The old guard is slowly going away

[Pitts S2C]

My sister texted me this morning that our childhood and teenage years Preacher & Elder just passed away at 92 years old. Last year one of our Elders from that era also passed away. They are slowly but surely leaving us. They were nice/caring guys in a way although they were super hard line & traditional type coc'ers. One can only hope that the coc will change (or die) as the new guard comes into power. I know that change is nearly impossible for the coc however I have hope that the future will be different. Just 2 more Elders left from that generation (they are in their 80's). One of them was the head Elder who was/is the most hard core anti-jeans wearing Elder of all time.

[Ivy]

Yes....the old guard of c/c doctrine is dying off. Will be very interesting to see
how things evolve in the cofc......not that I'll be watching other than just minimally
on this site.

[Lev]

There's a "new guard." I know many of my generation (30s) and younger who are proudly carrying the torch of rigid COC sectarianism. I encounter them whenever I visit my hometown or check in on Facebook.

Lev

[Ivy]

There's a "new guard." I know many of my generation (30s) and younger who are proudly carrying the torch of rigid COC sectarianism.

Oh....thank goodness.

[juliac]

I definitely think the Church will die off eventually. There are already so many churches that are making transitions from old, hardline, doctrine. It seems as if I hear at least once a week of a CoC that added instruments or began allowing women to participate in service.

[illuminator]

I don't think the church will die off. I do think changes are coming. It has to change or adapt, or it will die. There are some young preachers out there who know this. I've seen some up-and-coming preachers giving the church a more welcoming, slick look as more old biddies and bubbas die off.

[B.H.]

I'm not going back. I shook the dust off my sandals years ago.

[Ivy]

I don't think the church will die off. I do think changes are coming. It has to change or adapt, or it will die. There are some young preachers out there who know this. I've seen some up-and-coming preachers giving the church a more welcoming, slick look as more old biddies and bubbas die off.

I understand your point, illuminator. However, consider this: If the church morphs into something more palatable to
the itching ears of "seekers", it will still cease to exist because it will have evolved into something other than what it was.*

*nod to Darwin

[Ivy]

I'm not going back. I shook the dust off my sandals years ago.

.....and jumped from the frying pan into the fire

[OneStrike_ur_out]

I wonder if the attendance policing will fade out over time. I wouldn't be surprised if it did. The younger generations don't seem to be as concerned about tracking down absent members.