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Decline in numbers

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Berean, Jun 27, 2014.

  1. Berean

    Berean Member
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    According to a recent poll in Christianity Today 50% of SBC Churches fail to baptize 1 or more of persons 6 to 17 years of age, and 80% baptized 1 or 0 persons from 18 to 29; alarming. But the greatest surprise was, the largest group of persons being baptized were five (5) year old's and we don't believe in infant baptism.
    Question; What do you believe the one biggest reason is for this decline in baptisms of young persons?
     
  2. Zaac

    Zaac Well-Known Member

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    Idolatry in the form of politics, issues, etc. It's a let's get them to say a prayer while they are young and in VBS mentality because once they get of school age and around other kids who aren't churched, there are too many distractions.

    And the kids become more and more aware of how a lot of time thier parents or some around them in the church don't really live or act any differently from the folks who don't go to church. And then you start to see that they are a lot more excited about politics and sports than they are about Jesus and seeing people saved.

    Because of the increase of wickedness within the church, the love of many continues to grow cold. Absent love, the Gospel doesn't get shared and that creates a vacuum or young people to be pulled towards everything but Christ.
     
  3. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    The are seen as irrelevant by most of our society. The message does not need to change, but the methods of delivering the message has to change.
     
  4. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    Oh, I thought you were speaking of our BB membership. It has slipped in recent months. Back on March 16th of this year we had 279 active members. Now, in a little more than 3 months we have experienced a deficit of 56 active members. We only have 223 now. That's at a dangerously low level. Despite having acquired quite a few new members we keep falling short.

    Okay, back to the subject of the OP. Has any thread ever stayed on track in the history of the BB?
     
  5. Zaac

    Zaac Well-Known Member

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    I doubt it.:laugh:
     
  6. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    Systemic failure in leadership.

    It is easy to throw rocks at the SBC, but this trend exists in all denominations. There are few churches that are seeing significant waves of young adults both attend and be saved. Those that are doing well have little time for the arrogance of denominational politics and the hubris of out dated ministry models. Where I serve, we have a vibrant multi-generational ministry model that is seeing hundreds baptized from all generations. It is wonderful.

    That said, we have little time to mess with the foolishness of denominational meetings and creating some throwback worship service to please our "SBC elders" as was suggested to us not long ago. We have a progressive worship methodology and preach truth of changed lives through Jesus. We don't talk about politics but talk about helping others and fulfilling the Great Commission in all parts of lives and ministries.

    Doesn't make us great, we have areas of neglect as well. As a people, evangelical Christians are far more interested in their weekly comfort than reaching those far from Christ. That has to change.
     
  7. thisnumbersdisconnected

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    A five-year-old isn't an "infant." A five-year-old is a pre-schooler. Both my kids had a basic understanding of the gospel when they were four and five. My daughter could tell me why she needed Christ as her Savior at age five, though she waited until she was eight to be baptized because she was too shy to go in front of the church. My son was baptized at eight also.
    No, my reasons are as [URL="http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=94010&posted=1#post2121524]I stated earlier[/URL] in another thread.
     
  8. ShagNappy

    ShagNappy Member

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    Because a great many churches expect the younger folks to sit down, shut up, and stay out of the way because they don't know how things have always been done. They don't feel welcome or wanted unless something heavy needs to be lifted. Folks don't want their opinions, their music, their dress code, anything. Christians, who are so called because they called on their savior, who was all about changing everything, are the most frightened people on the planet when it comes to change. As a result they are surrendering young folks to the world, and the world is chewing them up and spitting them out as aimless creatures who will grab on to anything to fill that hole in their hearts.

    My wife, who is only in her 30's, was complaining about how something was being done at our church. It wasn't how it was in her church when she was growing up. I about got slapped when I told her... "It's not about you. You are already saved and going to heaven. Who cares how you want it? Lets worry about the ones going to hell!"

    You can accept change without compromising the gospel. And it is sure better to face God knowing you changed how you do things and seeing souls saved than standing before God being held accountable for all the lost souls you missed because you couldn't stand the thought of doing it differently.
     
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