by Glen Mollette
The National Council of Churches says 15,000 churches are expected to close this year and 100,000 more churches are at risk of closing over the next few years. Their reasoning is because younger generations are not attending and operating costs have increased. They don’t provide a source for this statistic. Lifeway Research says 4000 protestant churches closed in 2024 but that 3800 new ones were started.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that American churches are in trouble. There are lots of buildings where only a few attend and there are many with locked doors and for sale signs.
Everybody has an opinion on why this has and is happening and so do I.
When was the last time someone invited you to church? In the thirty years I have lived at my current residence, I have been invited to church by someone else one time. Two young ladies a few years ago knocked on my door and invited me to a new church start. I couldn’t believe it. I was so happy someone was out inviting people to church. Church people don’t do this much anymore. They pay their pastor a few dollars and expect the pastor to do all that.
The average church is afraid of new people. If new people joined then they might want to participate. They might want to be involved in the church. Many small churches mainly want people to fill their seats and put money in the offering plate but after that keep your mouth be quiet and don’t make suggestions. Typically, churches stay small because a few families make sure that everything is about them and often will freeze out outsiders. One church member of a local church said not too long ago, “I’ve never seen anyone that our church couldn’t run off.”
Some churches are still biased and have a Middle Eastern mentality toward women. You know how Iran and some other countries treat their women.
Last week, the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando Florida received a motion that was made by a convention leader to advance a constitutional amendment that would formally bar churches with women pastors from the denomination. The amendment would tighten existing restrictions and require the exclusion of any church that acts to affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer and specifically prohibit women preaching to the assembled congregation. The motion passed but will have to be passed by two thirds of the messengers at next year’s convention in order for it to change the convention’s constitution. I think it is sad that the SBC has so many insecure men who are terrified women will do it better. Such bias and prejudice only hamper the work of God. God can call and use whoever he chooses. It’s not the job of men to beat women on their heads with the Bible and tell them to submit and to shut up.
Sadly, the issue is more cultural than scriptural. The Southern Baptists are the same ones who supported slavery when the convention was founded in 1845. That era was a sad and terrible time in the south. Those who continued to hang on to the idea and practice of slavery were extremely wrong. Many of those people were in the church.
One woman at a church said it best one time. She said, “Glenn, if the women have the leadership roles at the church, the men will stay home. We want our men and families in church so we go along with them being in charge.” I thought, “Truer words have never been spoken. However, her philosophy doesn’t work for everyone.
We can all point to places in the Bible and say, the Bible says. So, here is what the Bible says. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28. In God’s eyes we are all equal.
If some of this is happening in your church then you don’t have to wonder why your church is declining.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a lifelong member of a Southern Baptist Church. He is the author of 15 books. His column is published in in over 600 media outlets throughout the United States. He served as President of the Kentucky Baptist Convention and was the youngest person to ever be elected by acclamation. His most recent book is titled Rambling Man With A Shaky Hand published by Johnny House Press.