What's happening to Church? “ I’m certain that God is in the future, but wonder if the church has a future.” --Leonard Sweet "The future of the Church is Shalom for All-- the people of God, seeking the shalom of the community to where they have been sent into exile (Jeremiah 29:7)." --Michael J. Christensen Three Questions: What do we mean by ‘church’? What is the future of the Church in North America in light of declining church attendance, increasing secularism, growth of the NONES (no religious affiliation), rise of the DONES (I’m done with church), and closing of churches? How can we “do church” differently to help us love God and our neighbor (and even our enemy) as we love ourselves? Disequilibrium Decline in Attendance [i] What researchers forecast for decades now is undeniably true: traditional church attendance continues to decline (Gallup, Pew, Barna) Although more than 40 percent of people “say” they go to church every w...
Project Updates and Reflections by Michael J. Christensen, Director