Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 26

5 Reasons Why Non-Denominational Churches Are Growing

While we continue to see reports of denominational decline in America, we see fewer reports of the growth of non-denominational churches. It is actually an amazing story.

Two denominations that receive a lot of attention are the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church. These two denominations have historically been the two largest Protestant denominations in the United States. The UMC has been in a steady decline for years, but that decline has been exacerbated by the departure of thousands of congregations in the past three years. The denomination’s membership decline will likely be 40 percent from its peak after the full effect of the disaffiliation movement transpires. UMC attendance in the United States has fallen from around 3 million to about 2 million. The numbers again will likely be much worse after the full disaffiliation effect takes place.

The Southern Baptist Convention’s peak membership was 16.2 million in 2006. In 2022, it was 13.2 million. Even more telling are the attendance numbers. The SBC’s peak weekly attendance was 6.2 million in 2009. By 2022, weekly attendance declined to 3.8 million. That decline in attendance is almost 40% in 13 years! (By the way, if you want to get great quantitative research on churches, subscribe to Ryan Burge at Graphs about Religion).

Non-Denominational Growth

According to Burge, 13 percent of total American adults now identify as non-denominational. That is more than all mainline denominations combined. It is also more than the two largest Protestant denominations (the SBC and the UMC) combined.

Burge notes that the “nons” is the second biggest story in American Christianity (The rise of the “nones” is the biggest story. ). While he reports the information from a statistical viewpoint, we at Church Answers are attempting to answer the “why” question. Why are non-denominational churches growing while most all denominations are declining? We see five possible answers to this question.

Five Reasons

We must be careful with our attempts to explain the growth of the non-denominational movement. First, our information is anecdotal rather than data based. Though our team at Church Answers interacts with thousands of church leaders and church members, we have not conducted a rigorous statistical study on this group.

Second, non-denominational churches are far from monolithic. They vary in worship style, doctrine, polity, and many other points. Those variables make analysis even more difficult. Nevertheless, we offer five reasons from our observations.

1. Non-denominational churches tend to be more evangelistic. For a number of possible reasons, these congregations are more intentional about reaching their communities with the gospel. We often see stark contrasts in the priority of evangelism between non-denominational churches and denominational churches.

2. Non-denominational churches typically invest more financially in reaching their communities. Though I could have combined the first two reasons, it is worth noting that the budget of a non-denominational church will often include a higher percentage of their funds used for local evangelism. Denominational church budgets usually allocate more funds for national denominational causes.

3. Non-denominational churches usually do not engage in issues of conflict to the level that denominational churches do. A church has only a finite amount of resources of time, money, and energy. The more that is expended on divisive issues, the less that can be expended on local outreach. We understand that many of these issues are gospel-centric and must be discussed and debated. Sadly, though, the resources spent on these issues often come at the expense of those priorities with a Great Commission focus.

4. Non-denominational churches do not carry the “name” baggage that a denominational church might carry. I think this issue can be overstated. A church with “Baptist” or “Methodist” or “Presbyterian” in its name can still be effective and can still grow. It is hard to know how many unchurched people decide not to visit a denominational church because of its name. Admittedly, though, if it’s a small percentage of the unchurched who make such a decision, that small percentage can have a big negative impact.

5. Non-denominational churches tend to be newer churches that grow faster than older churches. I hope our team can pursue a statistically valid study of the age of churches in America. I think it will confirm our anecdotal observations. The rapid growth of the non-denominational movement is a relatively recent phenomenon. That means many of the non-denominational churches are newer. These newer churches tend to focus more on local growth and evangelism.

We will continue to explore the fascinating topic on the “nons,” including the research of Burge. But I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Let me hear from you.

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What Pastors Actually Think About While They Preach

People often apologize to me for something that happened in a church service. I’ve heard lots of great apologies.

“I’m sorry I fell asleep.”

“I’m sorry I had to rush out.”

