Religious Life in Michigan
February 25, 2008 — jlemkeSome of you may read USA Today, and caught a survey about the changing nature of religion in the US. It’s here, and it’s a fairly interesting read. For instance, it shows what many of us are saying - The nature of religion in the US is changing.
This is the relevant quote:
•Faith is fluid: 44% say they’re no longer tied to the religious or secular upbringing of their childhood. They’ve changed religions or denominations, adopted a faith for the first time or abandoned any affiliation altogether.
Even more interesting, though, is to follow the link to the actual research and look at the individual state maps. Click on Michigan (where I minister) and you will see that overall, the state looks almost exactly like the entire country in terms of affiliation. It’s so close, to me it’s nearly unbelievable!
However, like the rest of the country, Michigan is polarized by geographical location. The west part of the state is very evangelical (there’s a church on every corner in Grand Rapids). The east side, not so much. But right in the middle, where I’m at, there’s a good mix.
Therefore, my church has a unique opportunity to borrow ideas from all over, while at the same time working to see what reaches an unchurched population. Our community has a mix of people who have been churched, and those who haven’t.
Rather than trying to attract people from other churches (both me and my co-pastors think that’s a bad idea) we can try to reach the portions of the local community who do not have, and perhaps have never had, any association with church or God. We are uniquely located - God has put this church in this community for a reason.
Anyway, what’s your state look like?
February 25, 2008 at 6:42 pm
We try to attract the un-churched through programs, through music, through thoughtful and engaging preaching but we don’t do much with prayer. Prayer was the theme of a recent preaching series and yet we don’t even have a mid-week prayer service anymore. Music, programs and preaching are not enough if we don’t pray for the Lord to send these unsaved souls our way or to use us to invite them in. Then comes into play good preaching, good music, and good programs to engage them and lead them to the Saviour and then to nurture them in our community of faith.
February 25, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Actually, I completely agree that we don’t pray enough. But notice carefully what I said. We need to move past trying to “attract” the already churched OR the unchurched. We want to “reach” toward the unchurched. Based on the survey results, I’m not sure it’s enough to hope or pray people to come to us. There is a huge population in our community that will never, ever set foot in a church until we go to them first. We have to reach out to where they are, not invite them in. At least, that’s what I think.
I completely agree that this will start with prayer, but the sort of prayer we need probably will not be helped with a mid-week prayer service. It needs to be part of our culture, from the leadership to the pew. My experience tells me that people who say “we don’t pray enough,” don’t pray enough. Me included. But I’m truly working on it, because I think that’s where things will start.
Thanks for the comment!
February 26, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Seems too often, us good baptist types have decided to look to the movie “Field of Dreams” in order to reach the lost by “If we build it, they will come,” instead of looking to God’s Word.
Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
And John,
February 26, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Sorry about the missing clip at the last post.
Thank you John, Brian, and Andrew for the teaching and preaching you guys did while my wife and I were privileged to be a part of Grand Ledge.
February 27, 2008 at 8:09 am
Thanks, Gary
I agree with you - “going” has got to become part of our culture in the evangelical church. I like your “Field of Dreams” analogy. It captures perfectly what I’m trying to say.