Refocus, Reorient and Grow Our Anglican Churches
by Jeffrey Walton, Juicy Ecumenism:
Church attendance in America, we are repeatedly told, is down. Denominationalism is in decline, and “nones” – those with no religious affiliation – have a larger, if recently plateaued, share of the U.S. population than ever before.
At the same time, readers of this blog have witnessed extraordinary moments like the Asbury Outpouring that have revealed spiritual vibrancy among Generation Z. Close to home, many of us look out from our front door and can point to growing, even thriving, churches ministering in our communities.
So what gives? Are churches in decline as Americans are uninterested, or are churches growing as people respond to the gospel message? The answer partly depends upon who and where, but also how. Christians are not without ability to shape their local church’s missional focus and to be willing agents in God’s providence.
Among those with positive news to report is David Roseberry, an Anglican pastor and author of The Seven Tools: Rediscover Your Church’s Hidden Potential for Growth and Vitality. Roseberry is among those finding that church attendance is “suddenly surging” post-COVID (2023 data from the Anglican Church in North America backs this up), and congregations wish to meet this moment of opportunity. They are finding people dissatisfied with a culture characterized by isolation and individualism.
This week I’ve read Roseberry’s book and also listened to the American Anglican Council (AAC) Anglican Perspective podcast “Biblical Values for Any Church of Any Size that’s Anywhere.” Both resources, a slim volume and three 20-minute podcast episodes, are worth your time.
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