When the Church Ignores the Obvious

Another Chapter in a Tale of Two Churches

In 1979, Alfred Krass, A United Christian Church pastor from nearby Levittown, Pa., wrote a “white paper” on Evangelism in Mainline Denominations, published in Christian Century magazine.

Reading this study 33 years later reveals that many of the issues raised remain serious issues in mainline denominations. As is often the case in the Church, issues raised that are not on the popular agenda are often ignored.

Rev. Krass’s paper ends by identifying two questions for which he saw no denominations taking any steps to address. One involved the methods of communication used by the Church. The article did not foresee the internet and its tremendous potential for change (largely ignored by the Church).

The other problem he identified 33 years ago was the absence of families in Church and the ineffectiveness of motivating families as evangelists.

Redeemer’s Ambassador visits reveal that this is still a crying need in the Church. Rev. Krass identified the absence of 15- to 45-year-olds. Redeemer’s Ambassador visits reveal that the spread is now even broader. With very few exceptions, among the nearly 50 churches we have visited, children and youth are absent. When present, they can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Furthermore, the missing age group in church today is more realistically 1-50.

This was not true of Redeemer. Our age spectrum was fairly broad with no one age group dominating.

This problem unaddressed for the last three decades remains a problem. What are we doing about it?

The missing age group is the demographic where multiple generations actually live together under one roof — or in today’s world — under two roofs. The prevalence of the divided family is probably a big part of the problem. Religion can be an additional divisive agent.

How do we shape our message so that it reaches this majority population?

He closes with a point that church camps are ideally situated to minister to families. Interesting! Redeemer was a big supporter of church camping, making sure that as many members as possible were able to attend family camp and other church camping programs. Perhaps Rev. Krass’s ideas were working for us!

East Falls is an interesting place to study this question. This traditionally working class neighborhood happens to be blessed. It is a nice place to live and raise families and many generations stayed in East Falls through the years of “white flight.” Property values are strong despite the average family income. Families that raised six kids in their millworkers’ rowhouses and hung onto their property are now property rich. The vultures are all too willing to swoop in.

The conditions in East Falls and the actions of leaders of its faith communities reveal the priorities of hierarchies.

East Falls has Redeemer, where SEPA Synod has evicted the families and locked the doors, claiming the property the congregation had owned and the building they had built on working class salaries. More recently, St. Bridget’s Roman Catholic Church, was forced by its hierarchy to close its school. Redeemer had a strong family ministry. St. Bridget’s School was the hub of parish activity.

In sharing their experiences, both congregations noted the same thing. The “hierarchy” wasn’t listening. (Note: Lutherans aren’t really hierarchical. Their leaders just act that way.)

Another thing the two congregations have in common: Their hierarchies see church property as of more value to them when they are occupied by people who can pay more to use them than church members who live in the neighborhood.

Interesting, indeed!

photo credit: John Carleton via photo pin cc