“I’m sorry my kid lit his hair on fire.”

I love church—both the people of God and the worship services. I love the oddities that can happen during a church service. I’ve had fire alarms go off during a Father’s Day sermon (thanks to an intern who attempted to make scones in the kitchen). At the church I pastored in Indiana, the heating element went out for a baptism in January. The woman to be baptized insisted we go through with baptism despite the ice in the baptistery. She took the polar plunge and came up gasping a Holy Spirit language I’d never heard before nor since.

If you’ve ever spoken to a crowd, you probably know the feeling of looking out at everybody as a rush of thoughts consumes your mind. So, what exactly am I thinking while I preach? I’ll share my thoughts, but if you preach regularly, share yours in the comments.

First, I don’t notice who is getting up. I learned a long time ago not to get upset when someone leaves during a worship service. It could be a bathroom break. It could be that a person received an emergency text from a family member. Or it could be that you hate what I’m preaching. At any point during a sermon, someone is moving around. Unless you’re doing jumping jacks in a leotard, it’s not likely to bother me.

Second, I’ve always got something on my mind, even when I’m mid-sentence. Like the people listening, I’m fighting a spiritual battle to stay focused. Have I ever thought about what I’m going to do on Sunday afternoon while preaching? Yes. Have I ever had stray, random, and distracting thoughts compete for my mind during a sermon? Yes. Sometimes, I say a concise prayer, asking God to keep me on task.

Third, I don’t always see your face with the way our lights are situated. So, it’s not often that I notice someone sleeping. However, when your wife violently jabs you in the side with her elbow while you’re snoring, and you jar awake quickly, I do notice it. And like everyone around you, I chuckle inside.

Fourth, I probably heard your child crying, but it doesn’t anger me. In fact, I believe it’s a beautiful sound. A church with no children is dead. The sound of a baby is as powerful as a choir anthem. It means the church is alive.

Fifth, every week I think while I’m preaching how much I love the people who are sitting and listening. It’s a privilege to preach. I don’t take it lightly. I come prepared after much time in God’s Word, prayer, and research. I know you prepare your heart to listen. I will admit to having nightmares of showing up to preach and no one being in the room. But that’s never happened and never will. The fact that people care about God’s Word keeps me going.

So I’ll gladly hear your apologies about taking a phone call, getting sick and needing to leave, or quickly sliding out of a pew to take a wailing child into the lobby. But there’s no need to apologize. I’m just glad you care about God’s Word. However, if your kid does light his hair on fire during the Christmas Eve candlelight service, please tell me about it. I love hearing those stories. They make me smile.

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8 Things I Would Look for on a Church Website If I Were Looking for a Church Home

I’m not looking for a new church home. We love our pastors and the church’s vision, and we have no intention of going elsewhere. At the same time, though, I’m often in correspondence with people who are looking for a new church. They most often turn to the website to determine whether to visit a church, even when someone has invited them. 

So, here are some things I would look for on a website if I were looking for a church home. Assuming the basics (e.g., church name, location, service times, etc.) are present, I’d also look for: 

