An extended comment

This started as a comment to another's blog but I felt I would rather give it its own place here:


The concept in question is that 'the glory days of the institutional church are over.'
In general, agreed, if by "glory days" we mean "lots of people show up, but a lot of them attend only because they're expected to, not because they really mean it or because they're trying to live as Christians in the day-to-day." Personally, I'd rather have 100 sincere Christians than 1000 just trying to be seen. But...

I'm not sure it's entirely fair to call them "THE" glory days of "THE" institutional church.

The church as an institution has been through many life cycles and always reinvented itself. The circuit-riders of the early-19th century Methodists were an institution. So were the camp meetings of the great revivals. The monasteries of 8th century Ireland. The town churches of reformation-era Holland. The missions of 17th century New Spain. The underground house churches of the 1st century AD. Etc. Etc. Etc. All of these had their glory days, and then evolved - or faded.

It may be more accurate to speak of "SOME" glory days of "OUR" institutional church. It doesn't ring as well in the ears, but it may be more accurate.

As Jan said in church on Sunday, "Jesus will always have a church."

The true glory days of the institutional church are still in the future: the church will become one with the Kingdom of Heaven. No other institution will be necessary.