Outgoing SBC President: More than Half of SBC Churches Could Die by 2030
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, June 02, 2008
- Viewed 577
- (23) comments so far
Since the 1920s, the Southern Baptist Convention has grown steadily, peaking at 16.3 million last year. But Ed Stetzer, head of Southern Baptist affiliated LifeWay Research, says that growth rate has slowed in recent years.
Now, he says, the convention has started a downhill slide.
“If you look at the demographics, the trends are not positive,” Stetzer said.
Stetzer says that he shares Page’s concerns about the future. But he’s not quite ready to accept that half of Southern Baptist churches will disappear.
“It’s hard to kill off a church,” he said. “I do think the convention will be smaller in the future. My hope is that we will be smaller and stronger.”
You can read more here in the Tennessean.com...
FOR YOUR INPUT: There are many Southern Baptists reading this right now. Do you agree with Frank Page’s assessment? Is it really as simple as ‘change or die’?
"If we don't start paying attention to the realities … by the year 2030, we will be proud to have 20,000 rather than 44,000 Southern Baptist churches." That's a quote from outgoing Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page recnetly. According to a report in the Tennessean.com, Page believes the 16.2 million-member convention faces the same challenges that bedeviled other Protestant denominations — lower birthrates, aging demographics and a culture increasingly hostile to Christianity. In response, churches tend to circle the wagons and hang on for dear life.
"You've got massive numbers," he said, "maybe not a majority but massive numbers of evangelical churches out there, yes, Southern Baptists also, who are small groups of older white people holding on till they die."
Page's term as president ends this month during the convention's annual meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., June 10-11. Growing church membership and promoting a new evangelism strategy are among the convention's top priorities.
Comments
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Peter Hamm on Mon, June 02, 2008
Not just SBC… A lot of people decry all these big mega-churches, but the fact is that we are not planting new churches that really speak to the culture at large as fast as the really old ones that don’t are dying out. We have bigger churches than we did 30 years ago and FEWER people are part of one!
The church will look remarkably different in 30 years (I would have said 20) than it does today. Kinda like the revolution in retailing, where big box retailers have replaced the guy on the corner. (Please don’t take that comparison too literally.)
Camey on Mon, June 02, 2008
It’s no secret that I disagree with Ed Stetzer and the research that came out of LifeWay.
In particular: “convention has started a downhill slide” - It has been on a downhill slide for many years now. The SBC needs to get real. Now….. not tomorrow… today.. this moment.
At the end of one’s moments on this physical earth… they do not say, “I wish I had been a part of the SBC.” The SBC needs to understand that if she wants to be around in 2030 - she needs to be resurrected. She needs to stop being about all this other junk and get back to the basics…
I do not write these things in anger. I write them in hope. Because for me - my Hope is Jesus… God. The Only One with any real Power. And it is in Him that I stand. For in the end - God wins… whether it is in using the SBC or not as one of His change agents.
Peter on Mon, June 02, 2008
I agree to an extent. I have been to some of those older churches that are pretty much just hanging on. I have been to “younger” churches that feel the same way, though. The cultural relevance still needs to be there and mega-churches have been on the rise lately and tend to draw in people because they can offer some huge programs.
I also agree with Peter (above) that it’s not just the SBC. The Western church as a whole has pretty much just been content lately and it’s going to take more and more changes to our surrounding society before we really wake up and make a change. Sadly, I think that will result in fewer and fewer SBC (and other denomination) church buildings/groups existing.
Leonard on Mon, June 02, 2008
I agree with Peter, it is not just the SBC. It is nearly every denomination. There are more churches closing that starting right now in this country and new church plants are not keeping up with population growth.
James on Mon, June 02, 2008
I agree…though I tend to think they are being optimistic (a little). The church has this mentatility of circling the wagons and hoping the culture will get back to the era of when “everyone” went to church. I also don’t think the culture at large is hostile to Christianity per se, they are indifferent to established religion as they don’t see it making a difference in the lives of people that attend church regularly and, therefore, won’t make a difference in their own lives.
