Get input from the out gone

The old Presbyterian church where I was confirmed as a teen, dies more with each passing year. The pews are sparsely filled, mostly by seniors while the Sunday school classes continue to dwindle. I'm now in the church alumni association as John Spong puts it, yet I do not obtain the least bit of glee at seeing the demise of the church, especially where there is any suffering involved. Owen Thornton states, "we still do have the best deal in town" and that "its just a matter of spreading the word." I'm sure Thornton is a kind and greatly respected man but in my humble opinion, statements like this need to be seriously studied and questioned. Less than a year ago, (Oct. 2004), David Harris wrote his excellent article on Churches Must Change Or Be Changed. In it he quotes Prof. Bibby as saying, "What is required is a clear cut strategy that is informed by sound research and sound congregational input." I might add to this non-congregational input, since the focus increasingly needs to be on the reasons of those who prefer not to attend church.