The churches in Germany are still in the dark as to how they can stop the mass resignations and how they can get the escaped sheep back into the stable. The solution that is now being discussed is the approach of a globally operating company that tailors its offerings to the needs of consumers.
Inhalt / Content
General helplessness
The churches are clearly maintaining their attitude towards the forced flight of their members. If the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches in Germany can boast record numbers, then it is the extent of their already runaway flock.
In 2022, more than half a million more people in the Roman Catholic Church in Germany alone sought salvation outside the Curia (Info). Protestant churches shrank by around 300,000 members over the same period. Those responsible and “church experts” are responding to this mass exodus with obvious optimism and speaking of current challenges and new opportunities. But there is no recipe that could somehow stop this development.
A daring look into the future
Die Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland (EKD) The Evangelical Church in Germany and the Association of Dioceses in Germany (VDD) were now looking for solutions on a commercial level and were hoping for answers through a commissioned study. The attempt to look into the distant future using model calculations extends into the year 2060. An undertaking that, from a biblical perspective, is reminiscent of the forbidden consultation of fortune tellers, magicians and all other jugglers. In postmodernism, however, it is thrown into the common pot of science.
Economists and consultants
The Württemberg Regional Church hoped to find solutions to the shrinking membership through a conversation with an economist and his visions for revitalizing everyday church life (Info). Ultimately, the commissioned study predicted a further decline in membership by 50 percent.
The Roman Catholic Church, which is actually in a much better position when it comes to tradition than its deviant daughters, is also quite perplexed by the sobering membership numbers. After all, every church member can also be described as an equivalent of money. With an annual decline of several hundred thousand church tax payers, that’s a decent number.
A McKinsey consultant is now supposed to help
On a commercial basis, the magazine “katholisch.de” wanted to find out which measures could be effective against the loss of membership. They interviewed a management consultant from McKinsey about this (Source). As a consultant to dioceses and the German Bishops’ Conference, the McKinsey consultant already has experience in the area of ”faith”.
The extent of the mass exodus was surprising
In the interview, the consultant himself was surprised at the speed of the departures. He had foreseen such a development around 15 years ago, but the extent of this mass exodus was unexpected. The McKinsey man sees the “abuse scandal” as the driving reason for this in the Roman Catholic Church. Putting these acts, which have been committed chronically in countless dioceses, into the singular demonstrates the advisor’s diplomatic streak.
According to his estimate, around 300,000 members of both churches have fled due to secularization. Another 200,000 Catholics turned their backs on their church because of the “abuse scandal.”
Commercial solutions
His approach to solving the decline in membership in the Church of Rome is “appropriately” economical. Like any headquarters of a globally operating company with many branches, it must now be worked out what is actually relevant. This must be as little as possible because the decisions are made by the individual branches in the respective areas. The headquarters must set the goal and the branches see how best to achieve this in their individual environments. “Every globally operating company that is successful acts like this.” Currently, only the interior is being restructured by moving furniture and tearing down walls, but the roof is already ablaze.
The gospel must be conveyed anew
The McKinsey man advises re-spelling the gospel. This must also have something to say to people in the 21st century. A recent study has shown that people now have very little regard for Christian beliefs and values in their lives. It has become unimportant and they can no longer do anything with it.
Now it is time to convey the Christian message in a way that helps people today shape their lives. The message must also serve society by remaining social and humane and not being divided.
Still Christian churches?
The organizations that still call themselves Christian churches continue to spread the rumor that they stand on the foundation of the gospel. While the (former, Info) Protestant churches claim to represent the teachings of Martin Luther, the Roman Catholic Church, in all its modesty, sees itself as the embodiment of Christ and the Kingdom of God established on earth.
With such a self-portrayal one would actually have to assume that both self-preserving institutions should actually know the words of God according to the Gospel. The question arose as to whether this was ignorance or intent. Most likely both are the case.
The actual task of the churches
The commission of Jesus Christ to His followers is clear and unmistakable, according to Mark 16:15:
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.“
Nowhere in the Bible is there anything to be found that calls for proclaiming something that people want to hear. The gospel and the truths it contains are timeless. In other words, unchanging, just as God never changed and never will change Himself, His law and His promises. Revelation 14:6:
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,“
Malachi 3:6:
“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.“
Hebrews 13:8:
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.“
How else could God maintain His eternal justice if He adapted His creatures to the way they wanted? Psalm 119:142:
“Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.“
There is only one working recipe
The Roman Catholic Church had only been able to maintain the number of its members over the past centuries because of pressure, fear and sanctions. Before the Reformation, confessing Christianity and turning away from Catholicism usually meant torture and death.
The faith that is conveyed today by the pastors of the large Protestant churches only has something in common with the Gospel in isolated contexts.
It is the gospel that is the only one able to fill the empty churches with people again. But instead of conveying the power of God’s Word, pastors and priests prefer to celebrate traditions and their own worldviews, which are as dead as the assumed forecast of the next day’s weather. One can assume that the McKinsey consultant has little knowledge of the gospel. One can also speculate that otherwise he would not have become a consultant, but rather a pastor with his talent.
1 Peter 1:23:
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.“
The Word of God is unwanted
In view of the replacement religion of “preservation of creation” (Info) that has already been established, it is not the intention of these churches to spread the living word of God in its purity. Escaping these church organizations may be the first right step. However, the only correct second step would be the initiative to take the Bible into your own hands in order to experience the only living word of God.
This living word of God, the gospel, saw the coming of today and also announced it.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
Bible verses from King James Version
