Declining # of Christian Scientists?

[ChristInAll]

:eek: I read on some anti-christ scientist websites that there are a declining number of christian science believers. They claim it is as low as 100,000 when it use to be 400,000! Maybe its a psychological technique they are using to try and get me to give up Christian Science. Does anyone here think that christian science is declining or rising. We need to make sure that Mary Baker Eddy's light of the world is not "lost".

If it is delcining we really need to pray, and evangelize the message.

I also heard a rumour that the mother church is going bankrupt! :(


I am not critizing christian science...I love it and am concerned for it!

[NYCtown]

The Mother Church is not going bankrupt. We just had our Annual Meeting where the treasurer gave us the financial report. We're in good shape. You can view the webcast here:

http://www.tfccs.com/annualmeeting/

[jazzrascal]

Christian Science is alive and well! There was a time when CS was a kind of "fad," especially in Hollywood, where a lot of movie stars became interested in it. But over the years, many fell by the wayside and I think what we're seeing is an upsurge in quality rather than quantity necessarily. The churches are going through a transitional stage, too, while Christian Science online activity is growing. There are those who would like to cry doom and gloom over every branch church that closes, but I see this transitional period as a time of growth, not decline. I also think that TMC is moving in a very positive direction with its current activities.

jazzrascal

[levity]

I can also add that The Mother Church just admitted a wonderful group of new members from all around the world. And if you go here:

http://www.tfccs.com/becomingamember/

you can read testimonials from some current members that show that, regardless of our numbers, members of The Mother Church are active, vibrant, vital. In this I agree with jazzrascal: To me, it's all about the quality, not about the quantity.

[MikeDavis]

While there has been decline in numbers over the past several decades, I agree with the previous posters that there are positive signs as well.

I think that there are a few things that need to happen for us to see a dramatic increase in the numbers of Christian Scientists. For one, Mrs. Eddy relates the growth of the church to the quality and quantity of Christian Science healing. As we grow spiritually to the point of doing more outstanding healing work, the church will inevitably grow. Also, the activities of the church, including the church services, need to be kept abreast of the times and be relevant to the people of today. And I think there needs to be a growing sense of loving, caring Christian community among Christian Scientists, as well as an expanded Christian service to the communities in which there are Christian Science churches.

[JudyRae]

And I'd just like to add (certainly in the UK where only 4% of our population attend church) that for every church member, there are probably at least 20 who are studying Science and Health but who do not yet see the reason to become part of a church community.

I have met many individuals who have shared their healings as a result of studying the book, some of them Reiki and "Spiritual" healers who incorporate some of the ideas in S&H into their work. I had a long chat with one man at an exhibition and asked him if he had Science and Health and he replied "Oh yes, I base all my lectures on it" (I hope he gives Mary Baker Eddy some acknowledgement!)

At another exhibition I met a Muslim man who found that studying S&H helps him understand the spiritual meaning of the Koran better and he had driven 150 miles to attend the Christian Science lecture that was being given at the exhibition.

There are also many Christian clergymen who study the textbook as well as our Bible Lessons.

So don't get taken in by all those inaccuracies, quotes out of context, quotes from discredited old publications (rather than getting their information from the original source) and (sadly) some deliberate falsehoods that are present on some web sites. I just pray "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Christianity began with just one man. It's not about numbers.

JudyRae

[Poodlemom]

No, it's not *just* about numbers, but a church whose membership numbers are declining and new memberships are not enough to replace them is certainly faced with a problem. Jesus started with just a few followers, and then the numbers increased and increased throughout his ministry. Crowds gathered to hear him. He would not have been ministering to the people had there been no people! He didn't preach to empty fields; his "church" was actively growing; we should expect to see the same.

