40 Days Study Purpose

Why isn't The Church growing faster?

It's so important that we first identify the real problem before we start trying to offer solutions. Applying bandages when the patient really needs surgery isn't a long term solution.

Yes, "sin" is the answer, but that general answer doesn't help us develop a treatment plan. Romans 10:14 affirms that the lost can't believe if they haven't heard... but, WHY isn't the Church telling them? We know the lost are being drawn by Christ, and the Father wants them, and the Spirit is convicting (John 12:32, 1 Tim 2:3, John 16:8). We also believe The Church is aware of our commission and general responsibility. So, what is the problem and how does My40Days address it?

Okay, as you're already thinking, it's a multi-faceted problem. Here are the elements that the 40 Days curriculum intentionally addresses (and the 40 Weeks builds on...). There are two general contributions. First, "correct thinking precedes correct action." Second, the available tools have actually been lacking.

Correct Thinking, comes first

Something about our understanding, psychology, and theology keeps most of us in the status-quo (not doing anything). There are diverse specific errors in thinking that lead to this same sinful inaction:

• We have been deceived into believing that Church growth is healthy. Why? Partly because leaders and doers alike are generally motivated to emphasize their effectiveness, not the failure. Partly because Satan uses every bit of his influence to keep us in the dark. Partly because data gathering organizations have a very low bar for classifying someone as a "Christ-follower."

• Many are complacent and immobilized by the "Bystander Effect." The Bystander effect was first documented by Darley & Latane (1968) and has found to be prolific across situations. "Someone else will handle it. It's not just on me." It comes in three different varieties.

  • [Diffusion of responsibility] In the Church, its assumptions that "it's the pastors/elders/small-group-leaders/missionaries' job."

  • [Social conformity] It's also "if discipling were normal or important, I'd see others doing it."

  • [Ambiguity of role] Finally, it's "someone else is more qualified/informed." I don't want to do it wrong? What would I even teach? How do I know I'm ready?

• Some have grossly errant theology:

  • My sovereign God will reach His chosen with or without me.

  • Since I'm forgiven of all sin (commission and omission), there's no reward or consequence for participating.

  • Let us sin more that grace can abound even more.

Correct Action, can then be facilitated

The 40 Days study addresses each of the above fallacies (and then some). The motive behind My40Days.com is further equip and organize the motivated disciple that steps forward. Please don't think we expect every "graduate" to step forward. But, there will be far fewer excuses to hide behind.

There remains one final piece, "some want to answer the call but don't know how to connect to someone to disciple." We're diligently working on this part of the puzzle and hope to have a practical mechanism available soon.

The Church is losing ground.

Watch this video to get a visual of the status quo of the Church growth based on the last twenty year trend.

sources for the video:

Sources for the easy stuff...

• Birth data comes from Our World in Data (2000-2021).

• Births by Region - Our World in Data (1950-2023)

• US Population (2000-2023) - Our World in Data -custom graph

Sources for the difficult estimates...

• Growth rate of Protestants per continent was estimated by Todd M. Johnson, Gina A. Zurlo, Albert W. Hickman and Peter F. Crossing "Christianity 2017: Five Hundred Years of Protestant Christianity" Table 1 (year 2000-2017)

• The North American data was replaced by more congruent data from Gallup, Pew, PRRI and ABC (all of which reported percentages in various years... so, we just calculated totals based on total populations in various years).

  • Protestants as % of US was reported by Gallup Conglomerate Report (2000-2023):

  • Gallup 2017 let us confirm a single point within the trend.

  • PEW research 2017 let us confirm a single point within the trend.

  • ABC poll (2002, 2017) generally confirmed the trend.

  • PRRI Census of American Religion 2020 generally confirmed the trend.

  • Canada Protestants (2001, 2021 census) from Wikipedia filled in the North American remainder.

The more people who know about a need, the less likely any individual is to act—because each person assumes someone else will.

Motive Behind the 40 Days...

(data sources listed down below)