Christianity is booming in the majority world (Africa, South American, and parts of Asia); whereas, overall, Christianity in the West (North America, Europe, and parts of Oceania) has been facing a steep decline for decades. This post isn’t about doom and gloom (I know…I know… you were really hoping for some of that) but this post is about recognizing our current reality.
In short, Christian faith and Christian institutions, once at the center of Western culture, are increasingly less so, and Christian affiliation, which could once be assumed of most people (at least nominally), now cannot be assumed. There are places and populations where Christian influence is still stronger, but the trend away from our cultural dominance is relatively universal.
There are brighter spots, exceptions, and nuancing of this decline, but my purpose is simply to acknowledge this is the reality we find ourselves in as followers of Jesus in the early parts of the 21st century. This is a change from what many of us have known in past years, and many of you have witnessed this change accelerate over your lifetimes.
Many, from researchers, to practitioners, have written about this change (including me). In my travels, the reality of our situation is apparent to everyone: from the pastor struggling with to lead her church, to the faithful lay leader, who is perplexed why so few people participate in the church anymore, including his own children and grandchildren.
This is old news. Younger generations have grown up with this reality. They don’t remember a time when Christian influence was stronger. This is a hang up for those of us who have a memory (or a perceived memory?) of when churches thrived and Christian cultural influence was supersized (some say for good; some say for ill; some say I should be taking a pill).
Does your church talk about this reality openly? Or is it something people only talk about in the church parking lot, in between complaints about church meetings not being long enough? (That was a joke in case you were wondering) Is this old news in your church circles? Is this something your leaders, whether local or regional, are actively seeking to address? Do you want them to?
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