The study was conducted by a multi-faith coalition hosted by the Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research in Hartford, Conn. Institute Director David Roozen sees a "slow downward trickle" in measures of "spiritual vitality" such as participation in devotional practices, church attendance and satisfaction with the quality of worship.
The congregations that do well, Roozen says, are participatory, involve lay leadership, and have a "strong, clear sense of their purpose."
And drums. Churches with contemporary worship music grew while those with traditional music stalled.
My church has a traditional service Sunday mornings and a contemporary service Saturday evenings. I've been advocating a switch to 8:30 a.m. traditional and 11 a.m. contemporary services on Sunday. Maybe a Saturday evening service if they wish. But since survival and growth of the church is dependent on attracting enough young people, churches have to provide attractive bonuses--like music with drums--to get them to come.
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