Is Christianity in Decline? A Series by Will Hall

Conventional wisdom in both mainstream media as well as religious pollstering slowly pounds the final nail into historic Christianity's coffin, concluding, in effect, with Bishop John Shelby Spong, the historic church must change or die**.  How often Southern Baptists are fed a similar bowl of soup and crackers--Baptists are shown to be an aging group that continues to lose the younger generations and leaders.

Will Hall, Executive Director of Baptist Press, recently began a four-part analytical series designed to unearth another layer beneath the numbers so often cited by friend and foe alike in assessing the state of Christianity in America, particularly focusing on our own faith family of Southern Baptists. His analysis questions the conventional assumptions surrounding some of the more popular rhetoric which appears to publicly proclaim a wake for Southern Baptists.

Hall's first of four articles is available at Baptist Press and is entitled, "ANALYSIS: God is not dead and neither is Christianity in America (//link). 

We thank Mr. Hall for this timely series, definitely worth our time to consider. I anticipate with interest the future articles.

With that, I am...

Peter

WILL HALL'S ENTIRE SERIES

Article I:  ANALYSIS:  God is Not Dead and Neither is Christianity in America (//link)

Article II:  ANALYSIS: What do the Numbers Mean--is the SBC in decline? Part I (//link)

Article III: ANALYSIS: What do the Numbers Mean--is the SBC in decline? Part II (//link)

Article IV:  ANALYSIS: Are Evangelicals Fractured & Losing Influence in the Public Square? (//link)

**Of course, conservative Christians possess a very different understanding of what constitutes the content of change than does Spong 

Comments

[Les Puryear]

Excellent article. I, too, look forward to the rest of the series.

I've noticed that some researchers can default to the negative in their write-up of their findings. I guess negative findings are better news than positive findings.

On another topic, congratulations on the book. Before I lay down my hard earned money for a copy, please answer a question. How is your book different from your blog series on the same topic? Your blog series on alcohol was excellent as I mentioned in my blog.

Thanks.

Les

[peter]

Les,

Thanks for the input. Hall raises some interesting questions which, if nothing else, causes pause about making assessments so quickly based on the first reading of numbers.

As for my book, Les, thank you for your affirmation.

As for the differences between my blog series and the book, while my conclusions are obviously the same, I actually had an execution plan with the book, something I never had with the posts.

My purpose was to a)introduce the reader to the seriousness of the issue at stake; b) survey how we've responded in the past c) expose the weaknesses I believe are evident in popular non-abstinent views toward intoxicating substances d) offer a comprehensive moral construct of biblical abstinence.

I attempted to fulfill the above in various ways. For example I have a chapter on Prohibition and some of the myths surrounding that era. Also, I attempted to do what, to my knowledge, no other author I've read has done with this particular issue: construct a comprehensive moral principle of abstinence which includes but is not limited to drinking.

Also, unlike you, who's asked about the content, those who've assumed they know precisely what's in the book and even publicly objected to it, will surely be surprised to find out that a substantial portion of my critique is directed in friendly-fire. In other words, I critically engage the views of abstinence adherents

Hope this helps, Les.

With that, I am...
Peter

[cb scott]

Peter,

Is October 12, 2009 a good date for you to come to speak at the Birmingham Baptist Association Pastors' Conference?

cb

[Les Puryear]

Peter,

Thanks, that does help. I look forward to reading it.

Les

[cb scott]

Peter,

Thanks for the email. I am happy that you are coming to our Birmingham Pastors' Conference to speak. I would actually like for you to have the opportunity to speak at every Association in Alabama.

I think you should be the Keynote Speaker at the SBC in Louisville. That would be a good and needful thing.

cb

P.S. Thanks for the book. Well done and scholarly research. Glad to see you did not footnote your own blog:-)

[selahV]

Peter, I just posted a post on some good things God did in Texas with some of the SWBTS students there. It's on my sbcEncounters blog. Don't know how to put a link in so folks would have to click on my name and then click on the SBC Encounters icon. Shameless, huh? I don't usually do this, but the fact that people are being saved seems to put to question the death (casket) of Christianity. selahV

[peter]

SelahV,

Here’s the link

With that, I am…

Peter

[peter]

SelahV,

Oopsie daisy.  Here’s the link, though some will undoubtedly like the scoop on David Brumbelow’s blog.

With that, I am…

Peter

[peter]

CB

You are very welcome and your encouragement is soothing. May our Lord be in it all.

With that, I am...
Peter

p.s. And, yes, you are correct; my blog as my authority on those claims I've now published in a book would seem to me to be a fatal case of the dumbs...

[selahV]

Peter, thanks for the linkages. Hope folks read that piece on the Mother being saved when Son preached. It's good. (not that the one announcing David Brumbelow's new blog isn't good, too.) selahV