Stuck Congregations

1. 87

   krillcoposted 12 years ago

   Congregations, like families, can become dysfunctional. This is a significant factor in the decline of entire denominations and hurts Christianity in general, giving the Church a really bad image to non-believers. Congregations rarely recognize their own issues like this, and even more rarely seek out the help of a professional that could help them (even when they know there is a problem). Why is this?

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   1. 59

      Disappearingheadposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe organised institutionalised Christinity has had its day. Jesus never set up such institutions. He left behind house churches.

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2. 86

   jansharesposted 12 years ago

   I think that some congregations get stuck holding onto old traditions. The old guard are resistant to change even though they say they want to expand. The want new members to come and join in with the status quo, maintaining the rituals and mores of that religion. What they are in denial of is that those traditions no longer appeal to the current generation of potential new members. This is happening in the Episcopal church, of which I'm a member.

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