942 Changed Lives
Two stats that I've been thinking about today...
- Depressing: In the article I cited a couple of days ago, it was reported that the United Methodist church lost 34,000 members between 2004 and 2005. Our own conference (North Indiana) fell below 100,000 members for the first time in 2004. That was a 1.9% decrease--the largest decrease of the previous 10 years.
- Encouraging: In 2006 at Granger Community Church, we saw 942 adults and students make a public decision to follow Christ for the first time.
I've decided to focus on stat #2. People may be better parents or have better marriages or get a handle on their finances as a result of coming to church. That's all fine and good. But it's only the revolutionary love of Jesus that can change a person's life in a real, substantial way. And it continues to happen in Granger, Indiana. Wahoo!