Not forsaking the assembling  of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10:25

I was visiting another Elder's blog (www.jeremysarber.com) this morning while catching up with email and reading the morning news over coffee. On his blog was a story about some "Startling Church Statistics" in the United States. The stats are startling indeed, and show a great decline in the spirituality of our nation.

Here are the stats:

• Every year more than 4000 churches close their doors compared to just over 1000 new church starts!
• Every year, 2.7 million church members fall into inactivity.
• From 1990 to 2000, the combined membership of all Protestant denominations in the USA declined by almost 5 million members (9.5 percent), while the US population increased by 24 million (11 percent).
• At the turn of the last century (1900), there was a ratio of 27 churches per 10,000 people, as compared to the close of this century (2000) where we have 11 churches per 10,000 people in America!
• Given the declining numbers and closures of Churches as compared to new church starts, there should have been over 38,000 new churches commissioned to keep up with the population growth.
• The United States now ranks third (3rd) following China and India in the number of people who are not professing Christians.
• Half of all churches in the US did not add any new members to their ranks in the last two years.

Of course, these stats refer to Christianity in general, not exclusively to the Primitive Baptists. But, this can be used as a gauge by which to measure America's interest in God. By these stats we conclude that there may be rough waters ahead!

As a historical note, many auxiliaries were added to Christianity and Baptists in particular during the 19th Century. Primitive Baptists withstood these changes. Most orders embraced them under the assumption that these new programs were sure to increase their numbers. While the machinery of these auxiliaries did keep many church-goers busy, they proved powerless to grow churches. If anything, these inventions contributed to the weakened spirituality of the participants.

So, what will fix the problem?

One word: REPENTANCE. I am convinced that churches only grow when the members are excited about God and His Grace (ie, His true Gospel). I am also convinced that we will not be excited about God and His Grace when we spend no time in prayer and His Book. Entertainment (both inside and outside of church) coupled with the love of money have crippled America. Her irresponsibility will be her undoing. America needs repentance (from sin, false gospels, etc).

In Romans 10, Paul reminded the Romans that repentance is something "nigh unto them." Speaking of the temporal deliverance of Israel and Quoting Deuteronomy 30, he instructs them that the solution to this problem is not found by traveling into heaven or descending into the deep in search for some hidden command. No, the commandment is "nigh." It simply takes someone being moved to repentance by faith in Jesus Christ.

Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. - 2 Timothy 2:19