July 25, 2008
Demographics
Because the baby-boomers are retiring there is going to be a huge shift of demographics in our cities. For instance, many folks will not only be downsizing, but they will be looking for specific housing, no stairs, no yard maintenance, etc. Recently I attended a conference session where the speaker said, “The baby-boomers think there isn’t anything they can’t buy, and that’s going to change.” As though it was news to him, a voice from the back of the room said, “Wanna bet?!” Just as some baby-boomers may delude themselves into thinking their lives won’t ever change, I think many churches don’t understand that their demographics will also change. For awhile churches may be able to pull off focusing solely on youth or families, but eventually youth become adults and the family nests get emptied.
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----A church that thinks it can please the Lord by focusing its attention on one demographic is a fraud. The real church is not an organization that can be directed in such a manner as to say, “This church focuses on this, but not that.” The real church is the gathering of many individuals having unique relationships with the Lord, having been given various gifts of service by the Lord, a certain measure of faith by the Lord, freedom of conscience in the Lord, and direction of their feet from the Lord. No church leader is responsible for any of these; Jesus Christ is the head of the church. The Bible gives no man the opportunity to take His place in ordering the attention of His believers. He asks His believers to meet the needs they become aware of and for which they have the ability (Matt 25:42-45; Rom 15:2; Phil 2:4; Gal 6:10; I John 3:17-18; and James 4:17.) In fact He insists that there is no partiality shown in meeting those needs (I Timothy 5:21; James 2:1,9; Mal 2:9.) And what is partiality besides saying, “You are too old to receive our attention, and you, over there, are too young! We focus on only people between x and y years old.” How much deceit is required to say something like that while agreeing that God shows no partiality.
-----I believe it is time for the church to surrender to the Lord’s headship, and serve whosoever may come, just like He does.
Love,
Steve Corey
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