In my own experience, I have seen my childhood C.S. church see a significant drop-off in numbers. When I was a child, this church was a vibrant, fun, healthy place to be. There was a great tradition of out-reach among the members, both towards the community at large (we had a very active Monitor outreach group), and within the church. We all socialized a lot, and there were all ages, from elderly grandparents to a very full Sunday School. Church members really loved each other and put that into practice; we had numerous picnics on the beach (Lake Michigan), got to know each other very well, supported each other, AND had a good time together. It seems to me that the Sunday School often had visitors; I remember meeting other children who came from the local neighborhood, even though their parents didn't attend, because they saw many children walk through the doors and they decided to attend, too.

Now, that same church is down to about a dozen members, perhaps 8 or 9 active. And many of those remaining members are elderly. I myself now live hundreds of miles away and only visit once a twice a year. The people there I still consider dear friends. But there is no question it is going to be difficult to keep that church going unless something radically changes.

To me this is a problem that must be faced and *healed.* Ignoring what the declining numbers are telling us is foolish. You would not ignore a pain in your body; you would heal it. I think this situation is the same.

[mcatem]

I've lived in communities where C.S. churches have closed, but there are churches opening in Africa, and around the world at the same time. When I think about this I likw to ponder the phrase "Christian Science movement" and not be taken in by any suggestion that church is shrinking or dwindling. For what it's worth, that claim is being made in many denominations, not just C.S..

Also, I think it's important to be grateful, as others have posted, for the many students of Christian Science who don't regularly attend church. Church attendance and membership does not have the same role in society as it once did. Our local reading room has a couple of frequent visitors who love the Bible, and what they read in Science and Health, but who don't come to services. I have some neighbors who listen weekly to Sentinel Radio, and sometimes ask me about what they've heard, but they don't go to any church.

The idea that the Mother Church is going bankrupt is just as unacceptable as any claim of illness or sin would be to us individually, and needs to be addressed in our own thinking whenever it's suggested.

[dmcornett]

What a wonderful thread - giving us the opportunity to think collectively about our own contribution to church. I remember my childhood church. I was the only member of the Sunday School much of the time. Then a young man moved to town and became a member of the church. He lived a block from church and made friends with the children in the neighborhood. As the parents learned what a wonderful guy he was, they began to trust his advice that the children attend Sunday School.

For a few years, our Sunday School grew. It was wonderful. Then this dear man moved and went to bless the next church he was a member of. Unfortunately, our membership had not followed his example but had simply let him do it all. So, when he left, all of the neighborhood children did too. It took me until I was almost 20 to learn that all of us could be a member like he was. We could invite children and adults to church. We could share C.S. in a vibrant way that showed it was more than our church; it was truly our life.

I realized that I had to live my C.S. in a very public way. Then when I was 23, I had a very dramatic healing that so blessed my life that my gratitude grew into a commitment. I knew that I had something that went beyond all human reason and all human help, and I couldn't keep that to myself.

When we all become deeply inspired by how amazing C.S. is, we will feel devoted to sharing it. Our churches will grow in proportion to how many of us are sharing what we have. Yes, healing has to be a big part of this, but not everyone feels they can take cases. It's not entirely about how good we are at demonstrating C.S. that grows a church. It's about how much we love God and His Science. That love and sincerity will speak louder than our words, and we will attract those that are seeking.

This is why the smallest child is valuable to church just as much as the most seasoned members. Whoever is willing to tell others that they are a Christian Scientist and that they absolutely love it, will help our churches grow.

Obviously our service to church is so important. Vibrant churches are very active with their Reading Rooms, lectures, Sunday Schools, etc. But those tiny little churches that are now starting to grow have members that have come alive with the love of God, Christ, and Christian Science, and they are sharing it with others.

We don't have to be perfect. We don't have to have big personalities, a lot of money, or lots members. We just have to be sincere and willing to share.

Romans 1:16 KJV "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; ...."