A doctrinal statement. I freely admit this issue may mean more to me as a seminary professor than to others, but I know a number of laypersons who would look for the same. A website that includes no doctrinal statement still speaks by its silence—saying at best that nobody was thinking about theology when they put the site together. A church history. The history need not be a long account, but I would want to know how and when the church started. I would also want to know how many pastors the church has had, especially if every recent pastorate didn’t last long. Consecutive short pastorates usually tell us something about the church. Congregational pictures. I want to “see” the church before going there. Done well, pictures show potential guests the demographics of the church. Just be sure to indicate in some way that the pictures are not just stock pictures; they’re pictures of current members. Conversion stories. Few churches include this suggestion, but I’d want to know that God is transforming lives through the church. Brief (2-3 minutes), well-done, recorded testimonies from church members under a heading of something like, “Stories of God’s Life-changing Power at _______ Church,” will unquestionably grab my attention. Missions stories. Again, I realize a professor of evangelism and missions who also works for a missions agency would want this inclusion. Nevertheless, the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) is not optional for any church—and accounts of the church’s work to reach the nations would help me better understand the church’s focus. Here’s another case, too, where recorded testimonies would be good. Service recordings. I’m not alone in wanting to know the music and preaching styles of a church I might attend. Both really do matter. Poor worship music and/or problematic preaching would be at least a “caution flag” to me. Recordings cannot adequately take us into the service itself, but they can give us some sense of the church. Pastor and family story. Even in a church with a plurality of elders, someone is usually the lead person. Knowing who that person is, what his story is, and what his vision for the church is would help me make a decision about attending. It would also give me the opportunity to pray for that pastor, whether or not I visit the church. Online giving options. Having these options available tells me something about the church’s willingness to use technology as they do the Great Commission. 

I’m sure there are other things to include in a church’s website. What would you add to this list?

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Are Pastors Retiring at an Older Age Now? (And Other Age-Related Issues)

The two leading presidential candidates in the polls today are 81 years old and 77 years old.

Bob Iger returned to Disney as CEO. He will be 73 years old in February.

Football coaches are getting older. Nick Saban and Mack Brown are both 72 years old.

What about pastors? Are they retiring later in ministry? Are they following the trends of others in the workforce? You might be surprised at the answers.

Retiring Later?

On the surface, it does look like pastors are retiring at an older age. According to the research by the Faith Communities Study, the average age of a pastor is 57 years old compared to 50 years old in 2000. Compare that number to the median U. S. age of 38, and it does seem likely that pastors are waiting later to retire (and, yes, I wish I wasn’t comparing an average age to a median age).

We have worked with hundreds of older pastors. Some simply don’t feel a call to leave their churches. Some admit that they are not financially prepared to retire. And others actually stay in ministry longer knowing that their church will have increasing difficulty finding the next pastor. The shortage of pastors is real and acute.

But the issue of older pastors and fewer retiring pastors does not tell the whole story. There is more we must consider.

The Matter of Fewer Persons Entering Vocational Ministry

The Faith Communities Study also noted the declining enrollment of most seminaries, particularly the number of those who are preparing to be a pastor. Simply stated, there are fewer younger persons preparing for ministry and, again, even fewer preparing for pastoral ministry.

The older pastors are hanging around. But there are fewer younger pastors available to replace them. There are approximately 400,000 Protestant churches in America. Many of them can’t find a pastor. Others will soon be in the same predicament. If our churches are not at a point of crisis now, they will soon be.

The Exacerbating Issue of Pastoral Dropout

I have yet to see a conclusive study about the rate of pastor’s quitting or getting fired. Sure, you can find one study that looked longitudinally at the rate of pastor dropout and concluded that it was lower than previous estimates. Or you can look at another study that looks at the percentage of pastors that are considering quitting, and the result is very high. My guess is that if the study was done on Mondays only, it would be even higher!

While we may not know the precise number of pastors quitting, getting fired, or quietly moving to another vocation, we know that the number is not small. Anecdotally, our team found that the largest group of those quitting ranged in age from 35 to 45.

Do you see the cumulative picture? Older pastors are hanging on longer in vocational ministry. Fewer younger pastors in their 20s or early 30s are entering ministry. And the likely largest group of pastors quitting or getting fired is relatively young.

Pastors are fewer in numbers, and those who remain are significantly older. Where do we go from here?

To the Future of Churches and Their Leaders

I have advocated for a greater emphasis on bivocational pastors and co-vocational pastors for years. Similarly, I hope we will have more non-traditional ministry training and education to accompany the traditional path of colleges and seminaries.

But I believe there is much more to be done. In many ways, the solutions I advocate are still part of the old wineskin. I wish I was smart enough to predict what the new wineskin will look like.

