Barna Group President: One-fifth of All Churches Could Close Over Next 18 Months Due to COVID
In an interview on NPR’s Here & Now earlier this week, David Kinnaman, the president of the research and polling company Barna Group, said that based on trends both before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, American churches will look a lot different after the crisis has passed, and one in five of them could close for good.
Said Kinnaman:
In the long run, I think we’ll look back at this pandemic as a fundamental change to the way Americans … attend church. You know, obviously, there’ll be a lot more online attendance than ever before, even after all churches reopen. I think the digital church is here to stay.
And I think it’s also going to really change the way people think about their donation relationship with local churches....
John UK wrote: Yes, it is true. Ultimately, there is but one church in the world today, described as the body of Christ. To man's eyes seemingly fragmented, but God sees his people all over the world, some churched, some unchurched, some wrongly churched, but all of them redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, having the seal of the Spirit and the testimony of adoption.
Adriel wrote: The true Church, the body of Christ will survive throughout all ages as God has written.
Yes, it is true.
Ultimately, there is but one church in the world today, described as the body of Christ. To man's eyes seemingly fragmented, but God sees his people all over the world, some churched, some unchurched, some wrongly churched, but all of them redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, having the seal of the Spirit and the testimony of adoption.
I even see it on sermonaudio, many churches no longer available to listen to. It's understandable, nothing lasts forever. I remember in 2013 News in Focus radio with Trevor Hammack was removed, it felt like I really did lose a local church!
The church is needed now more than ever. With a riding tide of alcoholism, drug addiction, child and adult abuse, unemployment, isolation, loneliness and so on, caused by the dreadful lockdowns, social distancing and so on, the church is necessary to preach the gospel and reach out to these people!! The church should make a stand to meet properly!! Such fear is being engendered, that one primary school in Ireland has a setup that if a child starts coughing, sneezing, or maybe even a runny nose, he or she will be instantly taken out of the class, put in a miserable shed in the playground, and the parents called to collect, for possible testing and then 14 days isolation for them all at home!! How wicked!! How dreadful!!! This is what the church needs to address, and to be a real witness in this situation.
Jim Lincoln wrote: Timothy, spewing nonsense again. --- anyway, of course I would like to see churches that are Trumpian to disappear ❗ Such as for the following reason: ..."Of all the congressional Republicans’ many apostasies from professed principles, none is as momentous — because none has such comprehensive implications — as abandonment of free trade. This encourages promiscuous government nullifications of market allocations of wealth and opportunity, and the displacement of consumer and producer preferences by government — meaning political — dictates, an odd achievement for a party rhetorically horrified by socialism." ---George F. Will ---
You say Dr Tim speaks nonsense, then immediately follow with a quote from George Will, whose version of free trade promotes allocation of US wealth to China?
Jim, I am appalled—not surprised, mind you, but appalled nevertheless—that you deem the Word of God “nonsense.” But of course it’s impossible to endorse Democrats and the Bible simultaneously.
Ephesians 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church"
The 'Head' will never be without a body.
Ephesians 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout ALL AGES, world without end. Amen"
Colossians 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:"
2 Thessalonians 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:"
1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
The true Church, the body of Christ will survive throughout all ages as God has written.
Timothy, spewing nonsense again. No, I think good churches who are faithful to the Word and stick preaching to the Word, well at least need money to keep the essential staff employed. otherwise, known as the preacher and some office staff I would assume.
anyway, of course I would like to see churches that are Trumpian to disappear âť— Such as for the following reason:
..."Of all the congressional Republicans’ many apostasies from professed principles, none is as momentous — because none has such comprehensive implications — as abandonment of free trade. This encourages promiscuous government nullifications of market allocations of wealth and opportunity, and the displacement of consumer and producer preferences by government — meaning political — dictates, an odd achievement for a party rhetorically horrified by socialism." ---George F. Will
Of course, believers could go back to meeting in the catacombs! Let's put that 20 percent number in perspective: 1. how many churches closed in 2017, 2018 and 2019 without any govt shutdowns for this Wuhan Virus? 2. Compare those numbers to the 20 percent he says now to see how much we might attribute them to the virus. Major question: what does 'church' mean to believers today? Singles looking for a mate? Parents wanting their kids to go to Sunday School to learn some morality (which they can't teach them at home?) Can either of these things be done with an online church? Psychologists are just now starting to understand the impact of the govt-imposed shutdown on people's mental health. Already we have seen news items about spousal and children abuse numbers are up during the shutdown. Suicides are a difficult number to trace since many death reports cover them up and the media does not like to report them because...well...it is contagious..for people on the edge, if they read that person A or B jumped off Bridge X over Hwy 123, they might drive by to see how hard it is to do, how busy traffic is (as if that matters, right?).
This should thrill the Democrats and left-leaning Independents like Jim. They WANT the churches to close forever. In their unquenchable thirst for unrestrained licentiousness, they cry, “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” They are too foolish and rebellious to recognize that ”...God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.” Payday is coming, and the wages won’t be pleasant.
People could meet in homes, at least until that too is forbidden. But we should never think any of it is due to Covid 19, or any other public health or safety issue.
In the long run, I think we’ll look back at this pandemic as a fundamental change to the way Americans … attend church. You know, obviously, there’ll be a lot more online attendance than ever before, even after all churches reopen. I think the digital church is here to stay.
A church is a group of Christians who meet together for mutual edification by the use of the various giftings Jesus Christ has given to each one for the common good.
If there is going to be any change, it ought to include a better understanding of how Jesus wishes his church to go about their business, which may lead to churches restricting their numbers to perhaps no more than a couple of dozen, and meeting in private houses.
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