I've heard a lot of talk recently about the steady decline of the mainline Protestant church and how the church just doesn't pack folks in like it used to. We look at statistical bar graphs of membership, worship attendance and Sunday School enrollment for the last thirty years and are saddened, perplexed and even terrified as we see the irrefutable trend: Numbers steadily going down.
So is this the end of the church? Have we shrunk so much that death is imminent? There is no question we have significantly declined. The culture around us is in the midst of major change; an emerging generation of younger folks are for the most part absent from our churches. Little wonder then that when folks from this missing demographic journey into our midst on a Sunday morning, we descend upon them in a scene right out of "The Walking Dead", grabbing them for all we're worth and trying all sorts of gimmicks to keep them coming back to church. (i.e. coupon for a free coffee at fellowship hour, a free loaf of bread for each visiting family...you get the picture).
The problem with these "free gift" gimmicks is that despite being well-intentioned, they're not real. They neither invite the stranger in our midst into an authentic relationship of trust with us or with Jesus. Instead they tell the visitor, "if you come to our church, you'll get stuff". Not exactly what Jesus was getting at when he preached, "if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24). By the way, Jesus says this on the heals of Peter trying to stop him from going on to a cross in Jerusalem to suffer and be killed.
Our culture is so saturated with advertising gimmicks promising free stuff that we've become skeptical of them. Free pizza for test driving a car? Really? Car dealers are not in business to give away free pizza. Their purpose is to sell us cars. Is this how the church is perceived too?
Maybe instead of trying to market ourselves we should just listen. Listen to God and listen to our neighbors. What does the God who came to serve and not be served want for our congregation? What does the God whose son poured himself out for the life of the world want to see us do in the city for good? What events have broken the hearts of those who live in the neighborhood around us? Who are those in our neighborhood who are broken economically or spiritually? Who in our neighborhood needs to experience the healing and wholeness that walking with Jesus brings? These are the questions for which we need to listen for answers.
Regardless of demographic, folks wandering into our pews on a Sunday morning are not looking for an opportunity to help pay the light bills. They don't really care about that beloved pastor who served for many years, or that the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Mark Hanson was with us a year ago. They don't even care where we drink our coffee and eat our donuts on Sunday morning. What they are looking for is what each of us is looking for: Jesus and the radical healing and transformation that comes from being in his presence. They may even want to be a part of something bigger than themselves yearning to make a difference in the broken world around them.
As admirable as congregational loyalty may sound, it is not what those outside our church walls are looking for. As much as we rightfully love and cherish our congregational history, that too is not what those outside our church walls are looking for. Folks who wander into our midst are looking for communities of faith who are committed to mission, not maintenance; living and loving with authenticity and generous hearts.
Maybe Jesus got it right when he said a long time ago, "Love God. Love your neighbor. Nothing else matters". Just sayin'...
Peace,
Pastor Doug
