Disruptive church trends of 2018

[NewCreation435]

"And as I’ve said before, too many church leaders are perfectly equipped to reach a world that no longer exists.
In the hopes of helping every leader better accomplish our collective mission, here are 7 disruptive church trends I see defining conversation and action in 2018."

rest of the article here
https://careynieuwhof.com/7-disruptive-church-trends-that-will-rule-2018/

Do you agree with this or not? I've seen some of these trends this year. It isn't all bad news. Unfortunately the church struggles with keeping up and changing.

 

[hedrick]

Yes, I agree. There are lots of studies and position papers about how to bring younger generations into church. I think most of them are irrelevant. My diagnosis is that our young adults still mostly believe in God. But they don't see church services as having enough value to get them up early on Sunday morning. Most of our churches still tie their existence to those Sunday morning church services. There has to be another way.

 

[Albion]

I guess that there are such trends affecting a certain segment of Christianity. It looks like those people are both encouraged and alarmed by it simultaneously.

 

[psalms 91]

Yes, I agree. There are lots of studies and position papers about how to bring younger generations into church. I think most of them are irrelevant. My diagnosis is that our young adults still mostly believe in God. But they don't see church services as having enough value to get them up early on Sunday morning. Most of our churches still tie their existence to those Sunday morning church services. There has to be another way.

There is, reach out in the community and let them see Jesus in action by helping people and geuninely reaching without judging just as Christ did. This is why most churchs are in decline. You have to get out from inside your walls or else you will die

 

[Albion]

Is this matter of a decline in attendance and membership statistics not a problem being experienced by Western Christianity in general?

It is not just something attributable to the church failing to go where the people are, or that the computer will serve them just as well, or any of that. It is much more than this.

 

[NewCreation435]

The one thing about this article that bothers me a little is that the church is seen as just another service being provided. It is of course more than that. You can't really get to know other believers sitting at home watching a service online and you can't really serve other people from a distance. Though there is nothing wrong with having services on demand so that you can watch them at any time. I watch a lot of sermons online, especially if the weather is bad

 

[MennoSota]

When the early church met, it was for theological growth of the believer. If a nonbeliever attended they should be convicted of their rebellion as they heard truth expressed.
The evangelism took place in individual relationship, not as a "service" for seekers.
The distinction missing in the article is their is no consideration of the purpose for gathering. The author seems to imagine that meeting at a church is evangelistic rather than edification.
Second, any mention of a heretical group like Bethel music takes away the legitimacy of the author for me.

 

[Albion]

When the early church met, it was for theological growth of the believer.

...among other things which the NT refers to.

 

[tango]

"And as I’ve said before, too many church leaders are perfectly equipped to reach a world that no longer exists.
In the hopes of helping every leader better accomplish our collective mission, here are 7 disruptive church trends I see defining conversation and action in 2018."

rest of the article here
https://careynieuwhof.com/7-disruptive-church-trends-that-will-rule-2018/

Do you agree with this or not? I've seen some of these trends this year. It isn't all bad news. Unfortunately the church struggles with keeping up and changing.

Honestly, it seems like an awful lot of trying to fit church into a digital age of people picking and choosing what suits them, as opposed to doing something that's not all about them.

It's hard to see how deep fellowship happens if your "home church" is in a town you've never even been to. If the whole point is corporate worship it's hard to see how to do it if you count attendees who aren't actually attending. Maybe the younger generations really do want a sermon they can download and listen to in their own time, so they don't have to actually commit to anything. Frankly I think that's the problem, rather than the fact church doesn't explicitly cater to it.

 

[tango]

The one thing about this article that bothers me a little is that the church is seen as just another service being provided. It is of course more than that. You can't really get to know other believers sitting at home watching a service online and you can't really serve other people from a distance. Though there is nothing wrong with having services on demand so that you can watch them at any time. I watch a lot of sermons online, especially if the weather is bad

Our church offers the weekly service on CD for members who are unable to attend. In most cases that means older folks who are unable to leave their homes. There's a huge difference between people who would dearly love to attend but are physically not able to do so, and people who simply decide they can't be bothered to attend on a Sunday morning because they'd rather do something else.

 

[Lamb]

Is this matter of a decline in attendance and membership statistics not a problem being experienced by Western Christianity in general?

It is not just something attributable to the church failing to go where the people are, or that the computer will serve them just as well, or any of that. It is much more than this.

It's laziness and a lack of priorities. The world is telling people it's okay to miss church...because Jesus loves you anyway. The world is telling people it's okay to not have the Lord's Supper as often as you can because...well, we've had that discussion here. Too many Christians are being swallowed up by the world's lies and it's damaging so much that the once Christian nation of the US is now one of the biggest mission fields of unbelievers

 

[tango]

It's laziness and a lack of priorities. The world is telling people it's okay to miss church...because Jesus loves you anyway. The world is telling people it's okay to not have the Lord's Supper as often as you can because...well, we've had that discussion here. Too many Christians are being swallowed up by the world's lies and it's damaging so much that the once Christian nation of the US is now one of the biggest mission fields of unbelievers

In a culture increasingly based around individuality above all else it's hardly surprising. Sometimes it seems like it's almost frowned upon to be like anything else... people want to be a part of something bigger than themselves but at the same time so many people don't seem to want to actually do anything to make it happen if it involves anything more than virtue signalling on faceache.

