Northwest SD Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "How Many Shrinker Churches in the Syn Conference W...":
It is always interesting to see things like this. In the world the church is always struggling but never succumbing. The church is a bent reed that will not break and smoldering wick that will not be snuffed out. These are the churches that build upon Christ as the Rock. Many are having economic troubles but if the Church is trusting in the Word of God it will make it through. My church is a perfect example as we will likely sell the current church that is rundown and move to a smaller location or merge with another congregation. God has kept us here by his grace.
But what about those who build on sand like The SORE and others. I do not know where Glende and Ski ever thought that people were going to come and watch their movie when they can go to the one at the non denom movie theater down the road. Even worse they could go to Lakewood in Dallas. Before we know it, Ski and Glende will be heading there too.
The people who go to Church are those who want to go and receive the Word and the Sacrament. In this society we do not have that many who do this on Sundays. I do believe many people want Word and Sacrament they just have not had anyone explain the Word and Sacrament explained the way God explains it in the Bible to them. If people want to go to a movie they will go to one and not to one with the people at the church hosting it. Church is Church and not a movie. The only way a church succeeds is by being a church and not a wet nurse for felt needs. If building size mattered then the churches who change would be succeeding and they clearly aren't.
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GJ - As Luther wrote, and Walther quoted at the end of Law and Gospel, orthodoxy produces fruit. Faithfulness is success. Although we all fall victim to thinking about material gains, God will provide and He will accomplish His will through the Word.
