The Average Sunday Attendance at ACNA churches has increased 16% over 5 years (2009-2014).
The Average Sunday Attendance at Anglican Church of Canada churches has decreased by 12.5% over 6 years (2001-2007). The ASA at TEC churches decreased 6% over 3 years (2009-2012)
Is there a message here? Yes.
Will the ACoC and TEC listen to it – they keep telling us they love to listen? No.
You know the definition of insanity. Churches that keep bending toward the culture somehow expect a different result each time.
Yes. And Step One of AA is:
“Only a Higher Power,[whom I chose to call Jesus], can restore me to my sanity.” A step that can apply to all walks and circumstances of life. That’s what these fellows need, a Twelve Step program! But first they have to admit they are insane, and second that they need God to restore them.
Maybe they (the AcoC and TEc) should try listening to God instead of society for a change. Perhaps that would work a bit better.
Are there any comparable figures for the Romans and churches that do not bend with the culture? They might be enlightening.
I believe the the TEC and ACoC are going nowhere fast but states like this can be a little deceiving . You can have 20 people in a church and have one new member and you have had an almost 6% increase and you can have a church with a 1000 people and loose 60 people and also be 6%. None the less the TEC and ACoC have both lost their way.
Your point statistically is quite correct. That is why raw numbers are often needed put things into perspective. However, given the circumstances I suspect the increase in ACNA numbers is on a reasonably large base. On the other hand, as the ACoC gets smaller the numbers leaving, or passing away, will have a greater proportional impact.
By the way, the word is “lose” not “loose”.
I looked at the first link and noticed something interesting. ASA as a percentage of membership. For ACNA it is 71.5%, for TEc it is only 33.8%.