Why Churches are Losing Influence - Lester L Grabbe - June 1971

Lester L Grabbe

Churchgoers and pastors alike admit that traditional religion is on the skids. In an age of insecurity and few moral guidelines, the churches' failure to provide spiritual leadership has been a crushing blow to Western society. "We churchmen are gifted at changing wine into water - watering down religion," Yale's Chaplain William S. Coffin, Jr., has been quoted as saying. Never has church attendance been so high and church influence so low. Only a few smaller denominations - who still vigorously practice their beliefs - are holding the allegiance of their membership. But most churches are hollow religious shells. And the problem is not limited to the United States. The Archbishop of Canterbury has said: "The churches aren't reaching people as much as they ought to." The Bishop of Woolwich wrote: - Information Supplied By: Herbert W Armstrong Library