When working in city research, you have to consider what to include. Many important things can and should be studied: language and immigration, poverty, church plants, church closures, parachurch presence, crime, etc. All of these are helpful, but I will try to share what a very basic project could involve.
Part of knowing a city is knowing its churches. I will share more on that later from three separate studies, but knowing a cities church plants generally requires a different approach.
Since many of you use stats and want trustworthy ones to use, I thought I would share these stats.
We all have a context of ministry in which God has placed us. If you’re called to plant, plant where you can bring glory to God no matter where that is.
The Church Growth movement became less missiological and more Americanized
Although the Church Growth Movement was well intended, all the results have not been good.
Church growth (as attendance) is not the same as Church Growth (as a movement). Most people would be in favor of growing a church, but Church Growth has become controversial.
One of God’s greatest resources to fulfill His mission is people who are currently doing little to nothing– and they have been taught that is what they are supposed to be doing. Churches are filled with passive spectators rather than active participants in the mission of God.
You’ve heard it suggested that the United States is simply Europe on a 50-year delay. Most churches will be museums before your grandchildren reach adulthood. I say to those who’ve read recent reports and come to that conclusion, “Not so fast.”
The latest data released focuses on the need to make personal, sacrificial decisions in order to better obey Christ, or as we have titled it “Obeying God and Denying Self”. The study found that less than one-third of churchgoers strongly agree they are following through in specific aspects of obedience.
Three effective ways to start moving toward clarity right now.
