making all things new: what is happening to denominations and their congregations in the u.s.?...

MAKING ALL THINGS NEW:MAKING ALL THINGS NEW:What Is Happening to Denominations What Is Happening to Denominations and Their Congregations in the U.S.?and Their Congregations in the U.S.?

Pacifica Synod AssemblyPacifica Synod Assembly

Keynote Address #1Keynote Address #1

By: Craig Van Gelder, Ph.D.By: Craig Van Gelder, Ph.D.

Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2015Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2015

SECTION I:SECTION I:Emerging Demographic Emerging Demographic

Realities—A Game ChangerRealities—A Game Changer


Declining % of Western ChristiansDeclining % of Western ChristiansAnd Rise of Majority Church in the And Rise of Majority Church in the

SouthSouthEurope/North AmericaEurope/North America

1900 -- 82%1900 -- 82%

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --1970 -- 57%1970 -- 57%

2010 -- 38%2010 -- 38%

2050 -- 27%2050 -- 27%Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2015Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2015

U.S. Population GrowthU.S. Population Growth310 Million 2010 Census310 Million 2010 Census


Decline White Population Decline White Population PercentagePercentage


U.S. Immigrants byU.S. Immigrants byReligious Composition for 2010Religious Composition for 2010


Population Pyramid by Age 2010Population Pyramid by Age 2010


U.S. Decline % of MarriedU.S. Decline % of MarriedAmong Native Born Age 30-44Among Native Born Age 30-44


Increase of Multi-GenerationalIncrease of Multi-GenerationalHouseholds for Young AdultsHouseholds for Young Adults

Pew Research Center Pew Research Center


U.S. Increase “No Religious U.S. Increase “No Religious Identification”Identification”

Source: GallopSource: Gallop


SECTION II:SECTION II:The Denominational The Denominational

Geographic CongregationGeographic Congregation

1600s to 1970s1600s to 1970s

Four Historical PeriodsFour Historical Periods


Organizational Life CycleOrganizational Life CycleAlan Roxburgh & Fred Romanuk, Alan Roxburgh & Fred Romanuk, The Missional Leader, Jossey Bass, 2006The Missional Leader, Jossey Bass, 2006


Period 1—Ethnic Immigrant Congregations Period 1—Ethnic Immigrant Congregations 1600s-late 1700s1600s-late 1700s

Bruton Parish Anglican—Bruton Parish Anglican—Williamsburg, VA (1674)Williamsburg, VA (1674)

Old Swedes Lutheran—Old Swedes Lutheran—Philadelphia, PA (1698)Philadelphia, PA (1698)

Pastor as the Pastor as the RESIDENT RESIDENT THEOLOGIANTHEOLOGIAN

““Ethnic Voluntarism” DenominationEthnic Voluntarism” DenominationFormed 1780s and FollowingFormed 1780s and Following

““The result was a network of The result was a network of denominations … in light of that denominations … in light of that charter which disestablished churches charter which disestablished churches … nothing so basic as this change had … nothing so basic as this change had occurred in the administrative side of occurred in the administrative side of Christian church life in fourteen Christian church life in fourteen hundred years.”hundred years.”

Martin Marty, pp. 67-68 Martin Marty, pp. 67-68 The Righteous EmpireThe Righteous Empire

ExamplesExamples 1784 Methodist Episcopal Church1784 Methodist Episcopal Church 1785/89 Protestant Episcopal 1785/89 Protestant Episcopal

ChurchChurch 1789 Presbyterian Church1789 Presbyterian Church

Over 36 by 1800Over 36 by 1800

Ordination of Bishop Asbury Ordination of Bishop Asbury in 1784 as Beginning of U.S.in 1784 as Beginning of U.S.

Methodist Episcopal ChurchMethodist Episcopal Church


Period 2—Village Congregations Period 2—Village Congregations Late 1700s-mid 1800s (later in mid-west/west)Late 1700s-mid 1800s (later in mid-west/west)

First Jacobus Evangelical First Jacobus Evangelical Lutheran Church, Folsom, Lutheran Church, Folsom, NJ (1852)NJ (1852)

First Evangelical Lutheran First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gypsum, CO Church, Gypsum, CO (1890) (1890)

Norwegian Lutheran ChurchNorwegian Lutheran Church Zelzah, CA (1917)Zelzah, CA (1917)

The The GENTLEMAN GENTLEMAN PASTORPASTOR


““Purposive Missionary” DenominationPurposive Missionary” DenominationLate 1700s-late 1800sLate 1700s-late 1800s

Denominations in Denominations in Mission on FrontierMission on Frontier RevivalismRevivalism Camp MeetingsCamp Meetings

Formed National Formed National Agencies with BoardsAgencies with Boards Foreign MissionForeign Mission Home MissionHome Mission EducationEducation PublishingPublishing SchoolsSchools