[Poodlemom]

This article was in the Washington Post today.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/07/AR2008060700924.html?hpid=sec-religion

It's talking about the declining numbers of members in American churches generally and in one local Baptist church particularly. I found it especially interesting as my grandmother had been a member of a Northern Baptist church before she came into Christian Science (at a time when Mrs. Eddy was still alive, early 1900's). She always spoke fondly of her Baptist friends from Sunday School and remained friends with many of them throughout her life.

The article talks about a name change for this particular church. And I thought about the name of our church. Almost all of us refer to our church as our local "Christian Science" church, but the real name is (fill in number...) "... Church of Christ, Scientist." That "Church of Christ" part is just as important as the "Scientist" part. There are those who believe that we are not really a Christian religion. But we are, indeed, a Church of Christ. I think about that and point it out sometimes in response to those who wonder if we're truly Christian.

[Poodlemom]

Another idea about church - I wonder if anyone posting here also prays about the concept of "church" more generally? Not just for our Churches of Christ, Scientist, but regarding the role of churches in society. Churches have been in the news a lot with the recent political campaign and the unfortunate racist and sexist remarks made by the pastor and a visiting priest at Barack Obama's church. And on the more conservative side, we see many of the evangelical churches also taking political stands. When all that was making headlines, I was grateful again that as Christian Scientists, we don't have individual pastors making their political opinions known from the pulpit.

Our definition of church includes "that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race..."

I wonder if part of the reason for the drop-off in numbers of members of mainstream churches generally is that they have NOT been sufficiently "affording proof of their utility" but instead have been trying to influence the political behavior of their members? I'm glad that at least we don't have that issue, that our Readers don't try to tell the congregation how they should vote!

It has led me to include in my prayers, though, the more general concept of church. Not to pray for any one church particularly, because that would be an invasion of its privacy, but for the concept, that churches could be led to "afford proof of their utility" and to be found "elevating the race," regardless of the particular denomination.

[Laughingwolf]

Poodlemom (and anyone interested),

There are a few books that I can recommend that address the problem of what seems to be a decline in numbers in mainstream churches:

Chasing Down A Rumor: the Death of Mainline Denominations by Robert Bacher and Kenneth Inskeep (both are Lutherans but address the issue of all denominations)
Mainline to the Future: Congregations for the 21st Century by Jackson W. Carroll (a professor at Duke University; addresses the "decline" and what churches might look like in the 21st century)

Both of these books are good and insightful. While we might wonder why there might be decline in a particular denomination, in my opinion, we should remember that this sociological "phenomenon" is more widespread, as has been stated.

[Jael]

Our definition of church includes "that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race..."

I wonder if part of the reason for the drop-off in numbers of members of mainstream churches generally is that they have NOT been sufficiently "affording proof of their utility" but instead have been trying to influence the political behavior of their members? I'm glad that at least we don't have that issue, that our Readers don't try to tell the congregation how they should vote!

Poodlemom:

I think what you witnessed on TV with Barak Obama is the exception and not the rule in terms of what comes out of the pulpit in mainstream churches. I know that within my own church, the ministers would never tell anyone how to vote. In doing so, they run the risk of alienating the congregation and losing members. Most smart ministers are not about to do so since maintaining membership in their congregations is so important to the long term vitality of the individual church.

Jael

[LoraHoward]

Here's another slant on the original question.
In Africa and South America, for example, CS is growing. It is growing in numbers of people and in numbers of spectacular healings, lots of them, and, from articles I have read, people are on fire to practice.
This says to me, as DMCornett pointed out, it is the approach--the attitude of gratitude and spiritual love--that gives life and brings members.

Now, I'm definitely not saying i have this attitude, nor am I intentionally being politically incorrect. Here's the question: Have many CS'ers, perhaps particularly those multi-generational ones who simply"inherited" their religion, as happens in all denominations, "lost their first love" ?

Again, I am not trying to incite a riot here! And yes, I know there are many exceptions to what I said about the "simply inheriting" members. It just seems to me that a tremendous need inspires tremendous growth in CS.
I would be interested in your viewpoints.

