This is a short one today. There are some people who believe that decline of the church is inevitable. There are even some pastors who believe this. I’m not one of them.
Often when I hear about inevitable decline of the church I hear people say this with a sense of hopelessness.
I don’t buy it. At the same time, I do believe that the church is in the midst of change. For me, this stems from the idea that the church is in the business of resurrection. We proclaim death and resurrection, so why shouldn’t the church experience this too? we proclaim transformation, so why shouldn’t the church experience this too? But inevitable decline? I don’t recall Jesus ever talking about that.
Laced up Lutheran 
When I hear “we experience death and resurrection” , I think death to the old and resurrection to the new…..life with Christ. Am I close?
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Bingo!
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Matthew, I think that even before Constantine there was decline in what was considered the ‘church’–the visible, organized church of Christianity. And I think the same thing has continued up to now.
The ‘church’ gains and loses adherents. The ‘church’ grows and diminishes in spirit and in witness. What I think is growing, almost invisibly, is the kingdom of God–associated with the ‘church’ but not identical with the ‘church’. It is a pervasive, almost invisible, force that works to bring God will to fruition on earth.
I think the kingdom continues to advance and is safe for the future.
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I agree. I just get annoyed when I hear hopeless talk – or what sounds like hopeless talk. The church will change, as you rightly state. And it may die, but we believe in resurrection. Hope is not lost – there is great hope.
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Addendum: I would say that the kingdom advances even though the ‘church’ often works against it.
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That’s an understatement. Who needs enemies when you have “friends” who act like pirates?
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