Organizational Beginning:Organizational Beginning:Emergent Leadership – New ActionsEmergent Leadership – New Actions


Period 3—City Neighborhood CongregationsPeriod 3—City Neighborhood CongregationsLate 1800s-1930sLate 1800s-1930s

Trinity Lutheran ChurchTrinity Lutheran Church Long Beach, CA Long Beach, CA

Bethel Lutheran ChurchBethel Lutheran Church Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA

The The CHURCHLY CHURCHLY PASTOR PASTOR


““Churchly Denomination”Churchly Denomination”Late 1800s-1930sLate 1800s-1930s

Denominations Expand Denominations Expand InfrastructureInfrastructure Church program served Church program served

members cradle to grave members cradle to grave Church SchoolChurch School ConfirmationConfirmation Men’s Study GroupsMen’s Study Groups Women’s Study GroupsWomen’s Study Groups PublicationsPublications Camps and ConferencesCamps and Conferences

Expansion of programs and Expansion of programs and agency staffingagency staffing

Began to adopt corporate Began to adopt corporate organization practicesorganization practices


Period 4—Family Suburban CongregationsPeriod 4—Family Suburban Congregations1940s-1970s1940s-1970s

College Lutheran ChurchCollege Lutheran Church San Diego, CASan Diego, CA

St. Luke's Lutheran ChurchSt. Luke's Lutheran Church Fullerton, CAFullerton, CA

The The PASTORAL PASTORAL DIRECTORDIRECTOR


““Corporate” DenominationCorporate” Denomination1940s-1970s1940s-1970s

DenominationsDenominations Expanded program Expanded program

agencies and staffagencies and staff Loyalty strongLoyalty strong Giving unrestrictedGiving unrestricted

Growing Church Growing Church Suburban “success”Suburban “success” Baby-boomBaby-boom


Organizational Institutionalization:Organizational Institutionalization:

Performative Organization and LeadershipPerformative Organization and Leadership


Identity of the Denominational Geographic Identity of the Denominational Geographic Congregations 1600s to 1970sCongregations 1600s to 1970s

DNA Logic of These CongregationsDNA Logic of These Congregations Denominational Affiliation and Loyalty Denominational Affiliation and Loyalty Geographic Proximity—Neighborhood BasedGeographic Proximity—Neighborhood Based

Communication of Their IdentityCommunication of Their Identity

Type + Denominational Name + Neighborhood BuildingType + Denominational Name + Neighborhood Building


Transition: Social Upheaval 1960s-1970sTransition: Social Upheaval 1960s-1970sThe End of the Geographic-Neighborhood ChurchThe End of the Geographic-Neighborhood Church

Key ShiftsKey Shifts Civil rightsCivil rights Counter CultureCounter Culture Viet Nam War and ProtestsViet Nam War and Protests The multiple movementsThe multiple movements

Feminist, Ecological, etc.Feminist, Ecological, etc. ImplicationsImplications

33rdrd Disestablishment Disestablishment Mainline churches stopped Mainline churches stopped

growinggrowing Growth of conservative and Growth of conservative and

evangelical churchesevangelical churches Rise of the media churchRise of the media church

The The Therapeutic PastorTherapeutic Pastor


SECTION III:SECTION III:The Attractional Life-Style ChurchThe Attractional Life-Style Church

1970s – 2000s1970s – 2000s

Fifth Period of ExpansionFifth Period of Expansion


Period 5: Changing Context 1980s to PresentPeriod 5: Changing Context 1980s to Present—The Attractional Life-Style Church—The Attractional Life-Style Church

Increased MobilityIncreased Mobility

Media CultureMedia Culture

Late Stage CapitalismLate Stage Capitalism Commoditized ConsumptionCommoditized Consumption

GlobalizationGlobalization

Information TechnologyInformation Technology

Emerging PostmodernEmerging Postmodern


Example 1: The Market-Driven Example 1: The Market-Driven ChurchChurch

Saddleback ChurchSaddleback Church Purpose-DrivenPurpose-Driven

Willowcreek ChurchWillowcreek Church Seeker-SensitiveSeeker-Sensitive

TheThe Entrepreneurial Entrepreneurial Leader Leader


Example 2: The Multi-Site and Example 2: The Multi-Site and Multi-Congregation ChurchMulti-Congregation Church

Community Christian Community Christian Church, ChicagoChurch, Chicago 9 Gathering Sites9 Gathering Sites

Harderwyk Ministries, Harderwyk Ministries, Holland, MIHolland, MI CelebrationCelebration FusionFusion WatershedWatershed

The The Entrepreneurial Entrepreneurial Adaptive LeaderAdaptive Leader


Example 3: The Social Network Example 3: The Social Network ChurchChurch

Powder Matters Powder Matters ChurchChurch For Snow Boarders, COFor Snow Boarders, CO

