The following are stats shared by Adam Hamilton on his blog @ http://adamhamilton.cor.org/2009/02/12/in-44-years-us-umc-to-be-no-more/
In a blog entitled “In 44 Years The United States UMC to be No More”
The latest statistics for the United Methodist Church in the United States show that average worship attendance declined from 2006 to 2007 by 73,323. If our worship attendance were to continue to decline at this rate, there would be no one left in our churches in 44 years.
A few more stats: From 2001 to 2007 worship attendance declined by 8.5%, membership by 4.4%, professions of faith by 18% and UMW membership by 17%. At the current rate of decline for United Methodist Women there will be no women left in the UMW in 14 years! But a more disturbing sign of future trends is that the number of confirmands declined by 21% over that same period of time. One bright spot for 2007 was that church school attendance rose by 4,000 in 2007, after declining by a total of 256,000 between 2001 and 2006.
I believe that we have the best position or platform of any denomination today to reach this World, this Generation for Jesus Christ. Bishop Scott Jones has a book entitled “The Extreme Center” that you may want to purchase and read for a good understanding of where he sees United Methodist Doctrine.
I believe that our problem is that people have forgotten to put God first. This World is very fast paced and everybody has a lot to do and very little free time. We have work, sports, exercise, school, school activities, vacations, camping, hunting…………………………………………………………………………
The question is “Where is God in all of this? Which comes first in your world? God or ????
Ronnie