It's very difficult for an established church to change it's approach without making a lot of folks mad and losing them.
That was a direct hit to the nail head.
Thanks, but unfortunately, that was the voice of a lot of sad experience speaking.
I know of 2 churches right now that have made a conscious decision to remain exactly as they are because that is what the leadership wants. One of them will very likely survive and continue to be about the same size for years to come. The demographics of their neighborhood will likely allow them to keep on doing what they are doing, and I'm not saying that's a bad thing. They will reach people that would be totally turned off by a contemporary service.
The other one looks to me to be doomed. It's an elderly congregation and I think everyone of them understands that not too many years in the future their doors will be closed for good. They would rather face that than to change. I can't agree with that decision, but I suppose it's none of my business.
All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