The Rock: House The Rock: House Church NetworkChurch Network Puget Sound, WA Puget Sound, WA

The The Networking Networking LeaderLeader


Example 4: The Emerging ChurchExample 4: The Emerging Church

Church of the ApostlesChurch of the Apostles Seattle, WASeattle, WA

Solomon’s PoarchSolomon’s Poarch Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis, MN

TheThe Participatory Participatory LeaderLeader


Example 5: Immigrant and Multi-Example 5: Immigrant and Multi-Cultural ChurchesCultural Churches

Hmong Lutheran Hmong Lutheran ChurchChurchSaint Paul, MNSaint Paul, MN

Christ Lutheran Christ Lutheran Church-Capitol HillChurch-Capitol HillSaint Paul, MNSaint Paul, MN

TheThe Multi-cultural Multi-cultural LeaderLeader


Current Literature During Current Literature During Time of TransitionTime of Transition

Focus is on the church Focus is on the church Changing church in a Changing church in a

changing contextchanging context Primarily about Primarily about

reinventing the churchreinventing the church

More basic discussion More basic discussion requiredrequired Gospel and CultureGospel and Culture Newbigin’s Question: Newbigin’s Question:

“Can the West be converted?”“Can the West be converted?”


Identity of Attractional Life-Style Identity of Attractional Life-Style Congregations 1980s to the PresentCongregations 1980s to the Present

DNA Logic of CongregationsDNA Logic of Congregations Niche Market Affinity GroupNiche Market Affinity Group Defined Purpose and VisionDefined Purpose and Vision

Communication of IdentityCommunication of Identity

Type + Life-Style Ministry + Target PopulationType + Life-Style Ministry + Target Population


The Re-” DenominationThe Re-” Denomination1970-2000s1970-2000s

Denominations and Denominations and Judicatories Judicatories Reactive to declining Reactive to declining

membership and financesmembership and finances Regulative in response Regulative in response

Numerous initiatives Numerous initiatives Revision Revision RevitalizeRevitalize RestructureRestructure

Increasing conflict and Increasing conflict and crisis interventions crisis interventions

56.0%58.0%60.0%62.0%64.0%66.0%68.0%70.0%72.0%74.0%

Ministry Shares 2001-2011


Denominational Organizational Decline:Denominational Organizational Decline:Reactive Leadership and Regulative AgencyReactive Leadership and Regulative Agency


Pragmatic StrategiesPragmatic StrategiesIS THIS ALL THERE IS?IS THIS ALL THERE IS?

Functional/Instrumental Approaches to Functional/Instrumental Approaches to ChurchChurch

Denominational-Franchised Geographic ChurchesDenominational-Franchised Geographic Churches

Niche-Marketing and Contextually-Shaped Niche-Marketing and Contextually-Shaped ApproachesApproaches

The church tends to become just anotherThe church tends to become just another

““commodity” in a “consumer” culturecommodity” in a “consumer” culture


The Challenge TodayThe Challenge Today

a greata great unravelling…unravelling…


Contrasting Views of ChurchContrasting Views of Church

INSTRUMENTAL VIEWINSTRUMENTAL VIEW

The church has a mission The church has a mission in the worldin the world

The church becomes the The church becomes the primary acting subjectprimary acting subject The focus is primarily on The focus is primarily on

strategies and our strategies and our obedience (e.g. Matt. 28)obedience (e.g. Matt. 28)

Identity shaped primarily by human Identity shaped primarily by human agency—what we doagency—what we do


Contrasting Views of ChurchContrasting Views of Church

INSTRUMENTAL VIEWINSTRUMENTAL VIEW

The church has a mission The church has a mission in the worldin the world

The church becomes the The church becomes the primary acting subjectprimary acting subject The focus is primarily on The focus is primarily on

strategies and our strategies and our obedience (e.g. Matt. 28)obedience (e.g. Matt. 28)

Identity shaped primarily by human Identity shaped primarily by human agency—what we doagency—what we do

MISSIONAL VIEWMISSIONAL VIEW

The Triune God’s The Triune God’s mission in the world mission in the world

has a churchhas a church God is primary acting God is primary acting

subject—subject—missio Deimissio Dei The church’s participates The church’s participates

in God’s mission (e.g. II in God’s mission (e.g. II Cor 5:19)Cor 5:19)

Identity shaped primarily by divine Identity shaped primarily by divine agency—what God is doingagency—what God is doing


DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION


making all things new: what is happening to denominations and their congregations in the u.s.?...

Documents

lutheran church long

christian church life

ca bethel lutheran ch

population pyramid

organizational beginning

population growth310

village congregations

ethnic immigrant congregations