The percentage. of people who call themselves in some way Christian has dropped more than 11% in a generation. The faithful have scattered out of their traditional bases: The Bible Belt is less Baptist. The Rust Belt is less Catholic. And everywhere, more people are exploring spiritual frontiers — or falling off the faith map completely….USA Today
Rather than throw up our hands and give in, the church is uniquely gifted and empowered to reach out to the generation at hand. There is a transition at hand from mainline denominations to the non-denominational churches. These are the new frontiers that are making a significant dent in the culture for the Kingdom of God.
What we as mainline denominations can learn from them is their ability to focus the entire congregation around a particular effort and their willingness to take risks. In addition, being careful to stay true to our DNA and not become someone we are not. Authenticity wins out every day over trying to be relevant or hip or cool.
Particularly in this day and time, people are looking for a place to find accepting people who are willing to share their lives with others. The greater the financial crisis becomes, the more opportunity we will have to help. Will we be ready with an invitation and an acceptance?
todd nelson 