State of the Community

[Archaea]

I am aware that no community grows constantly without interruption, and growth is not necessarily an indicator of goodness or value. With that said, it would seem growth is not an indicator of wrongness or failure either. So, given the option for one or the other, I would prefer to see the Church faith community to grow exponentially, not slow to a slow walk.

For that reason, it seems a bit disconcerting to see the missionary efforts to be at a veritable standstill. Growth in the US is stagnant, for the most part and retention worldwide is abysmal. To wit, Dr. Stewart's cumorah.org.

What aspect of Church culture or community appear to be succeeding, not necessarily personally but societywide, if at all. Is the lull in performance a concern to anybody?

[MikeWaters]

Not enough data to compute.

1. Mormons have maintained market share.
2. Americans as a whole have become less Christian, less religious.
3. Unaffiliated, non-denominational Christian groups are among the fastest growing. You could argue that this is the exact opposite of Mormonism, or that this should be a group ripe to pluck from.
4. You could also argue that the huge attacks we have taken from right-wing Christians since the 1980s have had a lasting and damaging effect in terms of perception of Mormonism.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Not enough data to compute.

1. Mormons have maintained market share.
2. Americans as a whole have become less Christian, less religious.
3. Unaffiliated, non-denominational Christian groups are among the fastest growing. You could argue that this is the exact opposite of Mormonism, or that this should be a group ripe to pluck from.
4. You could also argue that the huge attacks we have taken from right-wing Christians since the 1980s have had a lasting and damaging effect in terms of perception of Mormonism.

How would you measure the impact of SeattleUte?

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Not enough data to compute.

1. Mormons have maintained market share.
2. Americans as a whole have become less Christian, less religious.
3. Unaffiliated, non-denominational Christian groups are among the fastest growing. You could argue that this is the exact opposite of Mormonism, or that this should be a group ripe to pluck from.
4. You could also argue that the huge attacks we have taken from right-wing Christians since the 1980s have had a lasting and damaging effect in terms of perception of Mormonism.

Salient observations, but have we not always endured attacks? Was there any period when our claims were not subject to attacks?

And what about correct observations such a poor retention, especially in developing regions such as South America and Africa, even lower than competing organizations?

Is the organization stronger or weaker than say in 1980?

Is the organization perceived as a better organization than it was in 1980?

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

How would you measure the impact of SeattleUte?

no blips on this radar.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Salient observations, but have we not always endured attacks? Was there any period when our claims were not subject to attacks?

And what about correct observations such a poor retention, especially in developing regions such as South America and Africa, even lower than competing organizations?

Is the organization stronger or weaker than say in 1980?

Is the organization perceived as a better organization than it was in 1980?

Seriously, I think Mormonism is being slowly assimilated, swallowed whole by the great beast we call American popular culture. It's getting harder and harder to tell it apart from other American vintage Protestant sects. This is not intended as a compliment.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Archaea

no blips on this radar.

Pearls before swine.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Pearls before swine.

Don't be so hard on yourself, we still enjoy your company.

[MikeWaters]

I don't know what is going on in Latin America.

But let me hazard a guess. We are teaching and baptizing among those that are willing to listen--which are predominately the poor and uneducated and socially unattached.

Many such people aren't really consistent about things in any domain of their lives.

Also, you convert people that are willing to experiment and change, well guess what, maybe they aren't done experimenting and changing.

Where would Mormonism have been without a gathering place, a goal, a culture?

What is the goal now? Do your hometeaching? Pay tithing?

Listen to GC and ask yourself, what here is different than what I would hear in a Baptist/Lutheran/Catholic/Evangelical church?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I am aware that no community grows constantly without interruption, and growth is not necessarily an indicator of goodness or value. With that said, it would seem growth is not an indicator of wrongness or failure either. So, given the option for one or the other, I would prefer to see the Church faith community to grow exponentially, not slow to a slow walk.

For that reason, it seems a bit disconcerting to see the missionary efforts to be at a veritable standstill. Growth in the US is stagnant, for the most part and retention worldwide is abysmal. To wit, Dr. Stewart's cumorah.org.

What aspect of Church culture or community appear to be succeeding, not necessarily personally but societywide, if at all. Is the lull in performance a concern to anybody?

Link?