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 A new survey shows a decline in worship service attendance in the United States.
September 20th, 2011
04:43 PM ET
A rough decade for American congregationsBy Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor (CNN) - A new decade-long survey of American congregations shows religious health and vitality are weaker than they were 10 years ago. While the survey showed that many congregations are adopting new technologies and innovative worship, there were steep drops in financial health and attendance at weekly worship services. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research released the study's findings Saturday in a report titled "A Decade of Change in American Congregations, 2000 – 2010" authored by David A. Roozen. In the measured decade, churches, temples and synagogues told surveyors that congregations that were innovative and contemporary showed the highest amount of "high spiritual vitality." Forty-seven percent of congregations that said their worship experience was "innovative and contemporary" reported high spiritual vitality, versus 17% that said their congregations were "neither innovative nor contemporary." The vast majority of congregations implemented electronic communications in the past decade. Recently, many have turned to social networking as well, with 41% using Facebook to communicate with congregants. Congregations are also having hard times financially, the survey found. In 2000, 31% of survey participants reported excellent financial health. In 2010, that number plummeted to just 14%. The recession, Roozen writes in the report, "affected nearly every kind of congregation equally – large and small; north, south, east and west; financially healthy or struggling before the recession. One bit of good news was that one in 10 congregations reported that by the time of the survey, they had already begun to recover." Roozen writes that a variety of factors led to the decline, but overall, there are fewer Americans in the pews, and "... more than 1 in 4 American congregations had fewer than 50 in worship in 2010, and just under half had fewer than 100. Overall, median weekend worship attendance of your typical congregation dropped from 130 to 108 during the decade, according to the FACT surveys." FACT refers to Faith Communities Today, a multifaith coalition that researches congregational life. While megachurches - congregations with more than 2,000 members - continued to grow in popularity, they still represent only a fraction of American congregations, at one-half of 1%. "And while it appears to be true they are attracting an ever bigger slice of the religious attender pie, it is a bigger slice of a shrinking pie," Roozen wrote. The decline hit across religious and denominational lines, sparing no one, Roozen wrote. He said that "no single category or kind of congregation ... was exempt from the decadal downsizing of worship attendance." The data came from Faith Communities Today surveys and represents 11,077 congregations and 120 denominations of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions, the institute said. Most often, the surveys were completed by the congregation's leader, and the institute estimates the margin of error to be plus or minus 4 percentage points. |
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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@Observer-11:46 Where do you you get such nonsence. You are either parrorting or you gone to the wrong churches.
Bo,
If you are going to quote the Bible, at least read it.
– I Corinthians 7:8-9 “Here is my advice for people who have never been married and for widows. You should stay
single, just as I am. But if you don't have enough self-control, then go ahead and get married. After all, it
is better to marry than to burn with desire”
The secular West proved the validity of Christianity. De-christianized West is a complete garbage and totally des-pi-cable in anyone's eyes. Only the worthless hedonists love the current immoral trends in the West.
I think the West's downfall is actually more closely linked to our rejection of the Egyptian sun god. Have you noticed how hot it was this summer???? He's punishing us.
Your fake God is like, 5000 years too late to the party.
Matty, Christians created USA. And Egypt has been beaten up by Israel always. Go back to your Egypt.
Mattypoopoo, read His truth in Ezekiel 29:14-16.
Amen.
I thought God created the USA. Do you mean discovered it? No, you're wrong. The native Americans were here long before any Christians. Do you mean conquered it, and in the process enslaving and killing millions of people? Ok, I'll give you that one.
Heavensent, OMG you can't be serious. Read a science book.
Really, Mathilda? I don't recall any mention of Christ in the Articles of Confederation. What were those Christians doing with themselves, creating a country for Christians without even putting it down on paper?
Mathilda,
Do some research sometime. Many of our forefathers were Deists, not Christians. One of the major players in establishing our country was Thomas Jefferson, who thought the Bible contained so much nonsense that he edited his own version down to less than 50 pages.
Finally, the US has almost as many religious fanatics as the Muslim countries. Remember all the abortion clinic bombings that happened back in the 80s and 90s.
We should emulate Europe and stop believing whatever we're told by old men asking for money, especially if it involves an invisible friend.
"...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.... Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good."
Romans 12:2, 9
Americans, it's outer shell of Christianity with those toxic liberal doctrines that is being peeled off. Evangelical Christianity is certainly growing everywhere, even all over the West including USA. The Westerners without Christianity are living complete garbage life. Pagans who cling to weird religions are cuter and more sincere.
