If you preach for a small church, you may have had those nights like I have had; where you lay in bed wondering what the future is going to bring for the congregation that you serve. In your mind, you rewind the statistics of the last few weeks/months/years, remember the average age of the individuals in the congregation; and then wonder, is there even going to be a congregation in your community in the future. That is a very unsettling thought for anyone to contemplate, especially the preacher for that congregation. But I have been there, had those thoughts, and despaired for the future of our congregation.
But after a couple of years of filling myself with the material of Karl Vaters (blogs and books), and other like minded individuals, I am convinced that there is nothing to worry about concerning the future of small churches. This material has been gleaned from several sources, and been placed in some sort of order (and may not be a good one); and I’m really not sure that I can tell you exactly where any of it came from. Regardless, I’m not worried about the future of the small church! That may sound strange, in light of the September (2018) issue article of The Christian Chronicle. The lead story is about the Kress, Texas congregation, that in the late 1980’s averaged 180 in their Sunday morning service. Now, the Sunday morning attendance is around 7. That’s not a typo – their average is in the single digits. The question that comprised the bulk of the “Chronicle” article is, “Can the congregations of the churches of Christ be saved.” Lot’s of small churches seem to be fighting a losing battle, especially those in small towns that are fighting this same battle.
But as strange as it may sound, I am not too worried about the future of God’s people. I know that they seems to run contrary to the “numbers” that we see, and the evidence that seems to be in front of us. But I am convinced that the small church can chose to be vibrant and healthy in the coming days. It may never be large, and it may have to adapt to the circumstances that surround it – but it can survive!
We hear a lot of talk about a “post-Christian society and culture,” being the root of the demise of churches (and Christianity) in general. I think we see the trend where people don’t identify with the Christian faith at all, and often express their religious preference as “none.” I don’t believe that is as prevalent in the Bible Belt south (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia – and may be a couple of others), but there are indications that it is moving that way. But with the direction the country is heading; it is not a question of “if”, but “when” we will be able to recognize it in those states.
So why am I not worried about the future of churches, particularly small churches? Let me give you a couple of reasons:
#1. I STILL BELIEVE IN GOD, A GOD WHO IS THERE, AND INTERACTS IN THE LIVES OF HIS PEOPLE:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1, ESV)
…but there is a God in heaven … (Daniel 2:28, ESV)
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)
#2. I STILL BELIEVE THESE TWO PASSAGES:
…”Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this toYou, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:17-18, ESV)
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:10, ESV)
Our God, the creator, is still in His heaven, and waiting to reward those who seek Him. That’s why I don’t worry about the future of small churches, not because of who they are, but because of who He is. Satan is going to throw everything that he has at God’s people, but Jesus is still on the side of His people – and they will prevail. That church, built on the solid foundation of Jesus, will be evidence of the great God, who He is, and what He does!
The question is not will God still have a people, a church; the question is will we be a part of it? That kind of question usually scares people, because they are not sure what you are saying. I am convinced that the way that churches “do church” in the future (those that survive and new ones), will not be the way that we do church now. I know that there are some who will read that statement, and it will scare them to death. But give me just a minute to explain. Most of what we have been doing the in the church has been this way for the last 200 years. People would attend an assembly, meet other individuals, develop relationships, and sustain all of that inside the structure of a local church. But that’s not the way that people live and operate any more. Oh, there may be the exception, and we will be there for those exceptions; but, by and large, that is not what people are looking for any more.
Let me see if I can illustrate what I am saying from the business world. I don’t know how many of you have looked for a job in the last few years, but it is nothing like it used to be. 45+ years ago, when I started in the job market, you would walk into a business, fill out an application, try to make a good impression (where you would get a first interview right then), and do your very best to sell yourself. Twelve years ago was the last time I hunted for a job in the public sector, and everything has changed. Businesses don’t want you to walk in. They don’t want to see you, until you have filled out an application and sent a resume, electronically. They will decide from that, if you are somebody they want to interview. Another illustration would be the banking industry. They are moving toward the point that you will never have to enter a bank to do business. You will be able to make a deposit on line, apply and secure loans on line, and get all your questions answered online. Of course, Amazon, has helped created a society where many people do all their shopping online. It seems to me, that we are moving away from a brick and mortar society, to an online community.
So, let me give just one illustration how business are responding to this online community. Since I live in Northwest Arkansas, there is one illustration that is taking place right in front of me. In the last 50 years, there has been no business that has been more successful than Walmart. They have grown to the be the largest retailer in the world, and I don’t know what all the other titles are that you can bestow on them. Being in their position, they could have had the attitude “We are who we are, and we do what we do, and we don’t need to change” — like other big companies in the past have done. But that’s not what they have done. They have modified some of their basic core beliefs, and adapted to what the culture demands. I never thought I would see the day when they would have a marketing program, that made it possible for (and even encouraged) people not to come to their buildings – but they have. You can order your groceries online, drive up to the side of the building; they will have them pulled out, checked out, totaled, bagged, paid for on your debit card, load them into your car, AND YOU NEVER HAVE TO GO IN THE BUILDING, OR EVEN GET OUT OF YOUR CAR! NO shopping for new products, NO seeing the newest displays to lure your dollars, NO IMPULSE BUYING! Their stores have always been arranged, displayed, and stocked to create the impulse for you to buy. I cannot believe that they are moving away from that.
On a personal level, people are changing and adapting. In my own life, I fought having to carry a cell phone. Then I tried every way in the world to not have to text, and I sure didn’t want a smart phone. But now I do all of that, and try to maintain an online presence relating to what I do as a minister.
So, if individuals and businesses, are adapting and changing to this new society; what makes us think that churches won’t. or don’t need to? Years ago, Franklin Camp wrote two books of sermons entitled Old Truths in New Robes (volumes I and II), and I know he was not talking about what I am talking about, but the principle is still true. Churches are going to have to change and adapt to survive. I am convinced that if we don’t, we may not survive. God will have a people, but it may not be our churches (as we know them now).
The next post on this blog will be “The Future of the Small Church #2”, and it will be concerning “what will the church of the future look like”.
Hoot's Musings 