Why is the Christian Reformed Church in Decline?

[delizzle]

Ok. Apparently all mainstream denominations are in decline except the non-denominational.

Mainline Protestants make up shrinking number of U.S. adults

So this leads to a more interesting question as to why? How do we as the Church turn this around?

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[church mouse guy]

Do Reformed ever baptize by immersion at the age of reason?

 

[thatbrian]

Ok. Apparently all mainstream denominations are in decline except the non-denominational.

Mainline Protestants make up shrinking number of U.S. adults

So this leads to a more interesting question as to why? How do we as the Church turn this around?

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"Mainline" (not "mainstream") denominations are (mostly) Protestant Liberal churches which proclaim a false gospel, so they are not actually a loss to Christ's Church.

These denominations went off the rails decades ago when they installed women into positions of leadership and have followed that with the acceptance and even celebration of homosexuals and other perversions. I won't mourn their demise.

 

[delizzle]

"Mainline" (not "mainstream") denominations are (mostly) Protestant Liberal churches which proclaim a false gospel, so they are not actually a loss to Christ's Church.

These denominations went off the rails decades ago when they installed women into positions of leadership and have followed that with the acceptance and even celebration of homosexuals and other perversions. I won't mourn their demise.

So you rather see people leave the Church all together. Reformed denominations are in decline as well. Well I guess no gospel is better than some gospel...right?


Perhaps they are just fed up with so many denominations telling them they are the only ones who are right and everyone else is spreading "false gospel". [emoji6] But seriously, people are not leaving the Church because of homosexuality and woman preachers.

 

[Jerome]

Mainstream Protestants

"Mainstream American Protestant churches (also called "Mainline Protestant") are a group of Protestant churches in the United States that...both politically and theologically, tend to be more liberal than non-mainstream Protestants."

More:

"The mainline Protestant churches (also called mainstream Protestant)...are a group of Protestant denominations in the United States that contrast in history and practice with evangelical, fundamentalist, and charismatic Protestant denominations..."


Mainstream Reformed denominations would be Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, and Reformed Church in America.

The Christian Reformed Church, mentioned in the OP, is not; it is evangelical.

 

[church mouse guy]

So you rather see people leave the Church all together. Reformed denominations are in decline as well. Well I guess no gospel is better than some gospel...right?


Perhaps they are just fed up with so many denominations telling them they are the only ones who are right and everyone else is spreading "false gospel". [emoji6] But seriously, people are not leaving the Church because of homosexuality and woman preachers.

Of course, people are leaving over women preachers and gays. Look at the Episcopal church, for example. I can't stand women preachers. There never has been a famous woman preacher. I don't want a gay preacher either.

 

[TCassidy]

There never has been a famous woman preacher.

Aimee Semple McPherson, founder of the Foursquare Gospel Church?

 

[delizzle]

Mainstream Protestants

"Mainstream American Protestant churches (also called "Mainline Protestant") are a group of Protestant churches in the United States that...both politically and theologically, tend to be more liberal than non-mainstream Protestants."

More:

"The mainline Protestant churches (also called mainstream Protestant)...are a group of Protestant denominations in the United States that contrast in history and practice with evangelical, fundamentalist, and charismatic Protestant denominations..."


Mainstream Reformed denominations would be Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, and Reformed Church in America.

The Christian Reformed Church, mentioned in the OP, is not; it is evangelical.

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that just about ALL denominations are in decline. The non-denominational church is the only exception with a rather small growth. So it is not like people are leaving one church for another, they are leaving altogether. So the questions is, why? My theory is that people are fed up with the bickering. Church has become more of a brand than being simply "the church". Just like people bicker over Ford vs Chevy, the whole "my denomination is right and everyone else are false teachers" is really turning a lot of people off. Secondly, I believe that too many people worry about going to church rather than being "the Church". Meaning that they just show up on Sunday only to turn around and throw middle fingers and profanities on they way out of the parking lot. These "cultural christians" gives an impression of hypocrisy that leaves many congregants throwing their hand in the air.

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[delizzle]

Of course, people are leaving over women preachers and gays. Look at the Episcopal church, for example. I can't stand women preachers. There never has been a famous woman preacher. I don't want a gay preacher either.

It is true that people are leaving for those reasons. However, I don't think it is the reason why ALL denominations are in decline. There are many churches who still hold to conservative doctrines and practices, yet they are declining nontheless.

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[church mouse guy]

Aimee Semple McPherson, founder of the Foursquare Gospel Church?

I thought of her. She must be 100 years ago in Los Angeles as I remember. Mostly I think of her for going missing and touching off a search because she snuck away with her boyfriend, right?

