The Canadian Situation

transcript

Gary V Carter ~~~ 905-601-2110 ~~~ gary@SeeYouNextWeek.info ~~~ www.SeeYouNextWeek.info

Gary V Carter

Isaiah 62:6-7

I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will

never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give

yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes

Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.

What I Want Today

I don’t want …

To discourage, defeat or bore you

To add to your work load

I do want …

To encourage you

To change the way you think

To give you simple things to do

To encourage you to accept responsibility

What I Want Today

Teach you what I have learned about the sweet

spots.

How did I learn?

Observation

Trial and error

Trial and success

• What is the single most important thing you can do to grow your church?

The Big Question

Does numerical growth matter?

Do you have a plan for growth?

How is that working for you?

If you do what you have always done you will get

what you always got!

If it’s working for you stay the course!

The Big Question

What have you tried? Better teaching/preaching?

Different/better music?

New programs?

Special events?

Aggressive evangelism?

Discipleship program?

Community service?

Church structure?

Church culture?

• Most churches are on a plateau or decline.

• Ministry leaders are grieved by that fact.

• It follows that leaders don’t know what to do to grow their church because, after all, they do care!

The Big Problem!

• What is the single most important thing you can do to grow your church?

The Big Question

Your Four Questions

Is it simple enough?

Does it work?

Can we do this?

Can we afford this?

But first …

Church health and church growth are not

enemies.

Healthy churches grow.

Churches don’t just grow automatically unless

they are emptying other churches.

Churches do grow with natural and spiritual

processes that are not manipulative or driven.

Pause and Reflect

Gary V Carter

Lamentations 1:12

Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?

Look around and see.

Global

Christianity 2,200,000,000 33.9%

Islam 1,650,000,000 25.4%

Hinduism 1,000,000,000 15.4%

Buddhism 500,000,000 7.7%

Folk religions 500,000,000 7.7%

Chinese (Taoism, Confucianism etc.) 500,000,000 7.7%

Shinto 65,000,000 1.0%

Sikhism 28,000,000 0.4%

Judaism 18,000,000 0.3%

Jainism 12,000,000 0.2%

Bahá'í Faith 8,000,000 0.1%

Other 12,000,000 0.2%

Canada

Total population 2001 29,639,035

Catholic 12,936,905 44%

Protestant 8,654,850 29%

Christian Orthodox 479,620 2%

Other Christian 780,450 3%

Muslim 579,640 2%

Jewish 329,995 1%

Buddhist 300,345 1%

Hindu 297,200 1%

Sikh 278,410 1%

Eastern religions 37,550 0%

Other religions 63,975 0%

No religious affiliation 4,900,090 17%

Canada

Christians 24,424,341 72%

Evangelicals 2,601,683 7.7%

United States and Canada

US Southern Baptists for example… 92% reporting (39,000 churches)

50% report attendance less than 50

25% report attendance less than 25

70% of pastors are in their “small church” division – most are bi-vocational

USA = 28.9% Evangelical Canada = 7.7% Evangelical

P = Protestant I = Independent A = Anglican U = Unaffiliated C = Catholic M = Muslim U = Unaffiliated X = Other Christian M = Muslim N = None

Canadian Church Attendance

Dropping ½% per year

Source: Stats Can

Blue: Extrapolated

1945 Actual = 60%

US Research 82% of unchurched are somewhat

likely to attend church if invited

63% would receive info from a relative

56% would receive info from a friend or

neighbour

US Research 4% of formerly churched are actively looking

6% of formerly churched would go back

35% would be inspired if they knew people like

them attend

70% have never been invited to church

2% invited someone in the last year

Pause and Reflect

Canada is a Nation of Believers % of Canadians agree

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Forgiveness

through Christ

Bible is Word of

Pray daily*

Committed life

to Christ

Attend Weekly

Source: Canadian Religious Beliefs and Practices, Ipsos-Reid Sept/Oct 2003, n=3000, except * God and other Mysteries, Ipsos-Reid June 2003, n=1000..