Eric Joppa on Mon, June 02, 2008
I think a big problem is traditionalism. Too many churches are stuck doing things the way they have always been done. They see the church as having always been countercultural, yet that is not true. The church was the culture. When we stopped being relevant to culture was when we decided not to allow modernity into the church. so we stayed away from the cutting edge. Musically, Rock music and drums were of the devil. encountering God in a way that was different than the liturgy that so many of the older faithful has been put off, so younger generations don’t relate to the church.
I think it’s safe to say that this is what happens when we make decisions as pastors to keep “faithful tithers” happy. we keep the doors open at too high a cost.
IMHO, if churches focused more on reaching the community they are in and BEING the gospel instead of hoping non-believers come into their church and have the gospel transmitted to them, there would be more people and money than they would know what to do with.
-End Rant
Joe on Mon, June 02, 2008
There’s more to it. As long as the facilities are paid off, the electric bill gets paid, and the handful of members left over can afford to pay a part-time supply preacher, they still consider it “a church.”
The SBC is starting to get in a good mindset on the church planting ideology—unfortunately we’ve not done anything to teach leaders how to “celebrate” the “death” of a church in order to turn the facilities over to other relevant leadership that might serve to reach the community better.
No anger here either; just sadness at the plight of churches and a denomination.
“You can have my church when you pry my cold, dead fingers off of it.” Scarey thought, huh?
Dr. Bob on Mon, June 02, 2008
I think what is going on with the SBC, of which I be one, and other churches is that we have tried to “package and sell” the Church, with lightshows and kids amusement park themes to attract the consumer; instead of being the church and doing kingdom work outside the walls. If the majority of our budgets were spent on ministering to the hurting in our communities by providing what they are looking for the government to do, job training, daycare; instead of multistaff CEO salaries, expensive lightshow theatrics, and well packaged literature; we would actually touch some for the kingdom withsolid scripture and changed lives. We need to be real, not entertained.
Jan on Mon, June 02, 2008
I think the problem is traditionalism too.
We are SBC and we have remarked occasionally (I’m the pastor’s wife and the worship leader) how frustrating it is to go to some of these meetings that never change and don’t address real issues.
Sat in a car with another pastor who kept bemoaning how his church wasn’t growing. When my husband started making suggestions about what he could do to get his people moving, his answer was “They just won’t come to Wednesday night visitation.”
He really doesn’t want to change. That’s the bottom line. And his heart for the lost, doesn’t go beyond his love for how he’s always done things. Harsh but I think the bottom line.
And we’ve come across more than one of him.
At our last annual state convention, (made up of two states) the baptism statistics were really shocking. We realized that 3/4 of the baptisms listed were held in our local association of 17 churches. And 1/2 of those were at our church.
So, what are the other churches doing??????
Obviously, not reaching the non believer for Christ.
I think it’s very sad and I think he’s probably right on with his statements.
I also think it’s probably a good thing if some of these churches die. Sad in a way, but we need to be in the business of doing God’s business. I think that those who survive are going to have to become assertive about following the Great Commission. And that isn’t a bad thing. And what resources we have shouldn’t be going to keep the doors of the dead church open. We should be directing those to where God is moving and we are seeing fruit.
Dave Z on Mon, June 02, 2008
Dr. Bob writes:
“ministering to the hurting in our communities by providing what they are looking for the government to do, job training, daycare;”
Good point, but is it accurate to say such priorities characterized the early church? (Well, not specifically day care or job training) Did the early church have a “social” agenda, so to speak. The NT doesn’t clearly describe one. They took care of each other, with deacons making sure the widows were not neglected and such, but I don’t think I see an organized social outreach.
Jesus talked a lot about taking care of the poor, selling stuff and giving the money, but do we see examples of that in Acts or the epistles.
