MAIN LINE DECLINE...... By Dr Phil Ryken

Mainline Decline, Part 1
Dave Shiflett has written a provocative book about the decline of liberal Christianity in America and the concomitant ascendancy of historically orthodox Christianity. The book is called Exodus: Why Americans Are Fleeing Liberal Churches for Conservative Christianity (New York: Sentinel, 2005). It should be noted that Shiflett himself is not a conservative, and his portrait of conservative churches is not always flattering. The facts are indisputable, though: all of the traditionally liberal denominations are in numeric decline, while conservative churches of various kinds are holding their own or growing.Shiflett opens his book by quoting something said to a conservative seminary student by a classmate when they were sharing lunch at a mainline seminary: "We have figured out your problem. You're the only one here who believes in God." From where I'm sitting, faith in God is a good problem to have. But the statement shows what is really at stake in the perennial conflict between Christianity and liberalism: the liberal thinks the believer has a problem because, in fact, the liberal has a problem with God.