They usually so up on Easter morning.
Isn’t about separating the wheat from the chaff?
Just to be fair... does this represent “losing wheat” or “losing chaff”? It makes a difference.
The Truth is hot as an ember and not being preached from the pulpit lately.
I went to church a while ago and it was watered down tea.
It wasn't the truth.
The truth [THE TRUTH] will knock you on your fanny.
What I heard wasn't the truth but some watered-down baloney.
The SBC has gone completely berserk with its own version of “social justice” ideology, consisting in large part of obsessing over race.
I can see why people are shunning such a nakedly-political approach to what is supposed to be religion.
Ping
Watch the “marketing” campaigns get ramped up in response.
The exact OPPOSITE of what should happen. The “seeker-sensitive” trend is one reason for the decline in the first place.
Wasnt it about 8 years ago that Baptist Child & Family Services started being paid huge sums (along with Catholic Charities) by Obie’s gubmint to cheerfully assist in the illegal immigration and brownification of America scheme? I’m thinking maybe God doesnt approve of liars and deceivers too much and this is his way of defunding them to balance the scales of justice. No congregation, no money (except maybe for big brother gubmint)...
Sad. I used to think the S. Baptists were the only denomination of the “mainlines” that was still solid. But now even they are getting hit.
I think the days of the denominational church are ending. More and more, folks are just going to form non-denominational churches or are going to do house churches.
They’re panicking because $$$.
***Mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic churches started to experience significant declines in the 1960s and 1970s, ***
The SCOTUS and our liberal religious leaders have given us Golden Calves to worship with a new cry. “These be the gods that brought you forth out of Britain, out of the house of bondage!”
And forcibly mixed us with the followers of Ba’al Peor!
..the SBC tried to be the “big tent” like the RNC—too much compromise. I find myself continuously having to redirect the Lifeway Bible study material back to sound interpretation of Scripture. Hope to abandon Lifeway completely soon...
My Christ-centered SBC church is growing....people are drawn in when the truth is presented unleavened by BS.
The 200,000 loss could be primarily from deaths of older members.
It’s called the Russell Moore effect.
Allow some closet liberal, OWG, racist stooge like him contaminate the SBC and watch the pews become empty.
In our town of 7,000 people there are four SBC churches. We never hear from them. We don’t see them witnessing, or evangelizing door-to-door. These activities used to be quite common.
“But Executive Committee President and CEO Frank Page refused to put a positive spin on the declines, exclaiming in a news release, “God help us all! In a world that is desperate for the message of Christ, we continue to be less diligent in sharing the Good News.” “
NO!
And as a long time Southern Baptist, this is part of the problem - WE do not convert anyone! We are responsible for reaching out. But: “8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” - John 3
I think the Holy Spirit is drawing back his hand as America rejects God. And as a result, any bible-honoring church WILL see declines in membership. I’m an Arminiam theologically, without a Calvinist bone in my body, but no human is responsible for converting others!
“46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles....” - Acts 13
If the Apostle Paul couldn’t get people to convert, then I cannot either. Nor should I try! Jesus Himself didn’t worry about numbers, so why should I?
It goes without saying that I wish every person would be saved and know the One, True God. But at the same time, I would rather have a smaller, stronger church than one that denies Biblical truth in favor of popular culture.
“Mark Chaves, a professor of sociology at Duke University.” Brilliant author.
Baptists are heroic, since they started preaching against slavery in 1830’s and helped Lincoln get elected. Since then Baptists have been riding on the glorious fumes of the past. Nowadays, it is time to face the facts. The doctrine of John Smyth (1570-1612) has one fatal flaw; his doctrine is not His doctrine. After all, Smyth’s doctrine is only 407 years old.
Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction.
2 Corinthians 2:1-3
Think it is mostly deaths of old Baptists. There are a lot of them.