Church Decline? Ask Elvis!
We often hear of church decline as people forsake what was always only empty religion or “Churchianity”.
Many of course across the globe are finding that unlike empty religion, encountering the living Jesus results in changed lives. As Christians however, we still have to come to terms with what we see in this country.
After hearing many prophets of doom it was a delight to read of an interview with Jeremy Vine by James Hastings in a recent copy of Inspire Magazine.
I read that Jeremy’s faith is strong, something he puts down to regular prayer and reading the Bible - even if he admits he sometimes struggles with both. The article went on to say he is quick to laugh off surveys which claim Christianity in the UK is dying out.
“Listen, surveys are absolute rubbish;’ he smiles. “I read one which claimed that by 2050, Britain will be a nation of Elvis impersonators if you follow the current trend. I don’t bother with surveys. The Church is doing fine, and I don’t believe it will ever be wiped out.’
Britain a nation of Elvis impersonators? Now that is worrying. Quick, someone call a prayer meeting!
I decided to find out more. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, October 27th, 1993 (allegedly)
When Elvis Presley died in 1977, there were an estimated 37 Elvis impersonators in the world. By 1993, there were 48,000 Elvis impersonators, an exponential increase. Extrapolating from this, by 2010 there will be 2.5 billion Elvis impersonators. The population of the world will be 7.5 billion by 2010. Every 3rd person will be an Elvis impersonator by 2010.
I don’t want to be Elvis impersonator. Do I have a choice or is it predestined? Will I wake up one morning and hear my wife shriek?
I’m off to check my side burns.