Sincerely,
Lora

[Andre Mincho]

As the Fouder of the Church, Jesus relied on scientific laws regarding God and human being. Resistance to material world and its influence upon human nature is always better in a community that sustains and multiplies individual strength. By living God's life, raising humanity to Oneness with God, by overcoming fear of the world to the point of accepting material death on the cross, Jesus laid the foundation of the Church for any individual and for the community that might follow Him.
Facing the world from material perspective, consciousness always finds contradictions and destructive forces which can be overcome by accepting spiritual perspective. The notion of Spirit is not innate to human nature. Spirit is a characteristic of God and can appear in relationship to God only. Starting from simple faith in God's power and existence, humanity must realize its basis in Christ, in Oneness of Spirit, and find its source in infinite expression of God.
From childish questions about the nature of God, of Christ, our consciousness goes toward scientific Christianity. The Curch offers support for all stages of conscious development. Differentiation within the Church depends upon local conditions and demands for Spirit in relationship to needs and stages of conscious development. We should not split the Church -the gift and work of Christ, from different identical perspectives, but see it as a whole toward realization and manifestation of Christ.
Christian Science is not a peculiar hermetic teaching belonging to one person or just a few. It is the mathematics of God and Divine Order, which we call Divine Mind. It should not be reduced to science of healing, or confined to conditions of disease. The notion of heaing implies the notion of sickness, which is alien to Spirit and Divine Mind. Healing is the result of application of Spiritual Oneness and its laws toward conditions of mind that assume reality of pathological phenomena. In Christian Science we emphasize wholeness of Spirit and unreality of mind based on evidence of material senses. We come from full Christianity toward specific phenomena of human condition, but should not reduce the Church or Christ to those phenomena.
It is the task of any person practicing Christianity to put emphasis on Christ, the Truth in human nature. Personal effort becomes the source of energy and growth for the whole church. Christian Science in a form Mary Baker Eddy has given us is a foundation of spiriual perspective for those Christians who want to bring the message of Divine Mind and Spirit into the world where the Truth has been lost. Christian Science is Christian to the core. It does not contradict any other messianic work of Jesus Christ, such as giving commandments of New Testament, salvation of the world, or showing the Kingdom of God. The reason it has developed into a separate Christian denomination is that practice of Spiritual healig requires life-time devotion, discipline and diligent study.
Christian Science is essential in developing the notion of God and in understanding the human nature. It does not replace other religious approaches toward God, but serves its complimentary role toward realization of the Truth. Christian Scientists do not form a sect, but create a communion for those who practice Christianity in a way of Holy Spirit. Confronting perception of disharmony with scientific knowledge of Truth, those who identify themselves as Christian Scientists, bring healing to the world and show the way of Christ where it cannot be found due to ignorance and false beliefs. Scientific Christianity fulfills its mission as Allness of the Christ and the Church.
Jesus has laid a firm foundation in the world by following God. His message cannot be lost, rather the world will disappear. The Church of Christ Scientist grows according to our personal demands for Christ, Spirit, God and Truth in our world.

[MikeDavis]

I recall reading an article a while back that was giving its perspective on the current state (at that time) of the Christian Science movement. Among other things, the author of the article said that the Christian Science Church "has had trouble holding its young people." And I've also read claims that currently only about a third of children raised in Christian Science tend to stay with it as adults. (I have no idea how people came up with that statistic, but that's what they said.)

Over the years I've known a number of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), and one cannot be around Mormons much without becoming very aware that their church includes a huge number of committed young people as members. There could well be any number of reasons for this, but one thing I've noticed is that Mormons tend to have strong convictions that their religion has cosmic significance and that their founder and church have a highly significant connection to the whole of the history of the Christian Church.

I think that such convictions of "cosmic significance" and connection to Christian history are also inherent in the claims Mrs. Eddy makes for Christian Science, and the evidence is overwhelming that large numbers of Christian Scientists in Mrs. Eddy's time, including young Christian Scientists, strongly held these convictions regarding it. Of course, this was for them not only a matter of faith, but also involved the actual experience of striking healings of physical conditions through prayer.

