At least according to an article in the Christian Science Monitor. Some reasons:

  • So many people joined “evangelical” churches because of cultural issues that are fading as issues, but now they find they don’t know the Gospel.
  • Because of the lack of focus on tradition and only surface-deep roots (the veritable seeds scattered on the path) adults find they have nothing to pass down to their kids.
  • The only evangelical churches that are healthy are the mega-churches. There’s no mission work because there’s no mission to speak of.
  • The evangelical education system is an echo-chamber and doesn’t equip children to resist secular society.
  • What evangelical churches have labeled as “good” is increasingly seen as “bad” by a secular society.
  • The people funding the mega-churches aren’t going to be able to continue doing so as their own money disappears.

Of course a focus on strong Biblical traditions, including historic liturgy and hymnody, will be able to survive this coming clash because it’s not as reliant on cultural trends to survive. It takes strength from the truth of the Gospel (which we’re encouraged to continually study) and takes the attitude that even if you take away goods, fame, child and wife (thank you, Dr. Luther) this is all just a minor inconvenience on our way to the great reward, which is only possible through a faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

So we got that going for us.