Clint Schnekloth, writing for the Lutheran Confessions blog, predicts the demise of “most churches” within the next seven years.
We know that religious commitment in the United States has been declining for quite a while. What is less remarked upon is the accelerated rate of decline. …
In fact, I believe that the next seven years will be even worse than preceding years. Many small churches all across the country are more precarious than ever, and will likely fold, and fold quickly. Ken Inskeep of the ELCA says that about 2/3rds of our congregations are at risk.
Schnekloth’s solution? In addition to ideas like stop competing for the same pool of people, and give up graduate studies for clergy, his suggestion is to give up on the old, and start new churches.
New churches don’t always survive, but they grow more than existing churches.
In fact, statistically pretty much no churches older than seven years grow at all, but tons of churches started in the last seven years do. So it’s disturbing how few churches most denominations are starting in comparison to how many they are closing.
Do you agree with Schnekloth’s dramatic predictions? What remedies would you suggest?