North Heights Lutheran Church in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, once among the mega church stars of Lutheranism with nearly 4,000 in attendance, nearly 10,000 members, and some 8 sites, has entered a period of decline with turmoil among leaders. Their Senior Pastor,
Morris George Cornell Vaagenes, was an ELCA clergy who led them through much of their peak years (starting in 1961). He also directed their foray into the Charismatic Movement and published a number of books about Charismatic Renewal. It was always a bit of an odd duck among the ELCA congregations with its emphasis on the Spirit and its association with Charismatic Renewal. In fact, when they left the ELCA they did not join any Lutheran jurisdiction but are only affiliated with the Alliance of Renewal Congregations.
You can read about it all here. . .
One of their staff pastors and the one listed as Interim Leader, has spoken about the 70 life span of a congregation and the prospect of being reborn. This is a hopeful spin on a story filled with disappointment, pain, and bitterness. The point here is ampilifed by the fact that, typical of mega churches, this is an independent congregation and there is no real denominational leadership to assist them in their strife. Now they are down to some 1,300 - 1,600 in attendance (depends on who is reporting) and have laid off the majority of their paid staff, closed satellites, and hunkered down to figure out if this parish has a future and what kind of future that might be. . .
They are advertising for a Senior Pastor so some of you might apply?!?
4 comments:
I read the article and clicked on the links: typical tale of libtard control freaks who would rather see a church die than give up power. Then again, that church died when they began to consider the appropriateness of a priestess, so perhaps it's just a back-door revival.
I have been in an LCMS church whose membership declined over the years to about 20 average worshipers at Sunday service. Only two young families, and the rest are seniors. I do not think the church is really doing anything wrong, and holds to the Lutheran doctrines as well as any, but some believers in contemporary America seem to gravitate to bigger churches, other denominations, and sadly, many have fallen away from the faith.
It's demographics, folks, but bigger is not always better.
@TB: ...and smaller isn't always more sanctified. People want community, and that is a reasonable expectation.
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