 

[Albion]

It's laziness and a lack of priorities. The world is telling people it's okay to miss church...because Jesus loves you anyway. The world is telling people it's okay to not have the Lord's Supper as often as you can because...well, we've had that discussion here. Too many Christians are being swallowed up by the world's lies and it's damaging so much that the once Christian nation of the US is now one of the biggest mission fields of unbelievers

That's probably part of it, but everywhere we see physical gatherings--of any organization--giving way to electronic correspondence, texting, skype, and so on. The Grange has the same problem of declining attendance as the local church does; and the Boy Scouts, Elks lodges, and local political committees are finding it hard to get members who will show up at meetings.

 

[Lamb]

That's probably part of it, but everywhere we see physical gatherings--of any organization--giving way to electronic correspondence, texting, skype, and so on. The Grange has the same problem of declining attendance as the local church does; and the Boy Scouts, Elks lodges, and local political committees are finding it hard to get members who will show up at meetings.

My Girl Scout troop began dwindling when the girls reached the age of 12 and started venturing out into more and more activities so they didn't come to as many of the meetings. I think sometimes that happens too when parents take their children to a practice or game instead of to church...priorities!

 

[NewCreation435]

My Girl Scout troop began dwindling when the girls reached the age of 12 and started venturing out into more and more activities so they didn't come to as many of the meetings. I think sometimes that happens too when parents take their children to a practice or game instead of to church...priorities!

Some kids are involved in too many activities. I use to see that all the time when I would volunteer to work with kids in the church. Sports all year around, scouts or other groups, camping trips, family trips, friends birthday parties. It makes me dizzy just thinking about it. When is there time to really stop and reflect on why your doing what your doing? Maybe that is why I don't even turn on the radio when I drive anymore. I like the peace and quiet.

 

[tango]

That's probably part of it, but everywhere we see physical gatherings--of any organization--giving way to electronic correspondence, texting, skype, and so on. The Grange has the same problem of declining attendance as the local church does; and the Boy Scouts, Elks lodges, and local political committees are finding it hard to get members who will show up at meetings.

It's an issue of commitment. People don't want to commit to something every week, people don't want to be tied down. As you say physical gatherings are giving way to doing things online, perhaps because that way you don't have to deal with the awkward ones, the ones who show up to committee meetings more to hear themselves talk than to do anything useful, the ones who never miss a chance to grab the mic at prayer time to waffle on at excruciating length about their ingrowing toenail that still needs prayer, the ones who show up at a group and insist everything has to revolve around them because they are a member of some protected group or other and anything less than unwavering acceptance of them is therefore bigotry, and so on.

When Jesus said "go into the world" I don't think he meant "send a few emails". It's hard to love people unless you're willing to get your hands dirty.

 

[tango]

Some kids are involved in too many activities. I use to see that all the time when I would volunteer to work with kids in the church. Sports all year around, scouts or other groups, camping trips, family trips, friends birthday parties. It makes me dizzy just thinking about it. When is there time to really stop and reflect on why your doing what your doing? Maybe that is why I don't even turn on the radio when I drive anymore. I like the peace and quiet.

I'm often amazed at parents who seem to exist to be a private taxi service for their little darlings, ferrying them from one activity to another to another, without a moment that isn't micromanaged in case little Jimmy might get bored and have to think for himself.

I hate having the radio on all the time. I think if I ever worked in retail I'd last a week at most before the relentless muzak drove me to despair. I really can't imagine trying to function in that kind of environment - it's not unknown for me to give up on a store because I'd just had enough of the canned music. One time I called a store from their parking lot and told them they just lost a $300 sale because I got sick of listening to their music and was about to order from Amazon where I didn't have to listen to it.

 

[NewCreation435]

I'm often amazed at parents who seem to exist to be a private taxi service for their little darlings, ferrying them from one activity to another to another, without a moment that isn't micromanaged in case little Jimmy might get bored and have to think for himself.

I hate having the radio on all the time. I think if I ever worked in retail I'd last a week at most before the relentless muzak drove me to despair. I really can't imagine trying to function in that kind of environment - it's not unknown for me to give up on a store because I'd just had enough of the canned music. One time I called a store from their parking lot and told them they just lost a $300 sale because I got sick of listening to their music and was about to order from Amazon where I didn't have to listen to it.

The gym where I go has the worst music ever. I always take my phone and headphones so I can listen to my own

 

[tango]

The gym where I go has the worst music ever. I always take my phone and headphones so I can listen to my own

I used to go to a gym where they played canned pop music loudly enough that even listening to Iron Maiden through my headphones it was swamped. I made one request to vary the music a little and got the reply "We have a strict policy of only playing MTV", so I suggested they might revise their policy to play what customers wanted to hear, given how many other people complained about the music.

 

[MoreCoffee]

My parish church doubled in size over a 10 year period by not changing - by having mass every day at the scheduled times by reading holy scripture by saying the liturgy of the Eucharist by having communion. No fancy pop songs and pop groups no special youth oriented programs. Just reverent worship and sound teaching and stability.