In the meantime, we wait on God because the future is His future. We can all sense that major change is coming even though we may not have a clear picture of what it will look like.

You see, aging pastors are just a symptom of the changing times. The fact that enrollments of seminaries are down is but another sign that God is changing the landscape of the local church yet again.

I would love to hear from you. What do you think the new wineskin for local church ministry will look like in ten years? What are you seeing God do that is anew and fresh?

Let us know. We wait to see what God will do next.

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A Guide to Intentional Christmas Events for Ministry to Women

The twinkle of Christmas lights, the warmth of shared laughter, and the joy of coming together in celebration—this season offers a beautiful opportunity to create intentional and memorable events within your church’s women’s ministry. As we approach the Christmas season, let’s explore how we can plan gatherings that not only reflect the true spirit of Christmas but also foster a sense of community, connection, and lasting moments for truth.

1. Embrace the Spirit of Giving

Christmas is all about giving, and a down-to-earth way to embody this spirit is by organizing a thoughtful gift exchange for specific groups within your community—whether it’s local foster children, single moms, or residents of nursing homes. While many of us look forward to festive parties and family get-togethers, extending that joy to those who might be feeling overlooked can bring warmth to their holiday season. By including these special groups, it feels like an intentional and personal invitation and is a great way to form relationships and connections with others in your community. 

2. Host a Festive DIY Workshop

Tap into the creativity within your group by organizing a festive do-it-yourself (DIY) workshop. Whether it’s crafting personalized ornaments, designing holiday wreaths, or creating handmade Christmas cards, a DIY workshop allows women to express their creativity while enjoying each other’s company. Finish the night with a small reflection and bible lesson on how God has made us as image bearers to reflect his creativity and purposes to a hurting and broken world. It’s a wonderful way to bond, share talents, and leave with tangible mementos of the event that will remind each woman for years to come of who their Creator is and their purpose in this life. 

3. Cultivate Meaningful Conversations

Christmas is a season of reflection and gratitude, and cocoa and conversation is always something that women are up for. Plan an intimate gathering which includes thought-provoking conversation starters or a guided reflection on the true meaning of Christmas. Encourage women to share their favorite holiday traditions, reflect on the past year, and express gratitude for the blessings in their lives. Talk about the hardships that filled the year and how they saw God’s faithfulness. You can make conversation cards to guide women along or you can set the environment with all the goodies, snacks, and background music and leave it to those attending to take it from there (just remember to keep a look out for guests.)

4. Organize a Christmas Brunch & Recipe Swap

A big part of Christmas morning are the sweet treats and casseroles that fill the breakfast table after presents. Make it as fancy or casual as you want with decorated tables and catered food to “Bring Your Own Casserole” with a recipe card to share. Incorporate heartwarming activities where women can share personal stories of faith and Christmas traditions over the delicious food. End your time in prayer together asking the Lord to keep hearts focused on Christ amidst the hustle and bustle.

5. Volunteer Together

Embody the true spirit of Christmas by giving back to the community as a women’s ministry. Plan a day of volunteering at a local shelter, organize a gift-wrapping station for charity, or participate in a community food pantry. Serving together not only strengthens the bonds within the group but also embodies love, generosity, and compassion.

6. Foster a Simple Heart of Worship

This has been my favorite event over the years with my women. Last year we scaled it back and had a time of worship with a guitar, some prayer prompts, and cocoa. The holidays are often crammed with so much on the calendar that a quiet moment to sing, reflect, pray, and read Scripture together was the pause that so many women needed. 

Building Cherished Moments

As we plan intentional and memorable Christmas events for our women’s ministry, let’s remember that the true beauty of the season lies in the connections we forge, the laughter we share, and the memories we create together. Let this Christmas be a time when the women of your church come together around the beauty of Jesus and the hope of Him coming again.

