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In the city of Chicago itself (2.7 million people, now smaller than Toronto) there are about 14 IFB churches that I am aware of. If they each have an active membership of 100 average (perhaps too high) then that is 1400 active IFB church members in Chicago, many of them driving in from the suburbs. There are lots more IFB churches in the suburbs but I don't think they are not doing so well either, numbers-wise. So, to ask where the 1,000,000 Hammond bus converts went is a good question. I know where one of them went, because she was my girlfriend for a while - she had ridden the bus to Hammond but had become non-religious and told me she was not a "church girl." So, 999,999 more to be accounted for - probably mostly on the mission field or gone on to Glory.
I haven't visited Tom Brennan's church in Chicago, Maplewood Bible Baptist Church, in many years. On their website, the question "How big is your church?" is answered by saying "It shouldn't matter." If an IFB church is doing well numerically, it is a sign of God's favor and blessing on their shallow "repeat this prayer after me" soul-winning practices. If an IFB church is not doing so well numerically, it is a sign of God's favor on them for being so faithful to their strict Old Paths standards that most people, even those who are IFB born and bred, no longer wish to walk in.
I haven't visited Tom Brennan's church in Chicago, Maplewood Bible Baptist Church, in many years. On their website, the question "How big is your church?" is answered by saying "It shouldn't matter." If an IFB church is doing well numerically, it is a sign of God's favor and blessing on their shallow "repeat this prayer after me" soul-winning practices. If an IFB church is not doing so well numerically, it is a sign of God's favor on them for being so faithful to their strict Old Paths standards that most people, even those who are IFB born and bred, no longer wish to walk in.