The decline of the neighborhood church model

I think like ann said, in all of our personal transactions, we are more willing to go to the [usually bigger] places that are farther out than we used to be willing or able, whether it's church or building supplies or a Wal-Mart. There are more "farther out" options than there used to be too. We do it for the same reason people break laws: "because they can."

I think part of that is also because of the fact that most people do not want as much intimate-regular personal contact with the same people, they seem to be happier with less of that, and want more distance. Western independence and all that. Again, that's because it's an option now, more families have their own houses in different neighborhoods, not on the same plot of land, they never cook dinners together, never get together on a regular basis except Christmas and Easter. That's also impacted how they participate in church. Clearly, people seem to have changed over the past 50 years, in what they expect and what they seek out, and it's hard for a church or The Mom & Pop Shop to adjust to people's changing whims, or even see them coming, because I don't think most people see their own whims coming.

 

Making disciples takes care of so many things. The church is not about making programs as if it were a dress to make things look good and attractive, but rather making disciples and investing in people for eternity.

 

I read the OP with interest because I have never had that environment. Every church I have attended since my earliest memories were ones which we drove to and parked in a parking lot.

I can't think of anyone in our current church who walks.

Maybe this is more about the American obsession with their cars than it is about ecclesiological models.

Good OP for thought.

 

This I believe is a big cause. I have a church within walking distance. I don't attend it, but there is one. I don't attend because their beliefs and mine don't match well. (though they are SBC) When that church suggested on its sign one week that people shouldn't think for themselves they completely put themselves out of any consideration that I would even visit.

I also refuse to worship with my extended family. Why? Because I got tired of being judged by their perceptions of how I should live my life. Not scriptural things mind you, but things that fall under the heading of "liberty in Christ". I refuse anymore to allow my father to bait me into telling him if I went to church on Sunday. He holds a double standard and thinks *I* have no excuse for not attending a service even though he may not have attended himself! It irritates the life out of me for him to criticize me about my church attendance when I know good and well that I was sent to church all of my teen years, not taken!

Why would people willingly put themselves up for nonsensical stuff like that? And that is what happens many times in a smaller neighborhood churches (or even bigger ones like the one I attend now).

Nowdays we have a greater capacity for travel which leads us to seek out likeminded people. Often times we aren't going to find them "in the neighborhood".

 

There are a lot of factors - already mentioned is the changes in a church's particular neighborhood - often leading to a "commuter" church member base. Add to that the current trend for churches to intentionally build away from residential areas - and it is no wonder neighborhood churches are generally in decline.

But I believe there is a more nefarious cause... The Great Commission begins with evangelizing "our own Jerusalem" - that isn't our city - that is our NEIGHBORHOOD. Hard to do that in an organized way when the church members are not mostly in the same neighborhood.

Add to this the very real factor that - by not living in the neighborhood, it is less likely people will be checking in on you. A phone call - maybe. A note with a bulletin... maybe. But personal visits are a lot less likely.

The church I pastor - I would venture that less than 3 active members live within a mile of the church. Probably less than 10 live within 5 miles... Most are in the 5-8 mile range. This makes my own ministry to them much more challenging.

 

Yes, this happens in the UK, too. Sadly, some churches seem to be little more than "preaching stations", to which members drive from many miles around, and then drive home again afterwards. That means thgat few, if any, members of such a church actually live out their day-to-day lives among the residents of the area in which the church building is situated.

 

Most people work outside the home and therefor each meeting must be well prepared and done with intention . Everyone has neighbors and that is all the more reason for personal discipleship rather than relying on the preacher.

Today many people do not want personal visits because of their time constraints.

 

I'm of a mind that if we really "got it" that we would abandon the parish church mentality all together.

A parish church is one where a single church represents any given community. They are geographically oriented instead of people oriented.

God called us to go to "panta ta ethnae" (all the people groups) of the world, not to cities, nations, or other geographical places. The culture in any given church may need to be modified to reflect the people that live there -- one of the most precious lessons learned during the mission expansion period of the 19th century.

The whole concept of a parish church is a Catholic idea, and once they had a preaching post set up in any given community, the considered that community "churched." That would be funny if it were not so sad.