God is not an abstraction to Canadians

% of Canadians agree

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

God is understanding & forgiving

I have an intense personal

relationship with God

Felt in God's Presence

Close contact with holy, sacred

Experienced sudden insight or

awakening

Source: Canadian Religious Beliefs and Practices, Ipsos-Reid Sept/Oct 2003, n=3000, except * Canadians & God, 1996 n=1500.

There are increasingly polarized attitudes toward

Jesus Christ: The percent who claim forgiveness through

Christ is on the increase, as is the number of Canadians

who think Christ is not God

1993 1996 2003

Forgiveness thru Christ Jesus not God

Source: Canadian Religious Beliefs and Practices, Ipsos-Reid Sept/Oct 2003, n=3000, Ipsos-Reid June 2003, n=1000..

Belief is up, while belonging is down: Canadians are

increasing likely to claim commitment to Christ, yet the

# of weekly attenders may be slowly declining

1993 1996 2003

Committed Life to Christ Attend Weekly

Most Canadians don’t think you need to belong in

order to believe

% of Canadians agree

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Don't need to go

to church to be a

good Christian

Private beliefs

more important

than what is

taught by any

church

Source: Canadian Religious Beliefs and Practices, Ipsos-Reid Sept/Oct 2003, n=3000

% Agree "My private beliefs about Christianity are more important that what

is taught by any church"

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Never Attend

Occasionally

Attend

Attend Monthly

Attend Weekly

Even regular attenders feel their private

beliefs trump church teaching

% Agree "I have an intense personal relationship with God"

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Never Attend

Occasionally

Attend

Attend Monthly

Attend Weekly

But many people who don’t attend have an intense

relationship with God

% Agree

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Religious

communities are a

force for good in

society

Religious leaders are

a force for good in

society

Religion is seen as a force for good by

a majority of Canadians

Priorities for the Church

We asked Canadians which of these nine

priorities they felt the Church in Canada should

put greater effort into. Supporting Canadian children living in poverty

Supporting children living in poverty in places like Africa

Helping to reduce pollution and preserve the environment in Canada

Helping to reduce racism in Canada

Helping to reduce homelessness in Canada

Caring for people with HIV and AIDs in Canada

Caring for people with HIV and AIDs in places like Africa

Protecting unborn children in Canada

Preventing the exploitation of children in pornography and the sex trade in Canada and the world

All Canadians agree on what the

church should do

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Helping to reduce pollution and preserve the

environment in Canada

Caring for people with HIV and AIDs in places like

Africa

Caring for people with HIV and AIDs in Canada

Supporting children living in poverty in places like

Africa

Helping to reduce racism in Canada

Protecting unborn children in Canada

Helping to reduce homelessness in Canada

Supporting Canadian children living in poverty

Preventing exploitation of children in pornography

and the sex trade in Canada & the world

Weekly attenders All Canadians

Churchgoing Christians seem to perceive a bias

against themselves that does not exist

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

All others

Weekly

Attenders

% Agree Strongly “I think that there is a general bias in Cdn society

against the viewpoints that are held by deeply committed Christians”.

Pause and Reflect

Gary V Carter

John 10:10

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I

have come that they may have life, and have it to

the full.”

3 Doors

Church

3 Doors

Church

Believe

3 Doors

Church

Believe

Belong

3 Doors

Church

Believe

Belong

Behave

3 Doors

Church

Believe

Belong

Behave

What do they think they need

that the church can supply?

What do they actually need

that the church can supply?

3 Doors

Church

Believe

Belong

Behave

Pause and Reflect

Gary V Carter

John 1:46

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”

Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

Strathroy - Carodoc

Population 21,000

Households 8,200

Religion

None + Other 6,000

Catholic 5,600

United Church 3,000

Other Christian 2,400

Anglican 1,500

Baptist 900

Presbyterian 800

Pentecostal 300

Demographics

0-9 Years 12%

10-19 Years 15%

20-29 Years 11%

30-39 Years 13%

40-49 Years 16%

50-59 Years 13%

60-69 Years 9%

70 + Years 10%

One Out of Three Moved in

the Last Five Years

Did One or Two Visit

Your Church?

Awareness Test

Pause and Reflect

The Canadian Situation

Spiritual