Despite the most horrible, stomach-turning scandals ever in the history of the Roman Catholic Church coming to light over the past decade, our numbers are growing:
"U.S. membership has increased in the Catholic Church — the nation's largest Christian body — but the No. 2 Southern Baptist Convention, along with most mainline Protestant denominations, reported continuing decline, according to new figures released by the National Council of Churches."
Take a look at these growth numbers over the past year, comparing the home team with other Protestant sects:
The Catholic Church: 68.1 million, up 1.49 percent. [Blogger note: represents over 1 million people entering]
Southern Baptist Convention: 16.2 million, down 0.24 percent.
The United Methodist Church: 7.8 million (U.S.), down 0.98 percent
The Church of God in Christ: 5.5 million, no change.
National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc: 5 million, no change.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: 4.6 million, down 1.62 percent.
National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.: 3.5 million, no change.
Assemblies of God: 2.9 million, up 1.27 percent.
Presbyterian Church (USA): 2.8 million, down 3.3 percent. ."
The Protestant churches in the U.S. are in a very bad place right now. Many of them are establishing ideologies within their church that is strictly in contrast with God's teachings in the Bible. They try to explain this away, but their church members know. Say what you want about the Roman Catholic Church, I will bet my life of where their position will be on abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, etc.. five centuries from now.
I firmly believe this growth is a byproduct of the U.S. Bishops forcefully speaking out over the past two years on moral issues instructing their flocks.
People always get it wrong. They believe if you need numbers you soften and modify your beliefs (the Big Tent - so they say). In truth, it is the complete opposite. People respond quicker and more enthusiastically to conviction. The continuity in the bedrock teachings of our Church represent two millenniums of the greatest minds in the world and is extremely attractive to millions if it is heard unfiltered. And don't forget a little thing called the Holy Spirit as well.
"You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18)
1/21 Post Note: The Vatican has confirmed that the increasing Catholic population is not only a U.S. trend but a world trend, with an increase of +1.7% growth this year. 19 million more baptisms this year than last year.
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7 comments:
Wahoo! Thank you for finding those statistics!
I agree wholeheartedly that when one's views are unpopular, one must sacrifice them in order to appeal to more people. We have the Truth, and we will not compromise it--and despite all the political fur balls going on right now it looks like the world is responding!
If it wasn't for the millions of illegal hispanics in the US, the Catholic church would also show a decline in membership.
My guess is that in time millions of illegal immigrants will convert to protestant churches as they have been doing in Latin America.
Martinezes-
Did you know at the time of the Protestant Reformation where the Catholic Church lost large sections of Europe to Protestants, Our Lady of Guadalupe was appearing in Mexico City and set up a situation that would counter this lost at the same rate with the conversions of the Aztecs and Mexican people? It sounds like you do not have faith in God's Church, or the Holy Spirit.
My second question to you would be, if i accept you comment that Latin America is converting to Protestant Churches south of our border, wouldn't these same demographics migrate north at the same rates and show the same results in America? They apparently are not.
Martinez family, I'm confused as to what your point is. (I hope that doesn't sound snarky--I really am honestly confused.)
Are you implying that the Catholic Church's current statistics are invalid because the immigrants are illegal? But then the Protestant churches would have skewed numbers if the immigrants did convert. Anyway, since the Church owes no affiliation to government, geography (not political affiliation) would seem to be the more important factor in determining a religion's numbers.
Martinez Family, You are assuming that illegal immigrants register in the Catholic parishes, and I very much doubt that is the case.
At any rate, praise God for the good news. Julie
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