Why churches Fail today, Dr. arthur scott
Why are Churches Closing while others are thriving?
Greed vs. teaching the joy of Giving
Some Ministers today are paid Millions...consider this message by Chuck Milhuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBFoDxSVKLY&t=412s
Meeting the Needs of the congregation with Giving not Greed as the goal. Every thing rises and fall
Building trust with a congregation goes downhill when seniors pastors and staff are overpaid; I know a local Presbyterian church pays their ministerial staff 6 figure salaries, housing and car benefits, fund trips to conferences and get tremendous tax overwrites with IRS benefits.
Trust and accountability are lost.
Online Presence
Why drive to a church when you can turn on your cell phone, tablet, or laptop and worship at home? COVID-19 made this impact come true.
No Strategic Planning
Ministries must be structured with the Holy Spirit's leading to meet the people's needs. The humility of Christ must be present.
This includes ministering to special needs children, food pantries, widows, multicultural, accepting all people, clothing banks, and Emergency funds that should be available for families in trauma.
Music / Sound and Video Production
I have worked in churches where the sound person had severe hearing deficiencies..the bass was always booming and intrusive. A good blend of contemporary Christian music, with hymns, praise songs, sacred and classical, so there will be a universal appeal, including all ages and cultures. Successful churches that are thriving are sensitive to who their audience is and program music accordingly.
No Accountability
I left a church once because I learned the minister was over paid. Trying to figure out how 30 parishioners funded his 6 figure salary was perplexing. I later learned a member died and left 1 million to the church. When this minister retired, they had drained all the funds to zero and there was no money to hire a new pastor. The church was sold and merged. Very sad to witness this.
Thousands of Churches Closing in the USA
Quoting Religionnews.com -
"A 2021 study from Lifeway Research, based on data from three-dozen denominations, found that 4,500 churches closed in 2019, while only 3,000 were started. The 2021 Faith Communities Today study found that the median worship attendance for churches in the US dropped from 137 people to 65 people over the past two decades.
Dutra argues that billions of dollars in church property could be put to work for ministry — if church leaders become proactive about the future. He has worked with several religious groups to do just that." https://religionnews.com/2022/03/15/thousands-of-churches-close-every-year-what-will-happen-to-their-buildings/https://religionnews.com/2022/03/15/thousands-of-churches-close-every-year-what-will-happen-to-their-buildings/