The saying goes that the opera isn’t over until the… well, “large” lady has sung. (how’s that for political correctness!)  Of course the statement is actually phrased a bit different but none-the-less it is a euphemism to identify the end of something. In recent years many have been predicting the death of Christianity and the end of the Christian church in America. While there are certainly legitimate concerns that we must take notice of, and I believe, act on, the death gurgle of the church in America is a bit premature. In a recent Christianity Today article entitled “Chicken Little Was Wrong”, Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research discussed how “The statistics we most love to repeat may be leading us to make bad choices about the church.” He tells the other side of the statistical story that we often do not hear. For example the Gallup organization indicates that the church attendance level of protestant young adults has actually rebounded to levels close to the 1950’s. He does note that these figures may include what is referred to as the “halo effect,” where numbers of people will tend to say they go to church even though they do not. Yet even with that, weekly church attendance numbers haven’t changed a great deal. Furthermore, while it is true that a segment of the American population is disillusioned with organized religion, it is “by no means the prevailing attitude.”  He goes on to point out that the 2007 Baylor Religion Survey reveals that contrary to the suggestion of many, people are not engaging in religious activities outside of the church as a substitute for being involved and participating in the local church.  Stetzer says, “Though we hear a great deal about young people leaving the church, we hear few reports about the stream of young people coming into the church.” All of this is good news for a change.

Yet saying all this does not mean that there are not serious concerns. For example Stetzer points out that reputable studies do indicate that the old mainline denominations are not just bleeding any longer, they are now hemorrhaging. For evangelical denomination the news is better but only when compared to the mainline groups. He says it is a fact that Southern Baptist have peaked and begun trending down. Such is the case for most evangelical groups. He concludes by saying, “Christianity in North America is not going to die out in this generation or any other, even though it is going through an identity crisis of sorts.”

So what does it all mean for us? Well it means we are in an age of transition not death, hallelujah! But it also means we must continue to change, adjust and renew our commitment to reach people with the life changing news of God’s love. It means we must continue to innovate, renovate and accentuate our ministry to the lost world without compromise so that what is now transition does not become death down the road.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?