James W. Lane
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Dr. Lovett H. Weems Jr., is the distinguished professor of church leadership and director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. In the current issue of “Circuit Rider” magazine he has written an article entitled “Leadership for Reaching Emerging Generations.” He makes the following points “The decline in young elders has been significantly greater than the decline in church membership, number of churches, and number of pastoral charges. The proportion of elders aged 55 and above has increased from 27 percent to 41 percent. The median age of elders (half older, half younger) has increased from 48 to 52. “ Just as a general observation, it seems to me that those graduating from college are now doing everything later (what I would call the "put off until later generation") They are getting married later, having kids later, struggling with their vocational calling later, etc. I observed this trend beginning in the 70's. Entering seminarians were getting older, a lot of them second career. Many talked about a "put off" or delayed called to the ministry. Bishop Janice Riggle Huie made the point that you need two late career clergy for every early post graduate seminarian simply because of the years that each would be able to serve. The second half of Dr. Weems article was on the subject of - - "A rapidly aging church" Here are excerpts from that part of the article: “The United Methodist Church within the United States, like the other mainline churches, is an aging church. The percentage of church members aged fifty and above has continued to grow for a number of decades now. Persons of this age constitute a higher percentage of church members than of the population as a whole. In growing churches, needs run ahead of money by two or three years as newer, often younger, members join. At first, the newer members may not bring the same resources and commitment as more established members. The opposite is the case in aging congregations. In the mid- 1960s, as membership in The United Methodist Church began to decline, a financial decline was not immediately felt-both because the aging members who remained had more resources and because of inflation.. The next two decades will bring the death of a large group of United Methodists nurtured in another era and with an exemplary dedication and commitment. And their millions of dollars in financial assets that have kept the church afloat during the past forty years of decline will also be gone for the most part. Just as importantly, this generation's energy, passion, and sacrifice will be lost.” In my opinion the #1 reason: To quote the late Bishop Bill Cannon - -is that "we have lost our passion for lost souls!" Did you see the dismal latest figures on professions of faith? Mostly we just shuffle folks around from church to church. Oh, for someone like Harry Denman ( http://www.evangelize.org/index.php?id=denman-bio) in our midst again. I am the Staff Associate for “Witness” for the Foundation for Evangelism < http://www.evangelismwitness.org/>. Dr. Ron Crandall (Asbury Theological Seminary) and the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship are currently rewriting and repackaging it. But it has been a very underutilized resource. It seems that our folks are intimidated about meeting folks at life intersections and being the "Christ in their life" at that moment. This big old ship we call The United Methodist Church will be hard to turn around. But turn it around we must. The need for younger clergy and younger members will be met or we will run ashore - - looking for a lifeline! Yes we are a graying church. And we are a dying church. And we will be until the gospel fires burn again in our heart and in our places of worship. A Jim Lane Commentary March 29, 2006 |
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