I knew Stan Granberg as a child: his approach is more like sorcery which has taken over many universities as spiritual formation. As might be expected, their views of us were varied: many were cordial while others were stand-offish. Further observation revealed that some of them did not fellowship very well with each other either. Holy See (City Vatican State) Micronesia Worship is more than membership in a group, assembly, family or nation. I also think it is flawed to equate the number of church planting organizations with churches planted.

Whats really puzzling here is why those who want to use instruments in worship dont want to be correctly listed with those of like mind in the published directories of restoration movement churches that DO use instruments. i came across this article as i am searching for a CofC to worship in Texas. Seems to me that rather than holding onto traditions everything that went wrong as the Church of Christ jumped on some band wagon two or three decades late. New Caledonia The invitation I ultimately received, however, was to join Bible Bowl. When I was young my father didnt wear his uniform to church in respect to the political universalism of that era when flags and nationalism were taboo. The Churches of Christ have only two small church-planting organizations, both started in about 2004. If so, now as always, our first emphasis must be to accurately identify the narrow way which Jesus said only few would find. The churches who adapted their members to instrumental music and worship teams were at least thirty years behind the trend in other mainstream protestant churches. Moldova, Republic of I am now the Senior Pastor in another Christian Church. Second, and more importantly, statistics related to both groups seem to be clearly tied to areas where definable political sentiments prevail. I agree with the above comments that smaller churches are less likely to report numbers. Maybe everyone should buy some sackcloth and Let God speak for Himself withing any comment. : Denmark If a wife told her husband that she didnt like flowers, yet every year for her birthday he brought flowers because he liked giving flowers, the wife would certainly feel disrespected. Grinnell Church of Christ, Grinnell, . Misogyny: At that time, girls were allowed to pray aloud in circle prayers at youth meetings signaling a wider range of leadership in the future. Yemen by Christian Standard | 13 October, 2021 | 21 comments. And please search the scriptures and find the context of what is written in inspiration, and not just quote chapters and verses. Madrid, Iowa, Battle Creek Church of Christ, Rapid City, South Dakota, County Line Church of Christ, St. Joseph, Missouri Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. Iowa, Glass Street Church of Christ, Sioux City, Iowa, Grinnell Church of Christ, Grinnell, This larger problem is also impacted by the increasing secularism of the nation. Turks and Caicos Islands Attendance in Churches of Christ peaked in about 1985 and has been in decline since about 1990. Anguilla According to Putnam (a Harvard sociologist), its not just noninstrumental churches. Niger 2022 Christian Standard Media. Data this year from 21st Century Christian indicates there are 11,875 Church of Christ congregations in the United States; total attendance is 1,092,182; and total number of adherents (both baptized and unbaptized individuals) is 1,423,295. French Southern Territories Palestinian Territories Glass Street Church of Christ, Sioux City, Iowa AN ATTENDANCE COMPARISONResearch by Granberg in A Case Study of Growth and Decline: The Churches of Christ, 20062016 found that 91 percent of all Church of Christ attendees belong to churches of less than 250 and that the smallest Church of Christ congregations (55 percent of them) have an average attendance of 34 people. Contact us at cs@christianstandardmedia.com. Luke 9:54 comes to mind as does Romans 14, in my opinion. Algeria Netherlands Antilles Most often in actual Scripture the people fell on their face in reverence and godly fear.

In the late 70s my husband and I opened a book store to service Churches of Christ and Christian Church needs. Love you, Stan.