Mathilda, I can't tell if you're joking. Are you being serious?
Jesus alone is LORD !
No he's not.
http://ebonmusings.org/atheism/index.html
Kyle, you deny Jesus and His truth.
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Amen.
Nonsense. Those of us who remember the original Hawaii 5-0 know that Jack is Lord!
@johnny 11:24 Sorry this isn't a scam, it is the fulfilling of prophecy–2Thes 2:3-4 an I'm excited! This is one of the signs of the time of the end! There are only a few more prophecies to go!
Like the prophecy of the end of the world during the lifetimes of Jesus's disciples? About 2,000 years off so far.
Oh, like this prophecy about jesus saying he'll be back shortly after his death?
"And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." –Mark 9:1 (KJV)
That jesus character isn't coming back. The end.
Kyle, I like that you're trying to quote scripture as a way to convince these nice folks that they're delusional. But it won't work. It only causes a momentary glitch in their programming sequence, accompanied by a facial tick, and then they just plod along like they never heard you. Very frustrating.
Actually, Observer 2 Peter 3:8 states ...
But, beloved, be not * ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
This 2nd earth age is about 6,100 years old after God destroyed the 1st earth age. Therefore, scriptures prove that it's been less than a week for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
HeavenSent:
"I know we've only known each other four weeks and three days, but to me it seems like nine weeks and five days. The first day seemed like a week and the second day seemed like five days. And the third day seemed like a week again and the fourth day seemed like eight days. And the fifth day you went to see your mother and that seemed just like a day, and then you came back and later on the sixth day, in the evening, when we saw each other, that started seeming like two days, so in the evening it seemed like two days spilling over into the next day and that started seeming like four days, so at the end of the sixth day on into the seventh day, it seemed like a total of five days. And the sixth day seemed like a week and a half. I have it written down, but I can show it to you tomorrow if you want to see it." – The Jerk
HeavenSent
"one day is with the Lord as a thousand years"
So when the Bible says to take the Sabbath day and do NO WORK, people are to take 1,000 years off?
Navin R. Johnson, I've never met you and I can't visit my mother anymore. She passed on to our Lord and Savior years ago.
Amen.
Amazingly enough, both HeavenScent and Matilda/Adelina/whatever have written their own books for the bible. Both are divinely inspired - No really! - so we need to understand that they speak directly for god. In fact, both of them are prophets. Just ask them.
THE MAIN REASON WHY U.S. IS ON THE WAY TO HELL !!!
Does God's anger last forever?
No: Jeremiah 3:12
"Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever."
Yes: Jeremiah 17:4
"I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever."
Oh thank God! Church is such a waste of a good Sunday that could be better spent watching football. Not to mention a total waste of money that could be spent saving starving Somali children or buying beer.
That means you sent how much of your money to the starving children Mattypoopoo?
Amen.
Now if only we can just get the rest of them to spend their Sundays volunteering for the poor, sick, and elderly. Perhaps giving their collection plate fund to charity too. Failing that, maybe taking Sunday to go for a walk with family in nature, y'know to enjoy all that which God supposedly created instead of sitting in a man-made building. If you say you're Christian, shouldn't you be trying to be more like Jesus?
It's good to know that we have you to pass judgment so we don't need a God
We are free to pass judgment. You act as though that's an insult. Oh no, my e-feelings are hurt.
Funny how people use that "passing judgment" garbage on people as though it actually means something. It only has an effect on those that believe in the bible (and various other organized religions). You know, for the sake of instilling fear.
Since we don't have that fear, we can pass as much judgment as we'd like. It's great being free!
Now go do some charity work.
Kyle, you’re too easy, like fish being caught in a barrel.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
Amen.
Either people are starting to wake up and get out of the religious traditions of religion and finally have a relationship with Jesus, or they have been scared off by them only to be hurt. Christians are the "church". We don't need buildings to have a relationship with Jesus. I got out of catholicism about a year ago due to tradition that didn't make sense to me and many things not even in the Bible. Its hard telling people who are caught up in it, because they just continue to believe the man made doctrine.
Good for you! Congratulations!
Your comment should be directed to those that attend church and listen to a man preach a few of Jesus' truth, then continue to preach the ways of the world (man made lies).
I'm glad you left the Catholic Church to find your way back to Jesus' truth.
Amen.
Happy to here it
Hear it. But I agree with you.
