Reasons For Decline In Church Attendance

By Oketola Isaac Adedayo

This book has seven chapters; Chapter one discusses, “Introduction to Religion”, Chapter two, “Religious Gathering”, Chapter three, “Origin of Christian Denominationalism”, Chapter four, Conventional Experience in the 21st Century”, Chapter five, Reasons for Decline in Church Attendance” Chapter six, “Ways to Improve Attendance” while Chapter seven discusses, “Be Wise”. Please, read this material then you see where individual Christians lacks value that could have promoted, improved the technical, numerical and spiritual growth of their Christian local assemblies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oketola Isaac Adedayo
• Release date: Oct 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463517307

Oketola Isaac Adedayo

Pastor Dr. Oketola Isaac Adedayo is a native of Igbole, a blessed town in Ekiti State of Nigeria. Adedayo had a calling into a teaching and pastoral ministry over thirty years ago and was ordained by the authority of Christ Apostolic Church in April, 1999.He obtained Certificate in Theology from Christ Apostolic Church Theological Seminary, Ile Ife Osun State in the year 1990. He proceeded for Diploma in Theology at Samuel Bible Institute, Yaba Lagos in 1996. He bagged Bachelor in Christian Religious Education from the University of Ibadan in 2007.His Masters Degree in Christian Religious Education was obtained from the University of Lagos in 2010. His thesis investigated moral development among Christian students on campus while his academic excellence was fulfilled with the attainment of Doctoral Degree in Theology from Dunamis Christian University in 2015.He is a District Superintendent in Christ Apostolic Church, seasoned teacher, an erudite writer and motivational speaker on moral development especially in the area of building a peaceful home. Adedayo is a member of Christian Writers Association of Nigeria, Teachers Registration Council , Christian Association of Nigeria, Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Pastoral Chaplaincy Africa Command to mention but a few. He is lovely married to Christiana with children.

Book preview

Reasons For Decline In Church Attendance

Written By

Oketola Isaac Adedayo

(Cert. Th, Dip.Th, B.Ed, M.Ed, Th.D )

Distributed by:

Mark Coker at Smashwords.com

ISBN: 9780463517307

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Copyright (2020) Oketola Isaac Adedayo

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION TO RELIGION

1.The Term Religion

2.Definitions and Theories of Religion

3.Major Religions of the World

4.The Establishment of Christianity

5.Types Of Gathering

6.Reasons For Religious Gathering

7.Instructions Towards Religious Gathering

CHAPTER TWO - RELIGIOUS GATHERING

1.Places Of Gathering In The Old Testament Era

2.Factions In The Synagogue

3.Gathering In The New Testament Period

4.The New Testament Church

5.Expansion In The Early Church

CHAPTER THREE - ORIGIN OF CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS

1.Denominationalism in Christianity

2.Divisions in the Corinthian church

3.Reasons for Protestantism in the Western church

4.Major Branches in Christianity

5.Implications of Division in Christendom

6.Research Findings On Church Attendance

7.Influence Of Parents In Children Worship Culture

8.Demographics

9.Trends

CHAPTER FOUR - CONGREGATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

1.A Case Study Of Christ Apostolic Church In Lagos State

2.Population and Sampling size

3.Hypotheses Generation

4.Methodology Of Data Collection

5.Data Analyzes

CHAPTER FIVE - REASONS FOR DECLINE IN ATTENDANCE

1.Poor Administrators

2.Pastoral Inefficiency

3.Laxities On The Part Of Elders / Deacons / Laities

4.Group Leadership

5.Persecution

6.Symptoms of the Poor Economy

7.Members Attitude

8.Poor Welfare Package

9.Poor Manners Of Officiating

10.Multiple Offering Collection

11.Delivering Of Uninspired Messages

12.Poor Dressing Culture

13.End Time And Satanic Devices

CHAPTER SIX - WAYS TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE

1.Application Of The First Love

2.Take Advice

3.Improve Yourself

4.Adhere To Biblical And Church Policies

5.Improve Welfare Packages

6.Be More Dedicated

CHAPTER SEVEN - BE WISE!!!

