Are We Willing to Change

Census data continues to show not only a decrease but an aging of the population in many rural communities. That is a troubling fact for many Black Rural Churches where memberships have been declining over the years. Are most of the members of the church you serve over 60? Are there few if any children in your church and if there are, how are they being ministered to? Are you willing to start the process of change in the church and are the members of the church willing to do so? Even though change is a way of life, change is a painful process, especially in the Rural Black Church. Many return home every year to Homecoming or Friends and Family Day to find things the same way they have been year after year. Let's talk for the next few week about the following area. Are we willing to embrace Modern Translations of the Bible? Why do we hold on so firmly to the King James Version? Are we willing to embrace women in leadership roles in the church? The majority of the members of the Black Rural Church are women? Would you consider merging or closing a Black Rural Church that because of the loss of membership has become unsustainable? If you do not dedicate the children of unwed parents, are you willing to consider how you treat these children? Are you willing to make a substantial investment in Christian Education so that your membership can be brought totally into the 21st Century? Are you willing to change the model of preaching being totally about being powerful and moving the members emotionally, while failing to empower the membership? Are you willing to change the Rural Black Church from its inward focus to one of serving the needs of the surrounding community? These are just starting points. What do you think the Rural Black Church needs to do in order to continue to exist and become relevant to our communities.

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