Andy Butcher has an interesting article in Charisma Magazine Online called When Christians Quit Church. The article includes an interview with Todd Hunter, and focuses on a myriad of reasons why Christians are continuing to leave the institutional church. Most of the answers offered are nothing exceptionally new or fresh, but the statistics are interesting, and the article approaches the question, "How will the church look in the future?" Below are some quotes from the article. Read the full article HERE.
David Barrett, author of the World Christian Encyclopedia, estimates there are about 112 million "churchless Christians" worldwide. He projects that number will double by 2025--though it includes both nominal believers and those part of underground churches in nations where they face persecution for their faith.
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A Charisma investigation has also dispelled some other myths about Christians who are part of this trend. They are not necessarily postmodern 20-somethings rejecting anything of their parents' generation, nor are they grudge-bearing grumpies carrying an offense from a previous church life.
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From his studies of the phenomenon, Strom sees not just a bunch of belligerent, AWOL worshipers but "a grass-roots hunger for change in the church, for reality ... more than the latest church-growth stuff or conference.
very interesting article. i've heard some dismiss the "emergent" wave as a manifestation of rampant consumerism sweeping the church. but i think that view misunderstands how disconnected from real, every day life some fellowships become.
i left the fellowship i was attending to go the one i currently attend not because of doctrinal or personality issues. i just felt like i didn't fit in. our family is not a Dr. Dobson family by any stretch of the imagination. this tattooed, pierced hardcore/death metal loving guy just felt out of place. so now i'm at a fellowship where i could be the dad or grandad of most of the people who attend. which is fine by me. my wife says i'm either having a mid-life crisis or going through the adolescence i never had. either one could be true. it's just nice to be in a faith community which is serious about following Jesus Christ and being real about it.
Posted by: john rushing | May 06, 2005 at 03:12 PM