One thing I've noticed in more recent times is a tendency among some Christian Scientists to kind of "downplay" the significance of Christian Science and particularly the Christian Science Church. From this point of view, Christian Scientists are seen as a small group of people who are never likely to have very many members, but they can have the opportunity (while possibly gradually dying out) to do some leavening here and there in the arena of other faiths, world religions, the medical profession, etc. This is so far removed from how Christian Scientists, young and old, conceived of it in Mrs. Eddy's time. (Note: I am not claiming that all Christian Scientists feel this way today, but it is something I feel that I've definitely noticed.)

[cybercrone]

Having been raised in CS, then fleeing the church as fast as my legs could carry me as soon as I was able, I see this discussion as being of vital importance.

It has taken me 45 years to decide to come back and try it again. Forty-five years to decide that the attitudes and practises of other church members shouldn't affect how I view the actual teaching. What a waste of time . . .

dmcornett and poodlemom brought up some very good points.

You know, in my travels I have found that the attitude of the members is so important to growth. Recently I attended churches in another country I was travelling in. One church in one city had only maybe a dozen and a half attendees. They invited me to a potluck lunch they were having afterward, and it became quite obvious why their church was failing - all they did was deplore the crime in the city, detail their recent illnesses and generally grouse about life. But at the same time they exhibited the same self-satisfied and "aren't we special" attitude that I so well remember from my childhood. I couldn't leave fast enough - and I'm sure that would go for any visitor or inquirer that happened by.
Another city had a church that was vibrant and growing. They sent busses into the nearby poorer neighbourhoods to bring anyone, but especially children, to services - and the busses were full! THAT was a church worth going to. The attitude and atmosphere was diametrically opposed to the first church's.
I think what's recently brought this home to me even more is seeing the wonderful teen activities and website. The teen years are particularly hard ones to feel as if you're the only teen on earth in a particular group, and that sense of sharing and community that the teens can gain is invaluable.
But the most important thing I've discovered recently is the enthusiasm that was a mark of new converts to CS in MBE's time. I've just read the testimonies at the back of Misc Writings, and they are *so* different from anything I'd seen before. If you haven't read those, give them a go - they're so wonderful and inspiring. Simple folk who couldn't afford to buy their own S&H, borrowing, sharing, working extra to get it, and healing others before they were finished their first read through.
If we want to grow, that's the attitude we need - to fully express the joy that finding truth and love can bring.
Whether your particular church grows is mainly up to YOU!
I know I have presented some perhaps unloving portraits of churches here, but if the problem isn't acknowledged it will never change. I'm working hard on my own healing to be able to attend church again, especially as I'm back in the city where my attendance stopped, and I trust that this will eventually
give way as I more fully understand and see the truth of all mankind, but it's a hard one, fer shure!

[JudyRae]

Hi Cybercrone!

What a wonderful, inspiring post – thank you! I hope thousands of church members read this post and feel as encouraged as I do.

I too drifted away in my early twenties, but came back sooner than you did!

Re. the problem of joining a church that doesn’t inspire you – I went to a Billy Graham meeting years ago when he was touring the UK. I can’t remember anything that he said except one thing that I’ve never forgotten and that is that if you feel you don’t want to join a church because they’re all too old/boring/uninspired/hypocritical etc etc, rather than standing on the outside throwing stones, join up and help bring change from the inside.

The other thing I’ve found helps is to ask myself “What can I do for church?” rather than the other way around.

JudyRae

[cybercrone]

Judy:

That's exactly the point, I think. If we truly believe that CS is a worthwhile "lifestyle" then I think we have to fully participate and make sure that the organisation and presentation is loving and true to our best understanding of Truth.

We also have to be not so shy about speaking up and out about what we have to offer.

We can only do those things by being there and by working for the good of the community.