People Spots
Online
Produced by James W.
Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries
Do You Want Your Church to Grow?
by James W. Moss, Sr.
Have you ever heard someone say, “There is trouble if you have too much money!” Have you ever been tempted to say, “Let me have the chance to find out!” There are problems when churches are in decline. There are another set of problems when churches are growing. The problems are different, but they are problems, nevertheless.
Do you want your church to grow? This is surely an interesting question. It is definitely not a rhetorical question. I am a part of a conservative church that has prided itself on its evangelical fervor. But we were in serious decline. I knew something had to change. So I tried to learn everything I could so I could assist our churches to grow. I was so naïve. I thought if our people really knew what it takes to grow a church, they would embrace those concepts and attitudes and activities. Then we would be on our way to growth and the expansion of the Kingdom in our tribe. Can you imagine my shock when I laid out before a church council the strategies required for growth and then had a leading elder say, “Jim, if that is what growth requires, I don’t want any part of it!”
After I picked myself up off the floor, I began to realize that the journey to assist my beloved denomination turn a corner for growth was a bigger task than anything I had imagined. We weren’t talking years but rather decades. I was talking with a newly appointed staff person responsible for growth issues in a local conference of another denomination. He said if I can’t make a difference in my conference in 5 years I will be disappointed. I smiled to myself and thought, “Man, you are dreaming.”
I have worked with a number of churches in a growth mode over the years. A church in a growth mode changes. That is a problem for many who long to see their church grow until they truly see the changes that occur. Maple Lawn Church had participated in a vigorous renewal effort. The church had grown from 15 to 75. A key elder said, “When will you give us our church back?” You can’t grow a church and not change it? However, you can change your church and not grow it.
Especially the early stages of growth can be fun. In a small church, 3-5 new families can make a significant difference. The number of people required to change the dynamics in a church increases with its size.
Additional people bring additional problems. People coming from other churches may attempt to shape their new church to look like the one they left. The one they left most likely wasn’t heaven on earth. Unchurched people don’t have a clue what church is supposed to be like. They have to be nurtured and encouraged. The nurturing and encouragement requires significant work.
Growth normally brings in additional funds. Hatfield Church had struggled financially. Other churches in the conference made contributions to Hatfield to help them meet their modest budget. As the church grew, the deficits disappeared and Hatfield began giving to others. However there is a temptation for growing churches to be too aggressive in spending, which can cause problems too. Struggling to meet budget from week to week is a challenge to even for growing churches.
However, for churches to continue in a sustained pattern of growth requires continuous adjustments to programming and facilities. As the church grows the program becomes more complicated. No single person, including the pastor, can keep up with everything anymore.
Constantly a church has to working at fulfilling the Great Commission. That is a significant part of the Christian faith. Mothering a new church, adding worship services, and beginning new small groups are essential to fulfilling the Great Commission for a local church. People will look for and take shortcuts because these efforts require significant work and energy. Attempts to keep growth coming while failing to keep to the basics is a fatal flaw.
When a church has grown sufficiently, a new problem arises. It is called saturation. Saturation occurs when there basically is no more room in the program or facility for the addition of new people. Visitors walk through the door. Look around, know there is no room for them, and walk out the door without staying for even one service. It is frequently simpler for a church to stop inviting new people rather than addressing the changes required in program and facilities to enable further growth.
The church then begins to tread water. However, it is difficult to sustain a plateaued church. A voracious animal called normal attrition will get a saturated church every time. The average church loses 10-15% of its worshipping congregation every single year without fail. That is apart from conflict. That is more people than will walk through the door of a plateaued church where the people have been reluctant to invite others because there is no room in the inn.
Do you want your church to grow?
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Also see:
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A Plan for Outreach - People Spots Vol 8, Issue 1 |
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Keeping People Who Visit - People Spots Vol 5, Issue 3 |
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Keeping People Long-Term - People Spots Vol 5, Issue 4 |
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Normal Attrition - People Spots Vol 7, Issue 16 |
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Understanding Outreach Today - People Spots Vol 7, Issue 19 |
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Understanding Saturation - People Spots Vol 7, Issue 17 |
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Walking People Through the Door - People Spots Vol 5, Issue 2 |
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Read about Jim's seminars and books.
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June 7, 2004. Volume 7, Issue 10. People Spots Online is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org. Articles may be duplicated and reproduced in any way with proper credit. A new article is produced about every two weeks. To be added to a list to receive these messages directly by e-mail, send a request to churchconsultants@yahoo.com.