State of the Church

1. State of the church around the world

   1. Hardship and persecution in many areas

   2. Church is surviving in spite of hardships and persecution in many areas

   3. Church is growing in many nations

      1. Eastern Europe, China, Cuba

      2. India, many nations in Africa

      3. Central America

   4. Church is not growing as well in western Europe

      1. Germany, England, France

      2. Australia, South America

2. State of the church in the USA

   1. National study of religious growth and affiliation

      1. Fastest-growing – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) 19.3%

      2. 2^nd fastest-growing – Churches of Christ / Conservative Christian Church – 18.6%

      3. 3^rd fastest-growing – Assemblies of God – 16:2%

      4. Biggest loser – United Church of Christ – 14.8%

      5. 2^nd loser – Presbyterian Church USA - -11.6%

      6. NOTE: Conservative churches = growing; Liberal churches = decline

   2. The “Anti” movement is dying – Can't grow on a negative

   3. The “Change Agents” have reached their peak – Wineskins stopped publication

   4. The liberal thinking – is still on the rise

      1. Adding women to leadership and preaching

      2. Claim to be a denomination

      3. Fellowship with denominations

      4. Adding a worship service with instruments

      5. Having communion on Thursday or Saturday

   5. Mainstream – holding, losing, few growing

      1. Caution – don't measure all by Gibson County, W TN

      2. Some are growing

      3. Some are plateaued

      4. Some are in decline

3. State of this congregation

   1. Review of last 4 years

      1. Loss of members – moving to other congregations

      2. Change in elders

      3. Addition of families

   2. Where we are now

      1. Contribution -

         1. 3 major expenses – water damage, projector, drinking fountain

         2. Still we ended the year – about -$800 instead of -$2,000

      2. Attendance

         1. Last December we were in the low 30s

         2. Now in the mid to upper 40s

      3. VBS

         1. More involved in personal ways

         2. Less cost in dollars

      4. Men's meetings

         1. Well attended

         2. Good suggestions and comments

   3. Survey – Where can we improve?

      1. Ways to do things better

      2. New Ideas we could try

      3. Things we are doing that we could stop doing
          

4. Some things are more difficult to measure

   1. It is easier to count attendance, baptisms, hard numbers

   2. Biblical Knowledge

   3. Depth of your Faith

   4. Your Dedication to Christ