I don’t think anyone ever argued that this wasn’t the case.
But that doesn’t then, in turn, mean the LDS Church is in its ‘death spiral’. As much as some might hope.
Regards,
MG
Who said anything about a “death spiral”? You are reframing my words. Again. Stop doing that.
If you now agree with the data that the size of an LDS family is shrinking. Then it’s automatically the case that there’s a decline in what you claim is the lifeblood of the Church. This is very basic reasoning.
Families are the lifeblood of the church. As families raise their children in the gospel and as those children gain testimonies the church continues to grow.
Families are the lifeblood of the church. As families raise their children in the gospel and as those children gain testimonies the church continues to grow.
Families are the lifeblood of the church. As families raise their children in the gospel and as those children gain testimonies the church continues to grow.
Children taught in families to pray to their Father above. Families and parents teaching their children are the lifeblood of continued growth in the church. It’s the children who grow up to be missionaries to go out and bring many of God’s children into the fold.
I think the cause and effect portrayed in the OP is oversimplified. The United Methodist Church was shrinking long before May 2024.
The United Methodist Church dropped from 7.7 million members to 6.4 million in the US over the past decade, a loss of 1.3 million members. The average age of its members is 57. And it is closing more churches than starting new ones.
Twenty years ago, I sang with a choir that rehearsed in the basement of a church. I attended a service at some point, and found a congregation similar to that described in the OP -- average age was pushing 60 and no kids. I suspect that that the composition of the congregation was more due to long-term changes in the surrounding area. In my experience, people change congregations for all kinds of reasons.
he/him we all just have to live through it,
holding each other’s hands.
The Lewis Center has issued a final report on disaffiliating churches in the United Methodist Church covering 7,631 churches approved by annual conferences for disaffiliation by December 31, 2023. There continue to be more similarities than differences between the cohort of disaffiliating churches and the total pool of United Methodist churches. Disaffiliating churches are disproportionately in the Southeastern (50 percent) and South Central (21 percent) jurisdictions. Conferences with 30 percent or more churches disaffiliating are highlighted here.
Twenty-Five Percent of Churches Disaffiliated
The 25 percent of churches disaffiliating between 2019 and 2023 represented 24 percent of the denomination’s membership in the United States.
If 25% of your church membership leaving due to a single issue isn't cause and effect, I'm not sure what is.
The Lewis Center has issued a final report on disaffiliating churches in the United Methodist Church covering 7,631 churches approved by annual conferences for disaffiliation by December 31, 2023. There continue to be more similarities than differences between the cohort of disaffiliating churches and the total pool of United Methodist churches. Disaffiliating churches are disproportionately in the Southeastern (50 percent) and South Central (21 percent) jurisdictions. Conferences with 30 percent or more churches disaffiliating are highlighted here.
Twenty-Five Percent of Churches Disaffiliated
The 25 percent of churches disaffiliating between 2019 and 2023 represented 24 percent of the denomination’s membership in the United States.
If 25% of your church membership leaving due to a single issue isn't cause and effect, I'm not sure what is.
So are we to assume that the 25% who have left are people who want no association with gay people?
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
The Lewis Center has issued a final report on disaffiliating churches in the United Methodist Church covering 7,631 churches approved by annual conferences for disaffiliation by December 31, 2023. There continue to be more similarities than differences between the cohort of disaffiliating churches and the total pool of United Methodist churches. Disaffiliating churches are disproportionately in the Southeastern (50 percent) and South Central (21 percent) jurisdictions. Conferences with 30 percent or more churches disaffiliating are highlighted here.
Twenty-Five Percent of Churches Disaffiliated
The 25 percent of churches disaffiliating between 2019 and 2023 represented 24 percent of the denomination’s membership in the United States.
If 25% of your church membership leaving due to a single issue isn't cause and effect, I'm not sure what is.
I think you're confused on the timeline of the church's position on gay marriage. In the OP, you said:
So I decided to look up what the deal was. The United Methodist church leadership decided to fully embrace LGBT marriage and pastors. And it’s cost them over 25% of their members over the last 5 years.
The United Methodist Church didn't decide to "fully embrace" LGBT marriage and pastors until May 2024. So, it's not possible that embracing LGBT marriage and pastors cost the UMC 25% of its members over the last five years.
A congregation choosing to disaffiliate from a congregation is not the same as tearing a congregation apart. And I've seen nothing other than your speculation that the state of the congregation you visited has anything to do with gay marriage or clergy.
he/him we all just have to live through it,
holding each other’s hands.
So are we to assume that the 25% who have left are people who want no association with gay people?
Some, but not all, of the congregations formed a new denomination that is anti-gay marriage and clergy.
Okay thanks. I guess I’ve misunderstood what Jesus meant by “Love thy neighbour as thyself” or it missed off “…unless thy neighbour is gay, in which case hateth them thee must”
(Apologies for slightly morphing into Yoda at the end there…)
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
Some, but not all, of the congregations formed a new denomination that is anti-gay marriage and clergy.
Okay thanks. I guess I’ve misunderstood what Jesus meant by “Love thy neighbour as thyself” or it missed off “…unless thy neighbour is gay, in which case hateth them thee must”
(Apologies for slightly morphing into Yoda at the end there…)
Accepted it is.
he/him we all just have to live through it,
holding each other’s hands.
