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Imagine church without sound.

I do not mean removing things that make noise - sound systems, music, people. I mean imagine experiencing your church as it normally is but not being able to hear anything. Would the non-audible elements be enough to minister to you?

If you were to take away sound, would people still be ministered to?

If someone saw a muted video of your church service, what would they think?

ASK YOURSELF

• Would your environment create a sense of awe for the Creator like the churches of the Renaissance?
• Visually, how does your worship music seem? Authentic? Passionate? Like a rock concert? Worshipful?
• When you take away the words, are the greeters authentic?
• Is the tone and subject of the message evident in the preacher’s body language?
• What about the sermon branding?
• Is the life changing power of Christ evident on the congregation’s faces?
• Is there a sense joy, hope, and love?

People can spot a fake smile. People can discern authenticity. If someone who was not a Christian watched your congregation worship, would they want what they have?

Albert Mehrabian’s research shows that communication is influenced only 7% by words, 38% by tone of voice, and 55% by body language. All too often, we focus on the 7% of words and forget to invest in non-audible influencers, such as body language and environment.

For Discussion:
- How do think we can have better churches without sound?

John Saddington of ChurchCrunch recently asked me some good questions and posted my answers on his blog. If you want to read my opinion on the future of church marketing and on how technology and social media change and challenge traditional avenues, be sure to visit ChurchCrunch.com.

QUESTION:
Where can I find an extensive list of all Christian denominations and what they believe in?
-Seb :: Australia

ANSWER:
According to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, there exist roughly 39,000 Christian denominations worldwide in 2008. That is up from 500 Christian denominations in 1800, and the number is expected to grow to 55,000 by 2025.

Currently, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary estimates that a new Christian denomination is formed every 12 hours.

Wikipedia does a great job listing the largest denominations. Religion Facts compares the major denominations. And the Hartford Institute for Religion Research has links to hundreds of official denominational websites.

Here is a mashup of some their data. Since Church Relevance focuses primarily on Protestantism, I will elaborate on that data.

Catholicism - (1,200,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

• Roman Catholic Church (1,131,000,000) Click for beliefs.

Protestantism - (699,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

• Pentecostalism (129,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Assemblies of God (54,700,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> New Apostolic Church (11,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Foursquare Church (8,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Church of God in Christ (5,490,000) Click for beliefs.
• Baptist (105,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Southern Baptist Convention (16,300,000) Click for beliefs.
• Lutheranism (87,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (4,800,000) Click for beliefs.
• Methodism (75,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> United Methodist Church (12,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> African Methodist Episcopal Church (5,000,000) Click for beliefs.
• Reformed Churches (75,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (3,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> United Church of Christ (1,200,000) Click for beliefs.
• Non-Denominational Evangelicalism (40,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Calvary Chapel (25,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> The Vineyard (15,000,000) Click for beliefs.
• Restorationism (20,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Seventh-day Adventists (15,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Church of Christ (5,000,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (750,000) Click for beliefs.
• Anabaptism (4,500,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Mennonites (1,300,000) Click for beliefs.
  >> Amish (200,000) Click for beliefs.

Eastern Orthodoxy - (260,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

Oriental Orthodox Church - (81,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

Anglicanism - (77,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

• Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. (2,150,000) Click for beliefs.

Nontrinitarianism - (36,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

• Jehovah’s Witnesses (17,670,000) Click for beliefs.
• Mormonism (13,400,000) Click for beliefs.

Nestorianism - (1,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

Obviously, there are significant theological differences between the main branches of Christianity - Catholicism, Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodox Church, Anglicanism, Nontrinitarianism, and Nestorianism. In fact, many might argue that some denominations are not Christianity at all.

Keep in mind, there are also significant dogmatic differences among churches within each denomination. For example, I know Charismatic Catholics, and I know Charismatic churches that act like Baptists. I know there is a great deal of diversity in the United Methodist Church. And Presbyterians have been divided on homosexuality issues. The list could go on.

The End of Protestant Denominational Identity?

For Protestant churches, asking “What denomination are you?” seems increasingly irrelevant as more churches own their own unique theological DNA. The real question is:

What does your specific church believe?

Since denominations are losing their consistency, some suggest that multi-site churches are the denominations of the future. What do you think is the future of denominations?

If you have a question you want Church Relevance to answer, submit it via our Q+A form.

QUESTION:
What are parents looking for when they visit a church?

My friend says in the past parents were concerned about what a church had to offer their kids and would sacrifice their own interests. He also says today parents are more interested in satisfying their needs.

I don’t know that I agree with this. I see a majority of parents today, more than before, that sacrifice to make sure their kids are taken care of. I think it was true in the past but even truer today.
- James

ANSWER:
There is no black and white answer because there is no universal style of parenting.

