The future is with is in a message of love, not condemnation.
I saw Jack Hayford on TV last night. He said that the weakest church in the world is the American church, and that the reason for that is because so few Christians in America have taken the time to read the Bible and learn the scriptures - therefore, he said the American church is in danger of falling for the spirit of Anti-Christ because of that. I have felt this for some time and was amazed to hear him say this. I truly believe that obedience to God's word in 1 Chronicles 7:14 is the only way we will see true revival, a true move of God's Spirit in our land. May God help us all to be humble and submissive to Him, fearing no one but Him.