What Dying Churches Have in Common

Episode #025
January 25, 2018
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While not every church is alike, many that are dying often exhibit similar signs. We cover seven of those today.

Today’s Listener Question:

FROM CLAYTON

What are some more symptoms you could list (maybe other than some of the ones in Autopsy of a Deceased Church) that might be exhibited in a church on its death bed?

Episode Highlights:

  • Culture is changing whether we want to accept it or not.
  • It’s often better to approach change at an individual level before your try to change things at the corporate level.
  • Healthy churches are often acceptant, excited, and embracing of change.
  • If nostalgia is the dominant emotion in a church, it’s likely dying.
  • Holy huddles are serious problems is too many churches.

The seven things dying churches have in common are:

  1. Anger at change
  2. Nostalgia on steroids
  3. Confusion of methods and facilities with the gospel
  4. Little to no interaction with non-Christians
  5. Deflected blame
  6. Refusal to see reality
  7. Very little time left for survival

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

Submit Your Question:

Do you have a question about church revitalization or replanting for us to use on the podcast? Visit the podcast page to submit your question. If we use it on the show, you’ll get a copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church and Reclaiming Glory.

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