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More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 7:43 pm
by Everybody Wang Chung
Can someone here show me this is anything but dismal news for the Church's future?
31223 wards & branches as of January 1st, 2022
31224 wards & branches as of October 1st, 2002
increase of 1 (.003% increase)
4009 stakes & districts as of January 1st, 2022
4020 stakes & districts as of October 1st, 2022
increase of 11 (.2% increase)
http://www.fullerconsideration.com/units.php
Re: More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 8:15 pm
by drumdude
All this proves is that we are all at the cusp right of the most latterist or latter days. Latter hours, minutes, yes even latter seconds.
Re: More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:18 pm
by Marcus
Everybody Wang Chung wrote: ↑Sat Oct 01, 2022 7:43 pm
Can someone here show me this is anything but dismal news for the Church's future?
31223 wards & branches as of January 1st, 2022
31224 wards & branches as of October 1st, 2002
increase of 1 (.003% increase)
4009 stakes & districts as of January 1st, 2022
4020 stakes & districts as of October 1st, 2022
increase of 11 (.2% increase)
http://www.fullerconsideration.com/units.php
and yet, an increase of more than 5 million members, or about 40%, right?
in a recent conversation here, it was noted the average ward size was over 600. in buildings where, at least in the US, the codes limit physical occupancy, by law, to around 150.
i wonder if they will ever admit that they calculate "membership" differently than the entire rest of the world?
Re: More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 11:54 pm
by Gadianton
I used to buy the church's explanation when I was on a mission that they split up wards into smaller wards and branches in order to grow the church. The idea was that instead of everyone comfortable and friendly in one big ward, the smaller groups would force members to get out of their comfort zones and bring in converts. Didn't seem to work at all and in fact, the members hated it and suffered. The model that worked at that time was the mega-churches. The big "Christian Centers".
I wonder if the church leaders knew all along that such a model was suspect, but figured a few well-placed split-ups would make it look like on paper that the church was growing? One side of the ledger has soccer baptisms driving raw numbers, the other side has more wards (with less people) to provide place for all the converts.
At least MG 2.0 admitted that his ward was shrinking.
Re: More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:32 am
by dastardly stem
There were just over 26,000 wards and branches on aprils report 2002.
To Marcus’ point 5 million member increase but only 5k increase in wards and branches since 2002 shows a problem for the church.
Re: More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:37 am
by Moksha
The Church will pick up some much-needed traction with the Harry Potter Books Burning at BYU.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/2022/10/01/ ... ut-joseph/
More Church news: There is a General Conference this weekend.
Re: More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:28 am
by IHAQ
dastardly stem wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:32 am
There were just over 26,000 wards and branches on aprils report 2002.
To Marcus’ point 5 million member increase but only 5k increase in wards and branches since 2002 shows a problem for the church.
Thomas S Monson, Gen. Conference April 2014
My beloved brothers and sisters, how pleased I am to welcome you to this worldwide conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are gathered together as a great family, more than 15 million strong, united in our faith and in our desire to listen to and learn from the messages which will be presented to us.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... e?lang=eng
He knew he wasn’t painting an accurate picture when he said that.
Re: More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:28 am
by Dr. Shades
Everybody Wang Chung wrote: ↑Sat Oct 01, 2022 7:43 pm
31223 wards & branches as of January 1st, 2022
31224 wards & branches as of October 1st, 2002
One
fewer ward nearly 20 years later?? That's way worse than even
I thought.
Re: More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:45 am
by pistolero
Gadianton wrote: ↑Sat Oct 01, 2022 11:54 pm
I used to buy the church's explanation when I was on a mission that they split up wards into smaller wards and branches in order to grow the church. The idea was that instead of everyone comfortable and friendly in one big ward, the smaller groups would force members to get out of their comfort zones and bring in converts. Didn't seem to work at all and in fact, the members hated it and suffered. The model that worked at that time was the mega-churches. The big "Christian Centers".
I wonder if the church leaders knew all along that such a model was suspect, but figured a few well-placed split-ups would make it look like on paper that the church was growing? One side of the ledger has soccer baptisms driving raw numbers, the other side has more wards (with less people) to provide place for all the converts.
At least MG 2.0 admitted that his ward was shrinking.
I'm not sure the splitting strategy is the problem.
Look at the 7th day adventists, they are booming. They take the church everywhere, no unit too small. Pretty transparent too. They actually do other useful things like build hospitals, schools and universities.
Re: More Bad News For The Future Of The Church
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:50 pm
by Kishkumen
If there is bad news for the LDS Church, chances are they are the ones responsible for making it.