Decline & Renewal in West Coast Churches of Christ, part 2
West Coast Churches of Christ aren't the only group of churches in decline. Loss of membership is occurring across North America in practically all denominations. Conservative and liberal churches alike are shrinking and failing to attract younger generations. I know it's not a shocking revelation and certainly not new but I want to say it clearly and boldly, "We have a problem!" Our decline doesn't simply stem from technical challenges that we know how to fix. We're facing adaptive challenges that we've never before experienced. What do I mean by technical and adaptive challenges? By "technical" challenge, I'm talking about the kind of problem that can be addressed with existing resources and knowledge. For example, our church in Fresno decided that we weren’t dedicating adequate space to our children’s ministry. We assessed our building, had lengthy conversations, and moved some pieces around to better accommodate our kids. Th...