Small churches need to take extra measures
to stay alive
Now that summer is more than a month gone and all responsible
adults are beginning to think about the onslaught of fall and
the many challenges of real life, it is time to consider dying
churches. I know that's a depressing theme but it's also reality. If
you worship in a congregation where fewer than 75 people show
up for Sunday services, you can expect that your church's life
will soon pass before your eyes. Yes, some congregations may survive
longer than others. A group of 75 wealthy people can keep a church
going longer than a group of poor folks. But, as a rule of thumb,
when your church slides into that 75 mark, your historic institution
is on its last legs. Let's look at the hypothetical Sky-Blue neighborhood, a blue-collar
area that has been home to eight churches for the past 25 years.
One of those churches never grew and still has about 100 members
who signed the charter more than two decades ago. Six of those
congregations grew to between 250 and 400 members and have stayed
in that category. One congregation has been very evangelical, grew to about 2,000
members and then hit a plateau and stayed there for a decade.
Ten years ago, a new pastor arrived and the evangelical spirit
of the church was rejuvenated. The congregation has grown to about
4,000 members in the past 10 years and there appears no end to
its growth. The big church has also robbed many of the other seven congregations
of members. All the churches in the neighborhood have seen an
erosion of people and revenue. One congregation, the group that
never grew, can no longer support a full-time pastor. They've
sold their parsonage and share a preacher with a nearby congregation. The other six congregations have watched the numbers dribble
away and they know something dramatic must happen or they will
eventually close their doors forever. What are the secrets to
staying alive when you have ignored your mission for 25 years? The reality is, seven of those congregations have never taken
the mission of Christianity seriously - to teach and baptize every
person on the face of the earth. If they had, their numbers would
be different. Now, the question is, what can they do to improve
their chances of staying alive forever. Here are some suggestions. 1. Shine up the facility. Kill the dandelions, paint the steps,
wash the windows and scrub the pews. Get ready for a huge rush
of visitors that may never come. Remember, there are always people
who don't want to belong to a huge congregation and who seek,
instead, a small congregation with many challenges. 2. Find a niche that your congregation can honestly handle.
Your people may want to become the congregation that loves youth.
Or because of talents in the church, this may be the place where
traditional music is beautifully performed. Or the congregation
may want to feed the hungry. You choose the mission but keep in
mind, there must be a 100 percent commitment. 3. Vow as a congregation to change and renew the way you do
everything. Each time a decision is made, the question should
be asked, "Is this the way we have always done it?"
If the answer is in the affirmative, then find another method.
For instance, some congregations have used the same Christ-mas
tree decorations for decades. This year, ask every family to bring
two of their own precious ornaments to decorate the sanctuary.
You'll be amazed how much brighter Christmas can be. 4. Help your pastor. Unless I miss my guess, your pastor is
not a good preacher. He fumbles with the text, he mutters through
the sermon; he doesn't like being a preacher. Get your pulpiteer
some help. There are people who can coach a preacher into a better
mood and an effective sermon. You should never tolerate anything
but excellence from the pulpit of your church. 5. Pray for the renewal of your congregation's heart. This
is the most crucial task before your people, to pray so fervently
that a genuine renewal happens in your midst. First, the collective
soul of your church must embrace the idea of prayer - that it
is effective - that it intervenes in human history and brings
change. Then ask people week after week to pray for an increase.
Believe it will happen and it will.
Clark D. Morphew
Posted For July 24, 1999