I like to go to different churches. I attended a church in the small town I lived in the last 14 years I lived in Colorado. I have another one on the outskirts of Denver where I attend when I am visiting the kids. There’s my grandma’s little one room church that I have attended several times since coming to West Virginia in October 2014. I went to one church here where they spoke in tongues, which was interesting from a sociological standpoint but did nothing for me faith wise. I’ve attended a Baptist church many times and, while it is more contemporary with a praise team, it is not nearly the same as that Denver church that I love.

A couple friends on Facebook have posted things about a local church that has really come alive and I’ve been meaning to check it out. This past Sunday, I thought I was going to my usual church when, just two blocks before it, I got this big nudge with the reminder of the other church so I drove on past. And I have to say…it had that same alive feeling the Denver church had.

There was a lovely lady seated beside me and she told me she had recently started coming to this church because hers was dying. She said at the most they would have 40 people on a Sunday…and no children. This church was growing. They had almost doubled in a year. They were campaigning to buy more chairs. My grandma’s church has 14 on a REALLY good day.

So, why are some churches thriving and others are dying on the vine? Well, I don’t know numbers and I have nothing scientific to base this on, but I would say if a church isn’t jam packed with young people, it’s not going to be around forever. The churches being led by millennials to thirty-somethings have come to realize, they have to think the way adolescents do. They have to speak in a language adolescents are going to understand. If you are lucky enough to find one of these churches, go! They feel so good inside. They’re on fire! If your church is dying, take a delegation and go on a field trip to a big church with lots of kids. See what they’re doing and how they’re doing it.

It was pretty awesome.

❤️

“not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:25 NIV