 

[SynodOfDort]

The CRC is a mainline Reformed church, and I often don't see much of a difference between them and PCUSA (I'm sure there are many, this is just in my experience), so that they're declining doesn't particularly surprise me. I'd expect to see many of the older Reformed denominations decline in membership, especially as their theology liberalizes.

I do see Particular Baptists, Reformed Baptists, Sovereign Grace Baptists, etc. growing by leaps and bounds - even many of the IFBx types seem to be quite worried over the inroads Calvinism in making into their young people. It's pretty interesting to see admittedly flawed groups like The Gospel Coalition bringing together thousands of millennials who are interested in theology and the church - that, in itself, is very encouraging to me.

 

[TCassidy]

I thought of her. She must be 100 years ago in Los Angeles as I remember. Mostly I think of her for going missing and touching off a search because she snuck away with her boyfriend, right?

She pastored Angelus Temple in Los Angeles from 1920 until her death in 1944.

And the charge that she snuck off with a boyfriend was just an attack on her because the media hated her. All the evidence points to her being kidnapped and held for ransom. She escaped through a window and was found, almost dead, walking in the Sonora desert in Mexico.

Angelus Temple is still in LA and the present pastor Matthew Barnett preaches to a packed out house.

She also founded Life Bible College, which is still there, with alumni such as Jack Hayford, Chuck Smith, and Otis Young of the Vinyard, Assemblies of God and Calvary Chapel groups.

 

[church mouse guy]

She pastored Angelus Temple in Los Angeles from 1920 until her death in 1944.

And the charge that she snuck off with a boyfriend was just an attack on her because the media hated her. All the evidence points to her being kidnapped and held for ransom. She escaped through a window and was found, almost dead, walking in the Sonora desert in Mexico.

Angelus Temple is still in LA and the present pastor Matthew Barnett preaches to a packed out house.

She also founded Life Bible College, which is still there, with alumni such as Jack Hayford, Chuck Smith, and Otis Young of the Vinyard, Assemblies of God and Calvary Chapel groups.

Oh. It must have been in the 1960s when I last read about her. I used to watch Hsyfird on tv. As for Chuck Smith, I listened to him for a few years on radio in the1980s. I always liked him.

 

[Don]

She pastored Angelus Temple in Los Angeles from 1920 until her death in 1944.

And the charge that she snuck off with a boyfriend was just an attack on her because the media hated her. All the evidence points to her being kidnapped and held for ransom. She escaped through a window and was found, almost dead, walking in the Sonora desert in Mexico.

Angelus Temple is still in LA and the present pastor Matthew Barnett preaches to a packed out house.

She also founded Life Bible College, which is still there, with alumni such as Jack Hayford, Chuck Smith, and Otis Young of the Vinyard, Assemblies of God and Calvary Chapel groups.

Tom - been trying to catch you. Sent you a PM.

 

[Jerome]

She also founded Life Bible College

Yes, Frank Thompson, editor of the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, served under Sister Aimee. He was a dean at her L.I.F.E. Bible College

 

[TCassidy]

Tom - been trying to catch you. Sent you a PM.

Sorry, I must have missed it. I have been in and out of the hospital for the past 3 weeks. Let me look into it and I will back to you.

 

[Reynolds]

Aimee Semple McPherson, founder of the Foursquare Gospel Church?

Yes indeed. Joyce Meyer is pretty famous. Kathryn kuhlman was pretty famous in her day.

 

[Reynolds]

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that just about ALL denominations are in decline. The non-denominational church is the only exception with a rather small growth. So it is not like people are leaving one church for another, they are leaving altogether. So the questions is, why? My theory is that people are fed up with the bickering. Church has become more of a brand than being simply "the church". Just like people bicker over Ford vs Chevy, the whole "my denomination is right and everyone else are false teachers" is really turning a lot of people off. Secondly, I believe that too many people worry about going to church rather than being "the Church". Meaning that they just show up on Sunday only to turn around and throw middle fingers and profanities on they way out of the parking lot. These "cultural christians" gives an impression of hypocrisy that leaves many congregants throwing their hand in the air.

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The nondenominational church is experiencing huge growth.

 

[Yeshua1]

The nondenominational church is experiencing huge growth.

So is the Charismatic/[Pentecostal churches, as are mega churches, but there is a real lack of truth among those groups!

 

[thatbrian]

So you rather see people leave the Church all together. Reformed denominations are in decline as well. Well I guess no gospel is better than some gospel...right?


Perhaps they are just fed up with so many denominations telling them they are the only ones who are right and everyone else is spreading "false gospel". [emoji6] But seriously, people are not leaving the Church because of homosexuality and woman preachers.

May I ask you, what qualifies as a church?

You are correct, people aren't leaving churches because of homosexuality. They are leaving (one reason) because there is no difference between culture and church, so there is no need to waste one's time.