Grow or die?

The Washington Post ran an interesting article about the difference between mainline Protestant and conservative churches: the mainline Protestant churches are declining, and the conservative churches are growing. The Post cited a 2015 Pew Research Center report to note mainline Protestant churches are losing 1 million members each year.

The conventional wisdom said "congregations would grow if they abandoned their literal interpretation of the Bible and transformed along with changing times."
  • The article's writer found the opposite: "Conservative Protestant theology, with its more literal view of the Bible, is a significant predictor of church growth while liberal theology leads to decline."
  • The clergy who lead those growing churches were also theologically conservative.
  • By conservative, the writer meant the survey respondents agreed with classical Christian doctrines like Christ's resurrection.

One reason for that difference: Liberal clergy don't make disciples and aren't interested in making disciples.

The above study took place in Canada. What about the United States? One perspective is that generational Christianity is dying in the US among white, non-Hispanics.
  • One cause may be a greater willingness by younger people to reject their parents' religion.
  • The decline has included conservative denominations as well. In particular, the Southern Baptist Convention has declined for 9 straight years.
  • A sobering prediction: "By 2051, if current trends continue, religiously unaffiliated Americans could comprise as large a percentage of the population as all Protestants combined."
  • Interestingly, the numbers of non-white Christians are growing.
  • The writer also ascribed the shift to young people buying into the idea the traditional church is too judgmental on gay/lesbian issues.

Overall, the writer implied conservative denominations should adopt what seem to be progressive social/political positions.

The question to those who consider themselves conservative Christians: what will you do about it?