Shrink, you seem to think the PCUSA and your church are impressive; BQO said the same thing about the ELCA. So, if your liberal stance is so impressive to Americans tell me why your denominations are shrinking in numbers. The PCUSA has lost a large percentage of its membership over the last couple of decades or so. Just for comparison here are some figures you can look at. Quote:
Since its organization in 1845 in Augusta, Georgia, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has grown to over 16 million members who worship in more than 42,000 churches in the United States. Southern Baptists sponsor about 5,000 home missionaries serving the United States, Canada, Guam and the Caribbean, as well as sponsoring more than 5,000 foreign missionaries in 153 nations of the world.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has approximately 2.5 million members, 11,200 congregations and 21,000 ordained ministers. Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.
ELCA
Baptized Members: 5,099,877, down 26,042 from previous year
Just from the numbers it seems the SBC has better answers than both the PCUSA and ELCA combined.
Look at the number of upper class to middle/lower class people. We have to have somewhere to go on Sunday to get away from you people.
Do me a favor, I have already done such......and can post the results if you like.
Look at the income of Southern Baptist families/churches, as compared to that of....Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists.
It is very funny....walk into a 500 member Methodist church and marvel at the huge pipe organ, the stained wood, the finished stained glass windows, the brick building, the beautiful altar and other beautiful details.
Walk into a 3000 member Baptist church and you can admire the metal building, the plain windows, the cheap commercial carpet, the "stage" for the praist band, the drumset, the kayboard, and the cheap design of the building.