Starting a New Church in Europe is Hard

All of us who follow such stuff know church membership in Europe has been falling for decades. It was interesting to read there are still people trying to start new churches there. The link is about a father/son team trying to start a church in the tiny country of Lichenstein. They are certain God wanted them to do this but it sounds like they will abandon the idea at the end of this year.

The team says less than one in ten people in their small city attend a church each Sunday. About 3/4 identify as Catholic. There are several small Protestant churches but most of the people the pastors call on have little to no interest in the topics of religion. On the one hand, the pastors restate to old mantra one hears constantly, "There is a longing that only the faith can fulfill." On the other hand they admit people there just do not turn to religion during difficult times. 

While chest beating Christians often point to falling numbers in liberal churches, I've always thought to only hope for the faith lies in a church's social life and how it enhances careers. Some of the efforts to start churches in Europe stress this very thing. According to one preacher a church there needs to be pleasant to attend, provide and avenue to make new friends and have some positive role in the broader local community. It is not far from the social gospel. It doesn't make any sense to proclaim "the truth" is that someone was dead and came back to life or that there is a heaven and hell when it obviously is not true.

Perhaps it is not unrealistic to see a U.S. in a decade become a mirror of Europe today. In Europe, a majority poll not to believe there is a God. Only one in ten attends a church. In the U.S. nones and atheists continue to grow. Today's teens are non believers by large majorities. Europe, here we come.