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Why Many Churches Will See Giving Go Down in 2024 (Plus Practical Tactics for Resilient Church Budgeting Amid Declining Giving)

Many church experts (us included!) predicted a dip in church giving when the pandemic hit in 2020. The drop never came. Three significant reasons stand out why church giving remained stable through the pandemic. 

God’s people rallied and supported their churches. While many churches lost people on the periphery, the core remained strong and continued giving. Both governments in the United States and Canada inserted a lot of liquidity into the markets. Cash from the government hit bank accounts directly. Other programs allowed for business owners to apply for significant amounts of funding. Many Christians gave to their churches from these funds. So far, we have avoided a major recession, though rapid inflation and rising interest rates are becoming a problem.

The purpose of this article is not to predict the next recession or economic downturn. Instead, I want

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Christmas Eve Is a Sunday This Year (The Big Opportunity)

The holiday season is demanding. Pastors and church leaders must move from one event to the next in rapid-fire succession. The whirlwind lasts from Thanksgiving to Christmas Day. Most pastors get a small break between Christmas and the New Year, and then it’s time to launch again. Ministry is a grind. The deadlines never end, and Christmas is the busiest and most chaotic season.

Christmas Eve lands on a Sunday this year. I understand the temptation to scale back. We briefly discussed this option at my church. The reality is this Christmas Eve may be one of the biggest opportunities you have for several years to come. You should do more, not less, this year. Here is why.

The unchurched (and dechurched) will show up in greater numbers. Families are often together during this time. That uncle who refuses to attend church will often capitulate and go to a Christmas Eve service since the rest of the family is going together. Those who are detached from the church will often return for sentimental reasons. For most churches, approximately one-third to half of attendees will be guests at a Christmas Eve service. Since December 24th is a Sunday, anticipate more guests, not less.

Everyone can participate together. The unchurched will recognize many Christmas songs, so they are more likely to sing with the congregation. If the New Year is all about resolve, then Christmas is all about hope. Christmas is one of the few traditions in our culture that is universally accepted. Remember, keep it simple and classic. Sing songs everyone knows. It’s not the time to be avant-garde. Most people expect a traditional feel and tone to the service.

Go shorter and make guests feel welcome. Hospitality is your best investment on Christmas Eve. A giant production may be memorable, but people will return because of genuine hospitality. The service should last less than an hour. The message should be about 10 or 15 minutes. Younger families tend to come to an afternoon service, while those without young children prefer an evening service. I recommend having both if possible.

Your tone should be encouraging, not pointed. Should pastors call out the woes of culture and stand against the rising force of secularism? Yes. Is Christmas Eve the right setting for an angry message? No. Be encouraging and communicate the hope of the gospel.

Solve the scheduling dilemma with an easy solution. Since Christmas Eve is a Sunday, how should you structure your service schedule? I recommend having your typical morning services during the usual timeslot, then adding your Christmas Eve services in the afternoon and evening. Your regular people will likely come to both services, while your guests are more inclined to attend the afternoon and evening services. Why do both morning and evening? It could be your highest-attended Sunday in years! Even more importantly, Jesus deserves a giant celebration on His birthday.

Christmas Eve services are always a great opportunity to connect with guests and people from your community. This year could be one of the biggest yet.

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When Pastors Doubt Their Leadership Ability

It is a key issue in pastoral leadership today. 

Here is a quote from a pastor I coach. It is indicative of this issue: “I don’t feel like I am leading well. Sometimes I wonder if God’s anointing and calling is no longer on my life.”

That pastor is not alone. As I work with these pastors, I hear similar themes. What is taking place? Why are doubts creeping into their minds and hearts? Though I am certainly not all-knowing, I do see five key reasons for the doubts. Let’s look at each of them.

1. Attendance is declining or growing too slowly. While this concern was present before the pandemic, it has been pervasive since 2020. While some may argue that we shouldn’t focus on numbers, we must focus on obedience to the Great Commission. Most often that obedience results in numerical growth. The reality, however, is that growth is more difficult than it ever has been in our lifetimes. Cultural Christianity is all but gone. Transfer growth is minimal. It is indeed a new world for churches and her leaders.

