Excellent question Norbert. You can check out the link for some of the stats on CRC growth: http://www.crcna.org/whoweare/basics/downloads/crcr_statbox.doc
The decline in membership is apparent but not radical, what is more indicitive is the decline in the number of baptisms in past decades which indicates the “graying” of our denomination. Add to this that in the past decade or two our total decline has matched or exceeded our total growth.
Another telling statistic is that it takes on average in the CRC 100 members to gain one new convert. (200,000 members = 2,000 new converts). That ratio increases radically in new church developments devoted to outreach to 10:1.
On the optimistic side, if you check out the CRCNA website, click on the Deep Roots/New Branches icon for plans on how the CRC plans to address the “handwriting on the wall”.
It is not just the CRC that is in serious decline. Mainline churches across the board are in decline it would just be nice to see that our devotion to Christian Education gave us an edge on growing better disciples than the average mainline church whose kids often go to public school, I just don’t see it.
DewontheMountain
Aug 26 2004
10:15 am
Excellent question Norbert. You can check out the link for some of the stats on CRC growth: http://www.crcna.org/whoweare/basics/downloads/crcr_statbox.doc
The decline in membership is apparent but not radical, what is more indicitive is the decline in the number of baptisms in past decades which indicates the “graying” of our denomination. Add to this that in the past decade or two our total decline has matched or exceeded our total growth.
Another telling statistic is that it takes on average in the CRC 100 members to gain one new convert. (200,000 members = 2,000 new converts). That ratio increases radically in new church developments devoted to outreach to 10:1.
On the optimistic side, if you check out the CRCNA website, click on the Deep Roots/New Branches icon for plans on how the CRC plans to address the “handwriting on the wall”.
It is not just the CRC that is in serious decline. Mainline churches across the board are in decline it would just be nice to see that our devotion to Christian Education gave us an edge on growing better disciples than the average mainline church whose kids often go to public school, I just don’t see it.