Lutherans have really important things to say about who God is. But we are unprepared for these changing times.

There was a huge growth, from 1990 to 2008, in people who say they have no religious affiliation. Another group that has grown is 'generic' Christians. Many of these people are young people thinking for themselves, and who find Lutheran woship to be irrelevant.

Church attendance has fallen significantly overall.

Why don't Lutherans talk? Our congregations are communal--designed primarily for the people who are here. We know how worship happens, how we serve ommunion, who sits where... And we are comfortable with that.

We want to leave behind the nervousness of everyday life. So we want things to be predictable and safe.

The more purposeful we are about engaging the community the less sure we will be about what is going to happen on Sunday morning.