I'm still thinking about the discussion about mega-churches that I linked to yesterday.
Today I read that a presbytery (regional governing body in the PCUSA) in Pennsylvania organized its first new church in 80 years recently. 80 YEARS! That means that there hasn't been a new Presbyterian church organized in that area since 1925. I'm stunned by that realization. The population of Pennsylvania has grown since 1925. Why weren't there any new churches until now?
Obsession with counting heads can certainly lead to some of the problems observed by those commenting on the mega-church discussion. I agree that imitating cultural trends in an attempt to attract the unchurched and keep current membership risks diluting the gospel and providing entertainment instead of a worship experience.
But failing to develop any new congregations for more than 3/4 of a century reveals a profound failure to follow Christ's Great Commission. No wonder the PCUSA is in a steep membership decline. There's no need to worry about falling into a "mega-church" mentality when the real concern should be whether we are being faithful to the gospel at all.
I do think that it is very difficult--but not impossible--to maintain a functioning faith community when the membership exceeds several hundred people. There are large (but not mega) churches in our area that do that. Once a congregation has more than a couple of hundred people you start to have problems creating meaningful connections between them--but there are creative and skillful pastors, church officers and church staff who do it.
Growth of large churches is not our problem as a denomination. Our problem is the failure to organize, develop and support new churches, which typically have a congregation of 50 to 150. One of the large churches in our area developed The Barnabus Project to address this. The goal of the project is to organize a new Presbyterian church each year for the next 5 years. Most of those churches will be small to begin with and may not worship in the traditionally "frozen chosen" way. The first of these churches has called its organizing pastor. The organizing team for the next church is already working on two new churches for 2006. It's a small effort to turn back a national trend and we don't know yet whether it will be successful. But it's a start.
I think the PCUSA has over-focused on church REdevelopment in the last decade or so, to the neglect of New Church Development. There was a big surge of church plants in the fifties and early sixties, then it dried to a trickle. We need to reverse that trend. Redevelopment has a place, but in many cases it is not the best way to reach new people.
ReplyDeleteI get upset when I see the stats on new church development. We aren't doing enough. If the Message is good, share it.
ReplyDeleteHere's an amazing goal for you: Presbytery of Mississippi plans two new church developments out of the hurricane chaos. No kidding. We have plans and we are going to do this, with God's help.