Israelites, Pharisees & Sadducees In The 21st Century Church

The 21st Century Church
Those of us who try to carefully and honestly study these things know for a fact that
such churches lose as many people each year as they appear to gain. In some
instances, in fact, they are actually losing more members than they are gaining.
Nevertheless, they give the appearance to the uninformed that they must be reaching
the multitudes.
They are not, however.
The real truth is, they are treading water, so to speak. Their actual numbers are
declining. Revenues are diminishing. Layoffs are occurring within their staffs. Anyone on
the inside knows this.
What keeps people coming, however, is the good music; the fact that their preachers
are superior motivational speakers; and, mostly, the activities for children and youth
against which small, struggling congregations could never compete.
There may be a few other reasons that create the illusion of growth. But this one thing is
clear: for the most part, the growth these churches seem to be experiencing has nothing
to do with widespread agreement among attendees with what is either preached or
believed by their leaders. Other reasons draw them and, among the most prevalent I’ve
identified already. The only other reason is because they have grown disillusioned by
their former church and/or rigamortis has set in and they have lost interest in sticking
around for the church’s funeral procession.
Strangely, however, church leaders seem to miss this salient reality.
We have just such a mega 21st century church in our city that fits perfectly this
description.
Were it not for the multiple sites the church keeps starting here and there, the fact is,
their annual report would show nothing but declines in both membership and
attendance. By starting all these churches and combining their growing numbers with
their own declining numbers, they successfully maintain the illusion of growth.
The real truth is, however, the mother church is suffering. People are leaving. Revenues
are diminishing. Layoffs are occurring. Insiders...that is, the few in the know...are
growing more and more disenchanted with what is all too apparent to those leaving -
hypocrisy at the core of the beliefs.
Are they still big? Yes, of course. Do they still have “dynamic” worship services? How
could they not? Their musical staff is made up of professional musicians, “the cream of
the crop,” as we say in rural Kentucky.
Page 23 of 176