Parenting styles vary by culture (i.e., age, race, religion, income, location, education, career, etc.) as well as each parent’s unique personality. It is the infusion of these variables that influence and usually determine each parent’s priorities.

NOT A PRIORITY SHIFT BUT AN INCREASE OF EXPECTATIONS

I believe a greater percentage of parents are looking to find a church that meets both their needs and their kids needs.

I do not think there has been a priority shift. Rather, I believe that parents have increased their expectations.

As technology advances, we become accustomed to having more options and customization, which consequently, causes us to have more expectations. Two centuries ago, parents were likely content to have a church to attend and thrilled if it was the “right” denomination. Obviously, parents have more expectations today.

Parents choosing a church is similar to buying a house. A home buyer may be looking for a home with walk-in closets and a two-car garage, but they may choose a home that is neither because they fall in love with the kitchen.

Some parents want a church that has a great children’s ministry, but they may choose a church because of the congregation’s friendliness or the pastor’s preaching. And other parents may want a church with great small groups, but they may choose a church because the children’s ministry loves their kids and teaches them valuable lessons.

SO WHAT DO PARENTS WANT?

Each parent has their own mix of “wants,” but here is a list of things that every parent seems to like:

• A children’s ministry that makes their kids feel loved.
• A children’s ministry and church with good security.
• A children’s ministry that effectively teaches their kids valuable lessons.
• A children’s ministry that is fun and “wows” their kids.
• A friendly church.
• A church with good preaching.
• A church with good worship.
• A church that makes it easy to make friends.
• A church that offers opportunities to get involved.

For Discussion:
- What do you think parents want in a church?

If you have a question you want Church Relevance to answer, submit it via our Q+A form.

QUESTION:
How many churches are in the U.S. today?
-Julie :: Canada

ANSWER:
According to the book Beyond Megachurch Myths, there were 320,000 Christian U.S. churches in 2007. Of these U.S. churches, 1,250 were megachurches with an average weekend attendance of 2,000 or more.

If you have a question you want Church Relevance to answer, submit it via our Q+A form.

This Christmas, faithHighway is giving away a free church website design valued at $3,500. Actually, any nonprofit organization can apply. All you need to do is:

1. Nominate
   Visit MediaOutreach.com to enter the description and contact information for your favorite nonprofit organization by December 11th.
2. Wait
   faithHighway will narrow down the nominations to 5 finalists.
3. Vote
   Vote at MediaOutreach.com for your favorite finalist between December 18th and December 24th.
4. Listen
   A winner will be announced by the New Year.

It is not every day that you can win a free church website design. Happy nominating! And happy voting!

Three years ago, Jack Trout wrote an article for Forbes that discussed the danger of making growth your mission.

That desire for growth is at the heart of what can go wrong for many companies. Growth is the by-product of doing things right. But in itself, it is not a worthy goal. In fact, growth is the culprit behind impossible goals.

People do damaging things to force unnecessary growth.

This also applies to churches. Great attendance is the by-product of doing things right. Your goal is your God-given mission. When attendance becomes your goal, you risk doing damaging things for growth’s sake.

Remember, God cares about changed lives not accumulated lives. As long as you are focused on your mission and continually getting better at fulfilling it, you should be content with the by-product of doing things right.

And if your church has been thrust into the spotlight because of your attendance, methods, or pastor, be extra careful that you do not swap your God-given mission with the pursuit of growth. Jack Trout continues:

Did you ever wonder why very successful, privately held companies, such as Milliken or Gore-Tex, rarely show up in the press? It’s because no one is staring at their numbers quarter after quarter. All they have to worry about is their business. And if they are happy with it, that’s all that matters.

When people start staring at your ministry to see what you do next, it can be tempting to do things to please them rather than to please God. It can be tempting to make the newspaper, the blog posts, and the “cool” church lists. But if you are being a good steward of your God-given calling, that’s all that matters. Do not be concerned what anyone but God thinks.

For Discussion:
- How do you stay focused on what really matters?

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to attend the first Q conference. And it was extraordinary.

This year, Church Relevance readers have the opportunity to get a $150 discount with the coupon code “CR2009″ if they register for the Q conference before December 31, 2008. That means you can attend the Q conference for only $525. The Q conference takes place in Austin, TX from April 27-29, 2009. This year’s speakers include:

• Alan Hirsch
• Andy Crouch
• David Crowder
• Shane Hipps
• John Burke
• Rick McKinley
• Mike Foster
• and many more

For a sample of what the Q conference is like, watch some past talks on the Q website.

I hope to be able to attend this year and organize a meetup with those of you who will be there. If you are attending, let me know via the comments. I hope to see you there.