Papua New Guinea adaptations which might make us more evangelistically effective. As long as they are clearly adaptations that God approves, I am all for them. Spain It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. United States The Solomon Foundation is set for Phase 3 construction of a new building at its Solomon Centre site in Parker, Colo. TSF, the fourth-largest extension fund in the United States, will move into the new building. Saint Lucia Why arent these churches properly listed there? (Note: the Directory of the Ministry relies on self-reporting, so the numbers are questionable; still, they serve as reasonable reference point for the purposes of this article.). Recent list of Things we are divided over from the attached pdf link Portugal As a third culture kid (navy brat) I attended COCs (non-instrumental) all over the world and on the west coast, deep south and east coast at least 22 different churches. Nearly all organizations that thrive on in-person association have declinedclubs, civic organizations, Boy Scouts, local political parties, bowling leagues, you name it. Ecuador Kirkwood Church of Christ, Kirkwood, Missouri This used to be sold by College Press, who also sold copies of the ANUKAN database containing the same information. church. French Guiana . Mayotte India Nigeria Orchard Group and Harvester Christian Church are partnering to plant a new church in Ferguson, Mo. San Marino . South Georgia With rare exceptions, Woodroof and Granberg wrote, we have given up reaching new audiences and vehemently resisted adaptations which might make us more evangelistically effective.. Bhutan Norfolk Island Qatar Sao Tome and Principe Pleasant Valley Church of Christ, Wichita, Kansas Togo Faroe Islands Tajikistan Cocos Islands . Venezuela Montenegro Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate : for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Hmmmm . In other words, the decline of CofC congregations might be just one small part of a larger story of the decline of civic life in America.

Kearney Church of Christ, Kearney, Missouri, near Kansas City Knowing this is now an almost impossible task, the china virus has shown we can worship house to house and this is acceptable. China There may be close to NO faith when Jesus comes:a Today, if possible. Logic would indicate a higher percentage would be necessary to spur growth. We know we are supposed to be one, in Ephesians 4, you know it by heart. Lesotho Belarus The following week they were in an argument over politics. Country * If we add that figure to the attendance average for the 439 churches that did report483,434it results in a total average attendance for independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ of 1,393,280. The city is hungry for something new, something freshbut more important, something genuine, church planter Lenny Brown said. Vietnam Rwanda I think the book I read was written by Flavel Yakely. Hazelwood Church of Christ, Hazelwood, Missouri, near St. Louis Further, if attendance in Churches of Christ peaked in 1985, could I not say that there is a correlation between church planting organizations and the decline in churches? Churches of Christ in the United States, 2018 Edition, Language The 30 largest Churches of Christ were in 6 different states, while the 30 largest independent Christian Churches were in 13 different states. Uganda I grew up in the non-instrumental church of Christ in Oklahoma, and served as preaching minister in that fellowship for 21 years before leaving and started preaching for an instrumental church of Christ and now an independent Christian Church. Ukraine Forty years later, their size had quadrupled to 10,089 congregations and 682,172 members (68 per church). El Dorado Church of Christ, El Dorado, Kansas Bulgaria Cameroon We have not been able to kill this goliath of division in my 50 years of observing and serving in the RM. Comoros Its almost impossible to find a song leader or congregation who are able to direct and sing a cappella or understand shape notes. Benin Antarctica A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE & STATUS TODAYThe Churches of Christ were first recognized as a separate religious body in 1906. Greece

Eastside Church of Christ, Columbia, Missouri

United Kingdom Unable to add item to List. I grew up in the non-instrumental Church of Christ. Philippines Equatorial Guinea There are a lot of great people within the church of Christ fellowship, but many are leaving for the reasons as I left. The independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ had more than 125 churches that averaged 1,000 or more in 2018, based on our Christian Standard survey. Music: Candyland marketing style jingles took over the traditional music. Putnams book is long and heavy on data, but I think its well worth reading. That includes in worship. . Eswatini Some of these may be able to sing and play at home and it is not against their conscience. Morocco Overall I find the teachings identical within the church of Christ and independent Christian church except for the use of an instrument in worship and just a slight variation in how the communion is served. Cayman Islands

I fear, however, the adaptations are judged primarily on how well they work in getting people into the church with insufficient thought given to the consequences if God does not approve of one or more of the adaptations. British Indian Ocean Territory As for the Baptists and Methodists, they still greatly outnumber us.. * My intention is to illuminate (not denigrate), and my hope is to raise awareness and perhaps inspire action to ensure our independent Christian churches remain strong. Ireland Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Puerto Rico He noted the churches have a radically autonomous mindset and that there is virtually no collaboration or coordination between the congregations in the fellowship.

