ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 27, 2025
Tomorrow, we will begin a five-week journey of casting a vision of where we are going as a church, using one of our Core Values each week as a sort of jumping-off place. And yes, I am using a space metaphor for going somewhere; the implication, of course, is that we are going somewhere we’ve never been before. Because the Gospel is always seeking to be relevant, and because the world is changing in every moment, and because the church plans to share the Gospel tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and the day after that, then we must understand that stagnant and stationary are not possibilities. The core message of the Gospel of Jesus remains unchanged, but the methods, means, and channels through which it is shared are forever evolving.
In my sermon tomorrow, I will talk a little about the church in the United States. Approximately 4,500 churches closed in 2019, but in 2020, that number jumped to 7,500. It has been going up each year, and though it is only an estimate, researchers believe as many as 15,000 churches have closed in the first six months of 2025. There are new churches opening, but the failure rate of new churches has increased dramatically over the last decade. And though the numbers are not easy to determine, it is estimated that 65-86% of churches in the United States are declining or stagnant at best.
Are you depressed? Strangely, I am not. To the surprise of many, only about 17% of the U.S. population went to religious services in 1776, and some researchers put the number between 10-12%. In the early 1800s, something called the Second Great Awakening spread across the United States, changing the religious landscape. Our denomination was born during that time. Life can return to a valley of dry bones, and if you haven’t noticed it, Cypress Creek Christian Church has been growing each of the last three years. The numbers may not appear dramatic, but since 4 out of 5 churches in the U.S. are stagnant or declining, it is good to know that we are bucking those trends. But resting on our laurels is not wise. In fact, complacency leads to stagnation, and stagnation is the doorway to decline and closure.
I hope you are ready to take a glimpse at our future, and equally important, determine how best you can participate in that future.
Your Gospel, O Lord, is life and love. Help provide us with the necessary faith, with a sprinkle of boldness, as we seek to join you in the new way your Gospel is being offered in this unique moment of time. Amen.
