Download - New England Synod Presentation
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Being the Church in the Age of the Dispirited
Scott Thumma Hartford Institute for Religion Research
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A Christian Nation of 350,000 Congregations
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80% say they are sure there is a God & belong to a faith group
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75% of Americans identify as “Christian”
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65% claim an affiliation with a congregation
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49% are claimed as adherents by congregations
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40% tell surveys they attend weekly
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20% of Americans actually attend weekly
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A Christian Nation?
And how many of these are involved – leading and serving?
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And in New England?
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And in Lutheran New England
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Not Quite Dying…
But Needing to Change
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Getting Older
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Less Appealing to the Young
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The time spent on computers by 8-18 year-olds tripled from 1999 to 2009.
With More Competition for Their Time
Nearly 70% of US children (age 6-17) play team sports, three out of four teenagers play at least one team sport.
8-18 year-olds average 71/2 hours of entertainment media a day (over 53 hours a week).
7th-12th graders spend 11/2 hours a day sending or receiving texts.
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And Ours
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Getting Larger
and smaller…
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MegachurchProliferation
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A weakening of denominational labels and affiliation within churches
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Less Vitality
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So how can you thrive as the Church in the Age of the Dispirited?
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Churches Have To Be Wiser…And Less Wistfully Nostalgic
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The Challenge: Change or die a slow death.
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Contemporary Worship
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And/or/both Innovative
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Embrace Technology
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The first step in Transformative Change is:
“Establish a sense of urgency” (Leading Change John Kotter)
You must change in order to address humanity’s quest for meaning and community – To offer an authentic encounter with God
in this day and age and into the future.
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Real Change Requires Rethinking Church
•Think of “church” in less building & worship service-centric ways. •Expand what counts as involvement in the congregation. •Ask yourself - what do our potential visitors’ value? •Make faith more meaningful in their everyday lives.•Be less denominational and more visionary, progressive, activist – outspoken!•Do your good works in the world.•Intentionally create real community.•Make sure members' time spent in church is spiritually meaningful.
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A Conversation about Change and Innovation
Scott Thumma
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.hartfordinstitute.org