The number of Methodist congregations leaving the UMC denomination is now 6182 by the latest report I can find. This is now above 20% and headed toward a tipping point from which the denomination cannot go back. This does not include the congregations who are "Quiet Quitting".
Great analysis of the current "state of affairs" within Methodism. Your closing comment in REMEMBER! drew my attention. I was engaged in a non-denominational church planting situation in which the question was posed, "won't you be in competition with other area churches?" My response to that query was to say, "we're not in competition with other churches -- our only competition is the devil -- but we want to collaborate with other local congregations in increasing the light of Christ in this community, in hopes that the light of Christ will drive back the darkness... Do any of you think that we can have too much light in any one community?"
The "competition" I was seeking to imply is that non-denominational churches are the ones appealing to masses of people -- particularly from generations born 1983 and after . Therefore, observe the positive strengths of non-denominational churches, then Methodists (and many other denominations) need to discover why people desire to connect with these churches and then adopt the patterns and practices that fit their own identity and ideology.
The number of Methodist congregations leaving the UMC denomination is now 6182 by the latest report I can find. This is now above 20% and headed toward a tipping point from which the denomination cannot go back. This does not include the congregations who are "Quiet Quitting".
Great analysis of the current "state of affairs" within Methodism. Your closing comment in REMEMBER! drew my attention. I was engaged in a non-denominational church planting situation in which the question was posed, "won't you be in competition with other area churches?" My response to that query was to say, "we're not in competition with other churches -- our only competition is the devil -- but we want to collaborate with other local congregations in increasing the light of Christ in this community, in hopes that the light of Christ will drive back the darkness... Do any of you think that we can have too much light in any one community?"
The "competition" I was seeking to imply is that non-denominational churches are the ones appealing to masses of people -- particularly from generations born 1983 and after . Therefore, observe the positive strengths of non-denominational churches, then Methodists (and many other denominations) need to discover why people desire to connect with these churches and then adopt the patterns and practices that fit their own identity and ideology.