Evangelizing “Ignostics”

What is an “Ignostic”?

• Ignosticism: A term coined by Rabbi Sherwin Wine

• A theological position that there is no way to have a coherent thought of God.

• Every theological position (including agnosticism) assumes too much about the concept of God.

What is an “Ignostic”?

• “a person with no church memory”

(George Hunter III, How to Reach Secular People, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1992, p. 41)

Some Characteristics of an “Ignostic”

Canada: A growing nation of Ignostics?

• 19% of all Canadians (ages 15 and older) reported no religious affiliation in 2004 survey

• “50% of Canadians aged 15 to 29 and almost 60% of all British Columbians either had no religious affiliation or did not attend any religious services.”

– “Who’s religious?” by Warren Clark and Grant Schellenberg in Canadian Social Trends Summer 2006 Statistics Canada pages 2-9.

How well are you connecting to your community … to Ignostics?

177 195 200 193 187

8886 84 84 83

3939 40 42 41

1514 12 11 131310 10 10 7

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

0 to 200 201 to400 401 to 600 601 to 800 801 and more

Average # of baptized in LCC Congregations

• Since 1987, the average baptized membership of LCC congregations has decreased from 263 to 230. This is a 12% decline.

The percentage change shown above is an annual rate of change. It is not the difference between the years shown.

1987 1992 1997 2002 20070 to 200 177 195 200 193 187201 to400 88 86 84 84 83401 to 600 39 39 40 42 41601 to 800 15 14 12 11 13801 and more 13 10 10 10 7Total Congregations 332 344 346 340 331

0 to 200 53% 57% 58% 57% 56%201 to400 27% 25% 24% 25% 25%401 to 600 12% 11% 12% 12% 12%601 to 800 5% 4% 3% 3% 4%801 and more 4% 3% 3% 3% 2%Total Congregations 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Average baptized membershipAverage Baptized 263 242 236 237 230

Average # of communicants in LCC Congregations

• Since 1987, the average communicant membership of LCC congregations has decreased from 193 to 171. This is a 12% decline.

The percentage change shown above is an annual rate of change. It is not the difference between the years shown.

1987 1992 1997 2002 20070 to 200 213 234 237 232 233201 to400 83 74 78 76 71401 to 600 22 25 21 22 17601 to 800 6 5 4 3 4801 and more 6 4 4 6 4total 330 342 344 339 329

0 to 200 65% 68% 69% 68% 71%201 to400 25% 22% 23% 22% 22%401 to 600 7% 7% 6% 6% 5%601 to 800 2% 1% 1% 1% 1%801 and more 2% 1% 1% 2% 1%Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Average communicant membershipAverage 193 178 173 177 171

213 234 237 232 233

8374 78 76 71

2225 21 22 17

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Cong

regatio

ns

0 to 200 201 to400 401 to 600 601 to 800 801 and more

Average Sunday Attendance in LCC Congregations

• Since 1987, Sunday worship attendance has dropped from 92 to 78.

• In 2007, 41% of our congregations had less than 50 people in Sunday worship.

1987 1992 1997 2002 20070 to 50 119 123 132 136 13451 to100 100 117 111 109 111101 to 150 48 50 49 45 40151 to 200 38 34 34 34 25200 and more 27 20 19 17 16Total 332 344 345 341 326

0 to 50 36% 36% 38% 40% 41%51 to100 30% 34% 32% 32% 34%101 to 150 14% 15% 14% 13% 12%151 to 200 11% 10% 10% 10% 8%200 and more 8% 6% 6% 5% 5%Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Average worship attendanceAverage 92 84 83 83 78

119 123 132 136 134

100 117 111 109 111

4850 49 45 40

3834 34 34 25

2720 19 17

16

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Cong

regatio

ns

0 to 50 51 to100 101 to 150 151 to 200 200 and more

Average Attendance in ABC District Congregations

• On an average Sunday in 2007 41% of congregations in the ABC District had a worship attendance of less than 50 people.