Sigh. So many thoughts here, so many people trying to win an argument and change others' minds. Funny how the atheists accuse the believers of shoving religion down their throats yet they themselves can say some of the meanest, disrespectful, intolerant things and clearly are trying to shove their assumed truth on others. I've learned that people basically believe what they want to believe and the reasons are chosen to justify the mind's choice. Trying to prove truth is irrelevant.
toby123,
The only somewhat subtle message of Christianity is that you either do as they tell you or you deserve to spend eternity in hell.
Now please tell us about people being intolerant again.
The difference is that atheists have the bible as evidence of the truth. The truth being that the bible contradicts itself. It teaches people to be hateful. You know why atheists are angry? Many of us have had this garbage crammed down our throats for decades. Then, we were finally able to do some research and figure out that it is all a big lie. The minute any of us say anything, the christians are all up in arms about how we're being "rude" or "disrespectful."
Incorrect.
We aren't rude or disrespectful. You may believe the truth is irrelevant, but countless amounts of people have died because of religious beliefs. What is more rude? Believing in religion that promotes genocide, or spreading the truth about this religious filth so that people would see it for what it really is. What you and many others do not realize is that we are trying to do good. We want our friends and families to be free of these lies.
If you don't believe me, poke around here for a while:
http://ebonmusings.org/atheism/index.html
If you're still a believer after reading any of this, then enjoy wasting your time worshiping a being that does not exist.
The goal of Christianity is love, not "tolerance." Should one tolerate evil? No. But one should love one's fellow man. This message, articulated perfectly by Jesus Christ, in His self-emptying incarnation is alien both to un-believers. Love is the truth.
Observer, no one gets the luxury of spending eternity in hell. Get His truth straight, you or anyone else that doesn't love and follow Jesus' truth get blotted out. There is no eternity for those that don't love and follow Jesus.
Amen.
I'm glad to see so many people have everything figured out. I think I can sleep better tonight knowing that.
Being religious doesn't make you a bad person. Being an Atheist doesn't makes you a good person. It isn't a lack of intelligence that drives people to ask bigger questions and wrestle with concepts of mortality, God, and purpose. Perhaps the more dangerous thing is to believe you have all the answers and stop asking the questions, no matter what side of faith you fall on.
Religions don't ask questions in search for answers; they start with "answers" and back into ridiculous questions. Totally backwards.
Hi, I'm a Christian, but I agree with you regardless of what faith you claim or don't claim. Just wanted to say that.
Jason, it's time you actually read Jesus' truth (the Bible).
Amen.
America still has vitality with a possibility of bouncing back. The last nation of hope in the entire West. It's Europe that is humanly-speaking permanently and hopelessly dying off. Asia, Africa, and the Islamic land have unprecedented growth of Christian faith in spite of grueling persecutions. The Holy Spirit is moving everywhere powerfully in the last days. American Christians, take heart. God owns the universe. God is in control and He is saving His people everywhere even today. Just continue your own battles for righteousness courageously in your land. There was never an easy era or easy place for any true Christian. We all have our own assignments where we are planted. Jesus our King will come back at the nick of time. We just should never give up or dwell in sins but keep looking up to Jesus till the very end. Revelation 22:7-21 is only true.
False.
Now go and read the rest of the bible. How about searching for the many contradictions. False prophecies. Lies. Hate. The bible debunks itself if you actually read the bloody thing.
"There was never an easy era or easy place for any true Christian." Really? Not even when they had the ear of statesmen and the backing of emperors who would summarily execute anyone who was thought a heretic and would not repent or and infidel who would not convert?
The Bible isn't a book, it's a collection of books. Saying it contradicts itself makes as much sense as saying that your local library is worthless b/c it has books on its shelves that disagree with each other.
"There was never an easy era or easy place for any true Christian." Really? Not even when they had the ear of statesmen and the backing of emperors who would summarily execute anyone who was thought a heretic and would not repent or and infidel who would not convert?"
Those were not true Christians. The term "Christian" literally means "imitator of Christ." One cannot imitate Christ while torturing and executing people who disagree with you.
Bill, your library analogy doesn't work. Because nobody is claiming that a supernatural being wrote all of the books in the library. And anyway, are you saying you agree that the bible contradicts itself?
Bill, your library analogy is flawed because the books in the library are about many different subjects, and many are fictional. The books in the bible are supposedly written about a single faith, and one would expect a little consistency within it.
Isn't it convenient that those who profess to be Christian, or any religion, are disowned for their atrocities, even when they say it was their belief that drove them to commit it? So, without their earnest belief, they would not have done murder to innocent unbelievers. They were true believers, and you overstep yourself in denying them their faith.
