It's not uncommon to say children are a blessing, but Quiverfull (the name of a small movement among Christian Evangelicals) families take the belief very, very seriously. So much that they eschew all forms of birth control, even natural methods, and 10-children families have become the norm. Is it so there's enough love to go around? Partially. But more disconcertingly, it's because they believe the answer to America's "moral decay" is a return to pre-industrial revolution times when contraception was incompatible with Christianity, patriarchy reigned, children attended homeschools, and families were self-sufficient. And they — or their children — plan to lead the movement.

Despite a wide concern that Christianity is dying in the United States and Europe, Rev. James McDonald, the pastor at an Illinois church filled with Quiverfull families, is not worried about his numbers. "In denomination after denomination their children are leaving in mass exodus," McDonald said, "and this is a major, major problem, especially when most families only have two or three children."

"Only" two or three children? Is McDonald saying that, while other Christian denominations decline, they will rise? Are Quiverfull families trying another kind of "family planning"? Find out after the jump.

Sort of! Allan Carlson, head of the Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society argues that a shortage of children threatens the world economy and Quiverfull families are intentionally creating large families to secure their future. He said, "There is a sense in which these intentionally created large families are seeing themselves as the . . . foundation of a counterculture, which could grow, and should grow."

What do you think about the Quiverfull strategy?

Flickr User: Steve Jagendorf

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