1.The Seven Churches In Asia Minor

2.Blessings Of Attending Church Programs

3.The Evils In Our Day

4.Outcome Of Ministerial Manipulations

5.The True Worshippers

6.Lessons on Acceptable Worship

7.Conclusion

APPRECIATION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR

TOPICS FROM BOOK THE PROFICIENT CHURCH WORKER

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION TO RELIGION

The notion about the existence of God is inherent in every human being. Though, individuals have different perceptions about the knowledge of God, these had always made man to be inquisitive and frequently asking these questions as:

1.Where do we originate from?

2.Why are we here?

3.Of what importance is our existence?

4.Where do we go from here?

No doubt, there is a Supreme Being somewhere, controlling the affairs of all the creatures with a specific purpose according to prophet Isaiah 45:18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.

The creator of heavens and the earth is perceived to be God. Though, nobody has ever seen Him physically but man seek for ways to come closer to Him through the exercise of religion, then, what is religion?

THE TERM RELIGION

The term religion is derived from a Latin word religio the interpretation was traced to Cicero, connecting lego ‘read’i.e re (again) + lego in the sense of choose, go over again, or consider carefully. Modern scholars such as Tom Harpur and Joseph Campbell favour the derivation from ligare bind, connect, probably from a prefixed re-ligare or to reconnect which was made prominent by St. Augustine, following the interpretation of Lactantius by Betty Sue Flowers, (1991).

According to psychologist Max Muller, the root of the English word religion was from Latin religio was originally used to mean reverence for God, the gods or careful pondering of divine things which Cicero further derived to mean diligence.

Many languages have words that can be translated as religion but they may use them in very different ways. For example, the Sanskrit word dharma sometimes translated as religion also means Law. There is no precise equivalent of religion in Hebrew and Judaism because it does not distinguish clearly between religious, national, racial or ethnic identities.

One of its central concepts is halakha sometimes translated as Law, which guides religious practices and beliefs as well as aspects of daily life.

DEFINITIONS BY SCHOLARS

1.Anthropologist Clifford Geertz (1993) defined religion as a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic.

2.Talal Asad (1982) Religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural system and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence.

3.Sociologist Emile Durkheim (1915) in his seminar book ‘Elementary forms of the Religious Life’ defined religion as a unified system of belief and practices relative to sacred things.

4.Psychologist William James who lived from 1842-1910 defined religion as the feelings, acts and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may consider as divine.

When religion is seen in terms of sacred, divine, intensive valuing or ultimate concern, then it is possible to understand why scientific findings and philosophical criticisms do not necessarily disturb its adherents.

THEORIES OF RELIGION

The origin of religion is uncertain but there are numbers of theories regarding the subsequent origins of organized religious practices around the world. According to anthropologists, John Monaghan and Peter Just, (2000) many of the great world religions appear to have begun as revitalization movements of some sort, as the vision of a charismatic prophet fires the imaginations of people seeking a more comprehensive

Answer to their problems than they feel is provided by everyday beliefs.

It seems that the key to long term success of many movements relatively has to do with the founding prophet, who appears with surprising popularity. He has more to do with the development of the followers or supporters who would be able to institutionalize the movement even after his demise.

The development of religion has taken different forms in different cultures. Some religions place emphasis on belief system, while some focus on the subjective experience of the religious individual. Lastly, some consider the activities of the religious community to be most important.

Some religions claim to be universal, believing their laws and cosmology to be binding on everyone, while others are intended to be practiced only by a localized group. In many places, religion has been associated with public institutions such as education, hospital, culture, family, government and political hierarchies.

According to anthropologists, John Monaghan and Peter Just (2001) who state that, it seems apparent that religious belief helps us in dealing with problems of human life that is significant, persistent and intolerable. One important way in which religious beliefs accomplish this is by providing a set of ideas about how and why the world is put together that allows people to accommodate anxieties and deal with misfortune.

Modern academic theory of religion, the social constructionist, says religion is a modern concept that suggests all spiritual practices and worshippers follow a model similar to the Abrahamic religions as an orientation system that helps to interpret reality and define human beings. Among the main proponents of this theory of religion are Daniel Dubuisson, Timothy Fitzgerald, Talal Asad and Jason Ananda Josephson. The social constructionists argued that religion is a modern concept that developed from Christianity and was then applied inappropriately to non-Western cultures.

Daniel Dubuisson, (2007) a French