2. It is increasingly difficult to get committed volunteers. Most pastors feel this pain point deeply. Commitment levels are waning. One of the issues that exacerbates this problem is the failure of many churches to reduce their activities and programs that make a meaningful difference. Churches should not expect members to volunteer for programs and committees that really have no meaningful purpose.

3. Pastors are wearier than they’ve ever been. Many pastors interpret this post-pandemic weariness to be a sign that they are no longer effective in their ministry. Others feel like the weariness is an indicator of a waning call. Neither are necessarily true. The reality is that the pandemic and its aftermath created angst and, often, depression. It’s more normal than most pastors realize.

4. The critics are louder and more frequent. I have overwhelming anecdotal evidence that this reality is a clear and present pain point for church leaders, particularly pastors. Keep in mind that the weariness and, perhaps, depression, many pastors feel is also felt by church members. They too are hurting. And pastors are often a convenient target to direct their anger.

5. Church giving is declining. This reason has many of the same roots as declining attendance. But declining giving likely has many immediate consequences. Ministries are cut. Personnel are let go or moved to part time. Mission giving by the church declines. And, in many cases, pastors themselves must take pay cuts or move to bivocational status.

These issues are real and present. The pain is undeniable. 

It is time for major leadership adjustments among pastors. These changes are not a sign of poor leadership; they are signs of needed leadership changes. Even Moses had to change his leadership approach in the wilderness. For that, we are ever thankful for his father-in-law, Jethro.

I am moving much of my focus to working directly with pastors to help them make leadership adjustments. I am not smarter than they are. But I do have the joy of hearing from thousands of pastors and church leaders every year. And Church Answers continuously does research on churches and the culture in which they engage.

I am opening ten new coaching spots to work with pastors, church leaders, and denominational leaders to share what we’ve learned about the changes churches and church leaders must make. I will begin by introducing the Simple Church Growth Model , which combines the incredible Great Commission ministry of The Hope Initiative with the clutter-removing discipleship of Simple Church. If you desire to be one of the ten leaders in this coaching cohort, sign on the link below.

Thom is opening ten spots for church and denominational leaders to introduce the Simple Church Growth Model . He will lead this cohort himself. The cost is $250/month for six months and includes Platinum membership at Church Answers. First come, first serve. Join today: https://churchanswers.com/solutions/coaching/cohorts/the-simple-church-growth-model/

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The Top Ten Misaligned Priorities in Struggling Churches

Churches decline for two main reasons—both having to do with a shift in priorities. First, they lose passion for the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Second, as a result, they no longer give God glory. When a church no longer pushes outward with the gospel, the people will no longer look upward to God’s glory. A church lacking both an outward and upward perspective will inevitably move in the other two directions: inward and downward. Inward churches always decline.

Misaligned priorities happen over time, and they pile up on each other. What do they look like in a church?

