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****************************************************** webminister@webminister.com May 2000 - #2
IN THIS ISSUE:
****************************************************** Buffett "won't count on new technology company profits to endure, either. This is how Buffett can be as amazed at the power of the Internet but not buy its stocks." In addition, Buffett added "NEWSPAPERS ARE VERY THREATENED BY THE INTERNET." (emphasis added) In the 70s and 80s both the "Gospel Advocate" and "Firm Foundations" went from weekly to a bi-weekly magazines and stated the reason for the change "was necessitated because of astronomical increases in postage." Recently postal rates went up in 1996, 1999, and a rate to be determined beginning in 2001. What about subscription costs? In reviewing the circulation of eleven Restoration publications the following results were found. "Over the past ten years eleven church magazines used in this study have declined 21% in subscribers. However, the decline is probably closer to 27%, because many editors/publishers were mailing to many whose subscriptions had expired and cleaned up their subscription lists due to rising costs and postage rates. This declining trend over the past 35 years has grown much steeper over the last ten years. One can only guestimate the reasons for the decline from various studies and surveys over the past few years." For full analysis of the quote, read the article "Where Have All The Subscribers Gone?" http://webminister.com/growth01/plan0056.htm How many publications will go out of business in the next decade?
****************************************************** Almost half (5,434) of the churches of Christ congregations average fewer than 49 in Sunday worship. Very few adult Sunday school classes and auditorium classes regardless of their enrollment, average more than 40 in attendance. (More on group dynamics and various barriers based on function in the next Newsletter.)
****************************************************** The unchurched attenders are less likely to be involved in stable marriages including children. Twenty-six percent are currently unmarried compared to 16% for regular attenders. Fifty-two percent have been divorced compared to 16% for regular attenders. Thirty-five percent have not had any children compared to 15% for regular attenders. They are more likely to be involved in nonchurch community organizations and social movements. Unchurched attenders educational level is the same as church members. Most are in the process of "shopping around" or "trying out a church." They are experimenting with church involvement or moving to a new church after a bad experience in an earlier one. They are more likely to have had a bad experience in a divorce. Most have not joined because they have not found the church that suits them. Some have a long term relationship with a church, but have reservations and are unwilling to formalize it. One person stated "lots of people in the church are different from us. We don't feel a sense of identity here."
****************************************************** With out of date copyright, over five million books will be on the Internet in a few years according to the Library of Congress. Many colleges, library associations, consortium, and state financed Internet libraries now have free magazines and jounals on-line. However, religious publications are lagging behind. Christian periodicals which reside in colleges and university libraries are not generally available to the Internet student. More and more Internet classes are designed around those resources that are on the Internet and not what is in the school's library. If present religious publishers plan to profit from their publications, they either will have to cooperate with an Internet company that makes a large number of journals available for a price. EBSCO, First Search, and ProQuest provide full text databases and search engines. The other choice is simply give the publication away with the cost and maintance of Internet servers and their own web sites.
****************************************************** First, McIntosh and Martin present five forms of evangelism and how to get the congregation involved. Eighty percent should be involved in inviting (planting), 50% in friendship evangelism (cultivating), and 10% as soul winners (harvesting). With a few self tests, one can analyse the congregation's strong and weak points and adjust the evangelistic approach. Second, keeping them is a strategy of assimilation through friendship, involvement with various roles and tasks, small groups, helping them becoming involved with the purpose of the church, and, of course, through spiritual growth. The ministries of the church become centered for assimilation of new people. "Finding Them, Keeping Them" can be bought from Barnes and Noble with a 20% discount for $7.99 (paperback) plus shipping and handling at http://webminister.com/barnes/book5018.htm
****************************************************** For comments, e-mail me at webminister@webminister.com. Let me know if you want to "unsubscribe." In His Service, The Webminister |