Churches Fight Back Against Shrinking Membership

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Then there would be thousands of people leaving by those thousands of doors, usually while being carried away in coffins.
Mainline Protestantism is shrinking faster than a pizza in front of Michael Moore.

Nixon is Lord of CA 10:35AM December 05, 2011

I COR. 3:9
"For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building."
It is time for the son's of God to rise. Romans 8:19 "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." It's not in a building built with hands. It is in us, His sons and daughters. We are the Church he is returning for.
Christ is returning for (one) church: one (bride), not 50,000 denominations or a type of. What started in the book of acts was they (the church) were (all) in (one) mind, and (one) accord. Acts 2:1-2
It is time we unite as believers to bring the message of JESUS to a lost and dying world.
John 15:12 "This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you."

Anne of NC 12:28PM February 27, 2010

lemyaskin rulezz

lemyaskin of LA 9:48PM September 22, 2009

if some early Baptist were persecuted IT WAS because they rejected important bible truth such as the Trinity.
this can quickly be checked in some of the confessions christians had rejecting some of the baptist beliefs.
but in the defence of modern baptist rejections of the trinity is hardly ever the case any more . They still reject or shall we say interpet plain biblical language with a twist when it comes to certain baptismal views

robert of NM 4:27PM July 09, 2009

The term "mainline" refers to a specific set of heritage churches whose immigrant members brought their beliefs to the United States in the late 18th to mid 19th century. The Southern Baptist Convention grew from Baptist churches planted throughout the Colonial United States by immigrants who were unable to practice their religious beliefs in their home country of England. The mainline denominations came from accepted Old World religious institutions. The Southern Baptists came from a tradition of persecution.

Rebecca of TN 1:06PM June 25, 2009

United Methodist is not the largest mainline Protestant denomination. That distinction belongs to Southern Baptist, but hey, we are hurting too!

Glenn Prescott of CA 1:47PM June 20, 2009

Does God seperate us as methodits ,Baptists,or pentecostal. If that is true we can be proud of our Denominational Background. When god says there is no women nor men nor greek or jew in his sight why do we seperate. My opinion which is out of our experiance in India is that any ministry which does not preach denomination is really flourishing. Un officially we are 15% people who has accepted the Lord in India. No one particular church or Ministry can claim their reward in this growth. It is the Hand of God who used every church and ministries. Once again as Jesus loved everybody we should love all and when we preach with the same attitude and spirit of Jesus . We are bound to be successful. THis is the secret

Y.christopher 4:57AM June 16, 2009

The effort to "rethink church" is a misnomer, it is more of hey everyone out there look at us, we can change to your level so you will join.
It seems like the end is near. My membership to the UM church is on the verge of ripping, while I look for a non-denominational church. Praise be to Lord Jesus Christ. When will we get over following a religion, and look to Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.
Preach the Word people and let GOD TRANSFORM HEARTS - one plants, one sows, God reaps. Get back to Matthew 22:34-40. Why can't we get that in our heads. All of that is done in a very humble and loving manner.
May we drop to our knees and truly seek God, not a marketing department. The only PR God needs are abiding, devoted Christ followers. Amen

Rob of PA 9:46PM June 15, 2009

I agree with much of what you wrote in your article and appreciate your insights, but your comment that the United Methodist Church is still the largest mainline Protestant denomination is misleading. The number of members is considerably lower than the Southern Baptist Convention. It may be a matter of semantics, but someone without a knowledge of the facts would assume there are more United Methodists in the U.S. than Southern Baptists, which I'm sure you know is not correct. The way you expressed it, "still the largest," suggests that this point is in question. Well, it is. You may have a bias towards Methodists, especially since the competition is LifeWay products, but please don't mislead your readers.

Eric B. Turner of WA 2:29PM June 15, 2009