As has often been noted, the African UMC is growing overall and the US church is declining. There are reasons for this, of course, though opinions vary widely on what exactly those are.
The retailers are again reminding us to shop. Actually, they are always doing so, except they increase the pressure around the holidays. Consumerism has become part of the fabric of our culture in the US.
Scenario planning is specifically designed to deal with major, uncertain shifts in context. It is not about predicting the future but rather attempts to describe what is possible. As a group of distinct plausible futures is identified, one can then develop approaches to deal with them.
Church workers know that behavioral change is difficult to achieve. High-energy prices are likely to force such changes in church participants and church decisions in coming months and years.
The more the church lives out community, grounded in faith, the more likely the surrounding community will start to taste it as well. After all, we are to make disciples for the transformation of the world.
The Arlington Institute is a futures think tank located in the DC area which has identified five areas as the “World’s Biggest Problems”: 1. global economic collapse; 2. peak oil; 3. water crisis; 4. species extinction; 5. rapid climate change. Paramount in all of this is how the church is in mission to those impacted by the global problems.
Commercial real estate site/location consultants are highly skilled in their analysis of business locations for retail stores and restaurants. Church leaders considering new church starts, relocations, or even evaluating existing locations can benefit from the knowledge, experience, and systematic approaches used by real estate professionals.
One of the main results of the recent General Conference is the
establishment of the four denominational areas of emphasis. The second
on the list is congregational development and new church starts.
Many churches are making an effort to turn around decline or to move from stagnation to growth. Some growing churches are attempting to continue that trend and even increase it. In all their efforts, a variety of approaches are used, with most cases centering around the question, “what can we do?”
Every year the Research Office presents the latest (2006) UMC (USA)
official church statistics. Generally this yearly report sounds much
like previous year’s and this year is no exception. Membership change
has not deviated notably from the pattern of the last four decades.
As General Conference fast approaches, we are reminded of the four
focus areas which will be emphasized there. One of these is
congregational growth.
As we start the New Year, business executives often reflect on what
lies ahead and how best to navigate the times. Church leaders can find
this productive as well. Of course, understanding the times is
challenge. This year promises presidential elections, economic
uncertainty, challenging energy prices, ongoing terror concerns, to name
a few.
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