Just to be fair... does this represent “losing wheat” or “losing chaff”? It makes a difference.
From the article :
Some denominations have stopped publicly reporting membership numbers altogether rather than admit their churches are shrinking, but the Southern Baptists survey their churches each year and release the results.
“That’s because we believe the admission of a problem is the first thing needed to correct it,” Page said.
He expects the numbers to bring calls for a new emphasis on evangelism and discipleship at the denomination’s annual meeting next week in St. Louis.
“We live in an anti-institutional, anti-church age, where people are opting out of organized religious activities,” Page said. He thinks new types of churches will arise to meet that trend.
Ed Stetzer, the executive director of the Southern Baptist’s Lifeway Research, said some Southern Baptists have wanted to view the downward trend as a hiccup, but that is becoming harder to do.
“I think numbers like this should inspire some soul-searching,” he said.
$ Money Quote $ ~ ‘He thinks new types of churches will arise to meet that trend.’
‘New types’ of Churches? Whaaa?? He also is admitting that he wants to follow whatever is trending in (incidentally - very profitable) pseudo-churches, and is willing to abandon his alleged principles to boost ‘Attendance’?
IDK...
Wheat. People in the South are moving to smaller churches that actually talk about the Word as opposed to being big money making PC machines. JMHO.