The MMORPG Movement
For all practical purposes, it has only been in existance since the early 1990's. This movement has already grown beyond 20 million members, with some estimations as high as 60 million members globally. They gave around 1.1 BILLION dollars just in 2005 alone. I have referenced a 2006 list of "religious" churches below for comparison.
Have you ever heard of MMORPG? Do you even know who these people are in your community? Does your church make an attempt to reach out to these people? Would they feel welcome in your church and/or be willing to stay?
Quote:
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/060330yearbook1.html
2006 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches.
1. The Catholic Church, 67,820,833 members, reporting an increase of .83 percent.
2. The Southern Baptist Convention, 16,267,494 members, reporting a decrease of 1.05 percent. (See clarification, below.)
3. The United Methodist Church, 8,186,254 members, reporting a decrease of .79 percent.
4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5,999,177 members, reporting an increase of 1.74 percent.
5. The Church of God in Christ, 5,499,875 members, no increase or decrease reported.
6. National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., 5,000,000 members, no increase or decrease reported.
7. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 4,930,429, reporting a decrease of 1.09 percent.
8. National Baptist Convention of America, 3,500,000, no increase or decrease reported.
9. Presbyterian Church (USA), 3,189,573 members, reporting a decrease of 1.60 percent.
10. Assemblies of God, 2,779,095 members, reporting an increase of 1.81 percent.
11. African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2,500,000 members, no increase or decrease reported.
12. National Missionary Baptist Convention of America, 2,500,000 members, no increase or decrease reported.
13. Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., 2,500,000 members, no increase or decrease reported.
14. The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS), 2,463,747, reporting a decrease or 1.01 percent.
15. Episcopal Church, 2,284,233, reporting a decrease of 1.55 percent.
16. Churches of Christ, 1,500,000 members, no increase or decrease reported.
17. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, 1,500,000 members, no increase or decrease reported.
18. Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc., 1,500,000 members, no increase or decrease reported.
19. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 1,432,795 members, no increase or decrease reported.
20. American Baptist Churches in the USA, 1,424,840, reporting a decrease of .57 percent.
21. United Church of Christ, 1,265,786, reporting a decrease of 2.38 percent.
22. Baptist Bible Fellowship International, 1,200,000, no increase or decrease reported.
23. Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, 1,071,615 members, no increase or decrease reported.
24. The Orthodox Church in America, 1,064,000 members, reporting an increase of 6.40 percent.
25. Jehovah's Witnesses, 1,029,902 members, reporting a decrease of 1.07 members.
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"Rules without relationship lead to rebellion." Dr. James Dobson
"You don't need a license to preach, or teach, or win souls." RonB
"In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)
Never tell a young person that anything cannot be done. God may have been waiting centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do that very thing. ~ John Andrew Holmes
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