Really Bill?
Well, here's a contradiction for you, from within the same book. You know, since you assume the bible is perfect:
Does God's anger last forever?
No: Jeremiah 3:12
"Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever."
Yes: Jeremiah 17:4
"I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever."
Want another? Well, OK!!
Should we let others see our good works?
Yes: Matthew 5:16
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
No: Matthew 6:1-4
"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.... when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly."
Two blatant contradictions, both within the same books as each other.
Go bible!
Actually Kyle, the Bible is perfect. It is the man or woman reading His truth that sees flaws and contradictions in themselves.
Amen.
Bill's analogy about the library does hold merit. Because the Library wasn't written by a supernatural agent is irrelevant. The library contradicts "itself". You get thoughts from multiple references and you form your own conclusions Our ancestor's learned alot about how to live and what drove societies apart. From a non-faith reference it's an early sociology/law book that is still relevant today. From the easy to understand: Don't commit murder, don't steal, love your neighbor; to the more mature looking for a deeper understanding of human bonding and spriitual love in Ruth, the bible offers a lot of good insight. People have walked your road a million times and what they have learned has been passed down to you. You can apply the bible to your life even as an atheist.
I'm glad that churches are emptying out. I'd like to think that people in this country are finally starting to think for themselves, but really I think they are just being lazy.
Therefore I said, Surely these [are] poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, [nor] the judgment of their God.
Jeremiah 5:4
Amen.
We are SICK of Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, Rod Parsley, T.D Jakes, we want some old fashion preachers that will teach us right from wrong and the WHOLE word of God. If their "give and get" scam worked why don't they do it their self and quit begging us for money, if it won't work for them it's not going to work for us.
Jesus never said he would return before his disciples died. The joke is your attempt to critique something you have no understanding of.
Bill, read Matthew 16:28, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Hey Bill, would you like some scripture then? You know, since you think we're all lying here?
http://ebonmusings.org/atheism/2000years.html
jesus quoted talking to his followers at the time he was alive:
"And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." –Mark 9:1 (KJV)
"Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." –Matthew 16:28 (KJV)
Countrycook, go onto the site shepherdschapel.com to search what time they teach the Bible on TV in your area, book by book, scripture by scripture. Both Pastors Murray (father and son) are the best that Jesus has to offer in our lifetime.
Amen.
This is a hot topic, but I will say again as I said at 9:32; PRAISE THE LORD for fulfilled prophices, this what Paul was telling us what would happen in 2Thes 2: 3-4 I suggest everybody read it!
I suggest you read the rest of the bible. Mainly the part about jesus claiming he'll return before his followers died. jesus himself couldn't get prophecy right. What a joke.
Bo,
Speaking of Paul, did you read the part where he says people shouldn't get married? He says really religious people don't marry, but less religious ones who can't control their lust should get married.
^this is the great following away, next the man of sin will be revealed, Praise Jesus i wont be here to see that..Do Not Accept the Mark of the Beast
A prayer to help push the congregations to the final deletion:
The Apostles' Creed 2011: (updated by yours truly based on the studies of NT historians and theologians during the past 200 years)
Should I believe in a god whose existence cannot be proven
and said god if he/she/it exists resides in an unproven,
human-created, spirit state of bliss called heaven?????
I believe there was a 1st century CE, Jewish, simple,
preacher-man who was conceived by a Jewish carpenter
named Joseph living in Nazareth and born of a young Jewish
girl named Mary. (Some say he was a mamzer.)
Jesus was summarily crucified for being a temple rabble-rouser by
the Roman troops in Jerusalem serving under Pontius Pilate,
He was buried in an unmarked grave and still lies
a-mouldering in the ground somewhere outside of
Jerusalem.
Said Jesus' story was embellished and "mythicized" by
many semi-fiction writers. A bodily resurrection and
ascension stories were promulgated to compete with the
Caesar myths. Said stories were so popular that they
grew into a religion known today as Catholicism/Christianity
and featuring dark-age, daily wine to blood and bread to body rituals
called the eucharistic sacrifice of the non-atoning Jesus.
Amen
Reality, you should truly put that Talmud of lies down.
Amen.
Heaven Sent,
I'll bet nothing would please @Reality than to be able to quit - as soon as you put down your book of supernatural fantasies and superst-itions and stop trumpeting it as truth.
nothing would please @Reality *more
Real Deal,
You are correct. And it does appear rational thinking is finally taking hold all over the globe. The sooner the better.
People are finally starting to see through this scam. Religion is a tool of control for the little people.