The Rise and Decline of the Church

I have been reading from Steve Addison's Blog about some of the decline of the mainline churches in the old wild west. There are some great observations and insights that apply to our church growth methods and spontaneous expansion of the Gospel.

It challenges the style and methods we use in growing and empowering our new believers with the Gospel. Here are some comments made in How the West Was Won.

"Clericalism was both a contributing factor to and the result of this creeping secularism in the mainline churches. Despite theological and organizational differences between the Baptists and Methodists their clergy were almost identical. They came predominately from among ordinary folk. In contrast to the clergy of the mainline churches who were of genteel origins and highly educated. Their frontier preachers had little education, were poorly paid, spoke the language of the people and preached from the heart. The local preacher was likely to be a neighbor, friend, or relative of many of the people he served. Higher education lifted the mainline clergy further out of the social status of their congregation and turned them into religious professionals more educated than 98% of the population. They were more ‘respectable, but less likely to gather the unchurched."

"Methodist growth was most dramatic. From 2.5% of the church going population in 1776 to 34.2% in 1850. But their rise was short-lived. By the end of the century the Baptists had overtaken them. Their relative slump began at the same time that their amateur clergy were replaced by seminary educated professionals who claimedEpiscopall authority over their congregations."

Steve also notes some observations on how it grew so fast:

1. The "Fringe Principle" again.
2. Without Faith it's Impossible.
3. Apostolic Leadership.
4. Rapid Deployment.
5. Growing Leaders.
6. Mission Structures.
7. Eventual but not inevitable decline.

You've got to read the short version at How the (wild) west was won.

Categories: Movements