theres a theme hereits .FELLOWSHIP! Namibia Des Moines Church of Christ, Des Moines, Guernsey Montserrat Belize Granberg predicted, Churches of Christ will be almost nonexistent along the West Coast by 2050 (California used to be our fifth most populous state). Kazakhstan To better serve our congregation and community, we decided to conduct a survey to understand the questions and issues being asked and considered by our members, local Christians, and non-Christians in the community. We have worshiped in congregations across Texas from Amarillo to the Rio Grand Valley. Grandmother church of Dallas fights for its future, The mass shooting that would end mass shootings didnt, Across the Nation: A centennial celebration, new meaning to Jesus, Take the Wheel and more quick takes. .

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the Father hath not left me alone;

Tonga Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Politics mostly. . I stand corrected. Bahrain Bermuda Davenport, Iowa Taiwan Turkmenistan : Several questions from a Canadian (outside the pockets of both Churches of Christ and independents). Iowa French Polynesia Im a member of the independent Christian churches (a term I really dont care for), and I am willing to celebrate our spiritual victories, but Im not really sure that we, as a whole, are in a better position than a cappella churches.

which are read every sabbath day, . It changed my life forever.

Stan Granberg a sorcerer? Nashua Church of Christ, Kansas City, Missouri I truly hope and pray that my expectations are badly underestimated, Granberg said. Macau Guadeloupe Sri Lanka Sierra Leone Now my husband I no longer attend there or anywhere.

I think its important to look at Jesuss words in Matthew 25 and the people in our different churches to practice them. In contrast, there were nine substantial churches of Christ in and around Jackson, all of which with similar or greater average attendances. Cape Verde Most of these modern shape-note enthusiasts are not even religious but they report physical and emotional benefits from the sensation of full-throated cappella singing in community. As a believer in the validity of the six days, six thousand years, I have been struck by the time between the creation of Adam and Eve and the giving of the promise to Abraham (almost exactly 2,000 years according to Bible dating which, if Bible scholars who believe Abraham may have received the promise initially while still in Ur are correct, it is possible the promise was first given to Abraham 2,000 years to the day from the creation of Adam and Eve). Virgin Islands (British) Jamaica

Albania Warrenton Church of Christ, Warrenton, Missouri Please try again.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon The neighbour told the new convert, If I had known you leaned toward a Democrat way of thinking, I would not have baptized you. This was, apparently, not an attempt at humour. Individually, I expect to see congregations and pockets that are wonderful bright spots.. : Hungary Oman

Kenya Palau Likewise, it is also more than a little disconcerting to ponder the fact that we cant or wont come together over the broken body and shed blood of our Savior, because of matters of opinion., It is painful to observe that First Christian of Jackson and Bethany, the Disciples congregation, have passed from the scene; its also worthy to note that those churches of Christ around town are still active. Iraq The ICC are divided over little issues in many opinions, understanding diversity in cultures does not have to mean every new tradition is evil or bad, nor is every old tradition bad, if the local shepherds & congregation are in agreement who can argue with the way they worship, it is their opinion.

Lithuania Mexico : Solomon Islands My wife and i are members of the body of CHRIST for the last 52 years, we both were baptized in a revival. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya I did a check of the worship words in our still-holy Scriptures. US Minor Outlying Islands The reason for the flaw is this: If the first church planting organization came into existence in 2004, how were ANY churches planted before that date? The others appear to offer only a cappella worship services.

https://freedominchrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/From-Legalism-to-Freedom.pdf, Churches of Christ Rapid Decline, Silence on Sexism: At the Blue Hole by Jack Reese (Book Review) Authentic Theology, Throwback Thursday: 100 Years Ago in Christian Standard (1922). Filed under:

Church-going as a whole is so vastly different from when I grew up (1960s1980s). Of their four megachurches (averaging 2,000 or more) the largest was The Hills Church in North Richland Hills, Texas, which averaged 4,658.