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Why is the Christian Reformed Church in Decline?

delizzle

delizzle

Active Member
"In the last decade, membership in the Christian Reformed Church has dropped more than 13 percent. Synod 2017 discussed this trend and encouraged churches and denominational staff to make church renewal a priority."

Renewal Called For in the Face of Membership Decline

This is just one of several sources you would find doing a quick Google search.

In my observation, I have noticed a trend, the more Calvinist the doctrines are, the greater the decline. However, admittedly this is riddled with bias. But eh...[emoji19]. Is it the Calvinist doctrine the problem that is causing members to leave?

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Reformed

Reformed

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delizzle said:
admittedly this is riddled with bias
Click to expand...

Your comment is your answer.

The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) is a Dutch Reformed denomination. It is dying. It is an old denomination that has fallen victim to its traditions.

You need to do some research on Reformed Baptist churches. These churches are growing and not just because of their Monergistic theology. Many Christians yearn for meat from the pulpit.
 
delizzle

delizzle

Active Member
Reformed said:
Your comment is your answer.

You need to do some research on Reformed Baptist churches. These churches are growing and not just because of their Monergistic theology. Many Christians yearn for meat from the pulpit.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you are right. I think a lot of people are looking for "meat". Is the SBC Reformed? If not, can you point me to the ones that are experiencing growth?

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Reynolds

Reynolds

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Reformed said:
The SBC is like Heinz 57, it has a little bit of everything.

Do a search on Reformed Baptist Churches. Some places to start:

Reformed Baptist Church Directory

Churches

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If the directory is half way accurate, there is not a reformed church within 50 miles of me. I can't think of a SBC church in my county that is reformed. Of course, the two Presbyterian churches are reformed. A SBC church in the neighboring county has a reformed pastor, but he's in the closet. I know because we are good friends.
 
Edna Davidsen

Edna Davidsen

New Member
delizzle said:
"In the last decade, membership in the Christian Reformed Church has dropped more than 13 percent. Synod 2017 discussed this trend and encouraged churches and denominational staff to make church renewal a priority."

Renewal Called For in the Face of Membership Decline

This is just one of several sources you would find doing a quick Google search.

In my observation, I have noticed a trend, the more Calvinist the doctrines are, the greater the decline. However, admittedly this is riddled with bias. But eh...[emoji19]. Is it the Calvinist doctrine the problem that is causing members to leave?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Interesting question.

I believe part of the explanation is lack of understanding among the Millennials about the Christian message in general, for example, that the neighbour and God are more important in our lives and that we thus cannot be the most important person in our life.

I know this is not a particular problem for the Christian Reformed Church but a problem for the church in general.
Nevertheless, I think it explains a lot.
 
Reformed

Reformed

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Reynolds said:
If the directory is half way accurate, there is not a reformed church within 50 miles of me. I can't think of a SBC church in my county that is reformed. Of course, the two Presbyterian churches are reformed. A SBC church in the neighboring county has a reformed pastor, but he's in the closet. I know because we are good friends.
Click to expand...
I am not denying that Reformed Baptist Churches are a minority. They are and are likely to remain that way. My point is that they are growing. There are also Sovereign Grace Baptists, Founders Movement churches, Acts 29 Network churches...I can go on. The OP focused on why Reformed churches are dying, using the CRC denomination as an example. While the Dutch Reformed denomination is in poor shape, it is not representative of all Reformed churches.

And one more thing. Monergism does not automatically equal "Reformed". There are some Presbyterians that almost lose their sanctification at the idea Baptists can be Reformed. To them Reformed and paedobaptism are inexorably linked. Reformed (in the Baptist sense) includes confessionalism and a conservative view of the Lord's day.

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Jerome

Jerome

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delizzle said:
the Christian Reformed Church has dropped more than 13 percent
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You need to factor in population shifts. Many people are leaving the Rust Belt, Midwest, and Northeast seeking employment, retiring, etc. Some denominations are centered mainly in these shrinking states (Michigan and Iowa in the case of the Christian Reformed Church). Similar for microdenominations, which have no churches at all in many states, and just one or a few in the rest; they lose people when they migrate.
delizzle said:
Is it the Calvinist doctrine the problem that is causing members to leave?
Click to expand...
It has happened over disagreement in interpreting a couple of words in a Confession. One microdenomination (Reformed's second suggested link) dropped from eighty to sixty churches in a single year over such an issue: whether "an emotional change in God of any kind would necessarily entail a change in the essence and existence of God."
 
Ziggy

Ziggy

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The Christian Reformed denomination also happens to be one of the more liberal of such in the USA, comparable in many respects to the United Church of Christ. It is apples and oranges when comparing them to various other "Reformed" churches.
 
Y

Yeshua1

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Reformed said:
Your comment is your answer.

The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) is a Dutch Reformed denomination. It is dying. It is an old denomination that has fallen victim to its traditions.

You need to do some research on Reformed Baptist churches. These churches are growing and not just because of their Monergistic theology. Many Christians yearn for meat from the pulpit.
Click to expand...
Yes, for while Confessions are nice, it is much more vital to have strong preaching/teaching from the scriptures themselves!
 
delizzle

delizzle

Active Member
Reformed said:
The SBC is like Heinz 57, it has a little bit of everything.

Do a search on Reformed Baptist Churches. Some places to start:

Reformed Baptist Church Directory

Churches

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Ok. I did some research. I have found that all reformed denominations are rapidly in decline. They are greatly losing to the Non-denominational churches according to factchecker.org.

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thatbrian

thatbrian

Well-Known Member
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]
delizzle said:
Ok. I did some research. I have found that all reformed denominations are rapidly in decline. They are greatly losing to the Non-denominational churches according to factchecker.org.

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Click to expand...

Jesus lost 90% of His followers with one sermon. The road is narrow. . .
 
delizzle

delizzle

Active Member
Reformed said:
OK. I am doing my best not to chortle, snicker, and howl at the moon. Factchecker....yeah....OK.

I am out of this thread.

Au Revoir.
Click to expand...
I never used that source so I honestly don't know how reliable it is.

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