People staying away in droves

Growth? What Growth?

Marcus Yoars

Last week the Ministry Report highlighted a New York Times article stating that the current economic downturn was resulting in a nationwide church growth trend. But pollsters from Gallup say not so fast.

According to a massive review of almost 300,000 Gallup interviews in 2008, the bad economic times aren’t affecting church attendance in the slightest bit. Data from the fall months—including part of December—shows that 42 percent of Americans attend church weekly or almost weekly, which is exactly the same percentage as last year (and, coincidentally, 1 percent lower than early 2008).

“It is … possible that certain specific churches or even types of churches (such as the evangelical churches featured in the New York Times article) have seen an increase in attendance,” says Gallup’s Frank Newport, “but that on a percentage basis, these represent such a tiny part of the universe of all churches that this increase is not reflected in broad, national church attendance percentages. … If there has been some alteration in church attendance caused by the economic bad times, it does not appear to have been of sufficient magnitude or scope to have altered ongoing church attendance patterns in the overall U.S. population.” [gallup.com, 12/17/08]

A NOTE FROM GENE

This might be true in many churches, but in the ones I am well familiar with it's not. I was with the Pastor of a Church from Batavia during a social event Sunday Night. He has seen a significant increase in attendance. 5 people have made brand new confessions of Christ in the last month. This in a church of 130 people.

Churches that flow in the fullness of the Holy Spirit are prospering. In a time when people need something secure and real, the Holy Spirit is all there is. He is a comforter, He is the Paraclete as he comes along side, he is a guide, he is the presence of God in your life. If you don't know him well it can get pretty lonely out there.

Churches that keep busy introducing Him to their people are growing. Those who are like the Ephesians in Acts 19 churches are dying. They need what Paul brought to them:

Acts 19:1-7

Paul in Ephesus

1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.

4 Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

(New International Version)

This was about 20 years after Pentecost. So much for Cessasionist teaching. When did it cease? It didn't, still hasn't, won't!