1987 1992 1997 2002 20070 to 50 55 47 53 57 5351 to100 40 49 43 42 43101 to 150 16 18 19 13 11151 to 200 15 14 12 15 13200 and more 12 8 9 10 9total 138 136 136 137 129

0 to 50 40% 35% 39% 42% 41%51 to100 29% 36% 32% 31% 33%101 to 150 12% 13% 14% 9% 9%151 to 200 11% 10% 9% 11% 10%200 and more 9% 6% 7% 7% 7%total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Average 90 87 85 85 85

55 47 53 57 53

40 49 43 42 43

16 18 19 13 11

15 14 12 1513

12 8 9 109

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1987 1992 1997 2002 2007

Cong

regatio

ns

0 to 50 51 to100 101 to 150 151 to 200 200 and more

# of adults confirmed or baptized in LCC congregations

• In 2007 56% of LCC congregations had no (or only one) adult baptism or confirmation.

1987 1992 1997 2002 20070 49 60 62 67 1271 34 63 102 64 532 58 63 55 73 633 61 55 48 56 324 35 37 34 21 195 36 26 15 14 126 20 14 10 10 77 or more 36 21 19 29 11Total 329 339 345 334 324

0 15% 18% 18% 20% 39%1 10% 19% 30% 19% 16%2 18% 19% 16% 22% 19%3 19% 16% 14% 17% 10%4 11% 11% 10% 6% 6%5 11% 8% 4% 4% 4%6 6% 4% 3% 3% 2%7 or more 11% 6% 6% 9% 3%Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

15% 18% 18% 20%

39%10%19%

30%19%

16%

18%

19%

16%22%

19%

19%

16%14% 17%

10%

11%

11%10% 6%

6%

11%

8%4%

4%4%

6%4%11% 6% 6% 9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1987 1992 1997 2002 2007

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 or more

Mission Models in ContextCultural Insiders vs. Cultural

OutsidersC

hurch

ed

Pre-Church

Post-Church

Mission Models in ContextCultural Insiders vs. Cultural

OutsidersC

hurch

ed

Pre-Church

Post-Church

How Do We Connect with the Lost

• Dechurched Attractional

• Unchurched Incarnational

LCC Report on Mission Strategy for the 21st Century

• Many members and leaders of our church today show a great fear of the church’s dying. The question in their hearts is, “How will Lutheran Church – Canada survive?” That is a meaningless question because Christ does not expect the church to find its own way to live. Its life is already captured in Christ. The only question remaining is how will she die?” (From Convention Workbook, LCC, page G-24)

• Here is the challenge for the 21st century: will the church be courageous enough to use every resource that God has given her to ensure that others will live with him forever? Will the church engage the world in such a sacrificial manner that the unbelieving world will look upon its dying and say, ‘This truly is the Bride of the Son of God!’

• If the church is about the Father’s business, He will surely not let allow its witness to disappear from the earth. The carpet may be shabby, the organ out of tune, the windows plain, the spire not very high, but the heart of the church will shine with love and mercy. Those who view its sacrifice of love will praise the God of its creation. Those who will come to faith will join with the dying church to offer their voices to those of the angels in praise to God for having made His church such a glorious gift. So may it be!

– From Convention Workbook, “A Mission Plan for the Twenty First Century” LCC 6th Convention,

Kitchener, June 6-10, 2002, page G-24.

What do we need to do to sow God’s Word to ignostics?

“Front to Back”

“…work produced by love, labour prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” -- 1 Thessalonians 1:3

“Inside Out”• Being intentionally outward focused

(salt, light, ambassadors, and witnesses).

• Being discipleship focused (i.e. making disciples NOT gaining members).

• Being pastor-focused/leader focused (turning pastors/lay leaders into missional leaders).

“Upside Down”

The RevitalizationProcess

Church ConsultationIncluding readiness survey and

interviews

Learning Communities

Coaching

An Envisioning Process