Regarding CEO salaries and multiple staff and such, especially as it relates to ministering in the church or beyond the church walls, we can’t forget that we have flocks that need care. We need folks to be at the hospital with the family of a guy having a bypass operation, or a family whose young daughter just died, or the parents of a drug-addicted son. Volunteers may be able to do some of that but such volunteers may have a job. So we pay people to free them up for ministry. Those CEO salaries represent the oversight of a ministry that supports hundreds or thousands of people struggling with very real challenges. The hurting people Dr. Bob mentions exist IN our churches as well as outside the walls, and our first priority is to take care of the sheep God has already given us, without neglecting our outreach.
Bruce Gerencser on Mon, June 02, 2008
First, they need to quit throwing the 16 million stat around. It is a meaningless number and does not reflect the reality of actual Church attendance. Some studies suggest that the actual figure could be 50% less.
Many SBC Churches are stuck in yesteryear. (as are many Churches) I have little hope that they can survive. Better to pull the plug and start new works.
SBC’ers should not be offended by this. The SBC has been doing this for years. Close two, start one. Most of the growth comes through new works/young works. Often is is just easier to close the Church than it is to attempt to fix all the fussing, fighting and incestuous issues in the Church.
Denominational tags mean little any more. I learned this first hand when I went to a Quaker Church and heard the pastor promote the Iraq War from the pulpit. People care little for the tag. Fewer and fewer people even know or care about the “differences” between chocolate and vanilla ice cream.
Ron on Mon, June 02, 2008
I think one of the problems the SBC has, along with many other denominations, has at least something to do with what Dr. Bob and Dave Z mention, CEO salaries. The problem is not with the size of the salary though, the problem is that so many churches are being run like businesses. Many pastors are more like CEOs with a weekly pulpit than actual shephard/teachers.
Quick story, I grew up in the SBC and loved my church (despite a few rebellious years which we won’t go into!). As I started my freshman year in college I believed that God had possibly called me into ministry. I went to my pastor and asked what he thought I should study if I were to prepare for pastoral ministry. Without a moments hesitation he replied, “business”. Honestly, I was so turned off to church ministry by that response, I pretty well gave up the idea of pursuing pastoral ministry.
Now, my response may have been immature, but it is a huge problem that church is seen more from a business/marketing perspective than from a true pastoral perspective. People know when they’re being sold to rather than ministered to.
Camey on Mon, June 02, 2008
Ron: I am so sorry you had that type of experience with your pastor. Having read your response a few times now - I hope you do not allow the words of one man keep you from pursuing what is not his to take away.
God’s Word is Alive. It is not meant to be kept inside the walls of any building, or house, or movie theatre, and etc…. Tending to the sheep is necessary. As is the sheep learning how to feed themselves instead of staying bottle fed. Those who are yet to know God… Christ - might not ever step foot inside a place called a church. That’s why it is imperative that the church be about Her Father’s Business. And by that I do not mean as a money making machine for idols and her statues.
Jesus was found going in the temple and at the well…... Where are we found? Where are we willing to go if He asks?
Dr. Bob on Mon, June 02, 2008
Dave Z
I have heard this argument about “the flock” first for so long it almost sickens me. At so many churches we have a bunch of fat sheep who spend so much time in discipleship classes filling the coffers of the publishing machine to become so much more like the pharisees than the Savior. My example is to be Christ like and as I observe his life he spent most of his time touching the hurting, healing the sick, hanging out with the sinners in their homes rather than having yet another covered dish dinner with the “if you want it come and get it” mentality of unity and fellowship that most of the dying churches have.
At my last church we had a Block Party for the 4th of July had over 400 people there 100 of our own and 300 from our neighborhood, yet some our people complained it was a loss because so many of “our sheep” weren’t there because they no longer know how to be Salt and light in the world. They go home and are afraid to walk among the lost, and for most Pastors we have forgotten how to do that too.
““Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Dave Z on Mon, June 02, 2008
Sorry if I sickened anyone by pointing out that there are needy people in our churches as well as outside.
Or is that only at my church?
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