Nostalgia is more prevalent than devotion. The church’s history is discussed more than the Bible. The past is the hero, not Jesus. People are more upset when something is out of place in the heritage room than they are with knowing their neighbors are lost. Memories of the past bring more emotion than the mission of the present.Polity is an end, not a means. People refer to the bylaws as if they should never change. In this environment, the church’s governance dictates how the church ministers. Business meetings are often rancorous, and parliamentary procedures are used as leverage rather than a simple means of conducting business. Loyalty to the denomination is more important than the people’s loyalty to each other. Pastoral tenures are short.Traditions detach the church from community culture. The church rebels against looking like the community. In the worst cases, the church grows to resent the community rather than loving the neighborhood. These churches hang on to traditions that hinder the work of the gospel.Debt becomes a drain on resources. There are good uses of borrowing. Sometimes a needed capital project would not happen without a modest level of debt. But if more than twenty percent of the budget is used for debt service, cash problems can become a problem. Debt-heavy churches often must defer facility maintenance in order to pay the bank.Preferences override God’s mission for the church. Internal hostility over preferences puts people at odds with each other. Rather than fighting a battle against the spiritual forces of darkness, the church becomes a battleground for pet programs, favorite songs, styles of worship, and approaches to ministry.Generational power struggles exist. The older generation clings to power. The younger generation refuses to accept responsibility. Families are split as some leave for other churches. The church struggles to find multigenerational teams of volunteers. The older generation comes to one service while the younger generation attends another.The church becomes a platform for leaders. When priorities are misaligned, success is more important than accountability. In extreme cases, the power structure hides sin issues among the leaders. Leaders care more about their own reputation than serving the church. They use the church to further their own endeavors in the community.Comfort with the status quo outweighs a willingness to sacrifice. In this environment, apathy becomes a contaminant, polluting the mission of the church. Status quo churches act more like social clubs than kingdom outposts. Groups in the church are less about Bible study and prayer and more about friendship cliques in which outsiders are not welcome.The people have an unhealthy fixation on the church’s facilities. The congregation cares more about the building than they do about people in the community. For many, the building is the church. In severe cases, the church campus becomes an idol. More time is spent discussing the building than anything else.Gossip is common, and evangelism is not. Gossip fosters an environment of distrust and suspicion. Gossip can create unnecessary conflict and tension between people. In these struggling churches, the unifying force of evangelism is not present.

Misaligned priorities happen over time, and the gradual shift causes the misalignment to go unnoticed. Rarely does improvement occur without intentional leadership. How do you start realignment? Get the church moving outward. The Great Commission is the way to begin a great realignment.

This article is adapted from an excerpt in The Church Revitalization Checklist: A Hopeful and Practical Guide for Leading Your Congregation to a Brighter Tomorrow, published by Tyndale. 

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An Urgent Plea to Churches

I admit it: I’m pleading with church leaders with this post. I’m pleading on behalf of 19 million people in the United States. 

This past weekend, I led a collegiate conference at a local church. Every time I speak to college students, I’m reminded of two things: (1) they bring enthusiasm and potential to a local church, and (2) many, if not most churches—unlike the church where I did the conference—do a poor job of reaching these students. In fact, many churches lose their high school graduates when they go to college and don’t regain them (if they do) until they get married and have children. 

So, here’s my heartfelt plea: reach, equip, and send out college students. In this post, my goals are to motivate you to reach collegians and to offer some ways to move in that direction. EVERY church, regardless of size, can do something. 

Why We Need to Reach Collegians

Why do I want you to accept this plea? 

College students are at a significant juncture in life—stepping into their own lives and forming their own conclusions and beliefs. That context generally makes them more open to talking about options, including Christianity. They are questioning, inquisitive, and listening. They make real commitments when they genuinely choose to follow Christ. Their passion and faith sometimes put mine to shame. They’re unafraid to stand alone. They take notes when listening to the Word. They want their friends to know Jesus. They accept the challenge to go to the nations. God has often begun awakenings with college students. In the Second Great Awakening, God moved at places like Hampden-Sydney College and Williams College (where the “Haystack Meeting” occurred). The 1970 revival that began at Asbury College in Kentucky spread to multiple campuses in the U.S.—and we recently saw glimpses again of that movement. God could do the same today. They represent a global mission field. More than 1 million international students are attending US colleges and universities. They’ve come here to study—but perhaps God brought them here to hear the gospel. I’ve met many students over the years who first learned of Jesus and chose to follow Him because of a collegiate ministry, and I’ve known some who took the gospel back to their home country. They rightly challenge us to explain our faith. They’re not interested in superficial, routine Christianity. Rather, they want authenticity, depth, and relevance—and they’re unafraid to ask questions we should be ready to answer. 

First Steps to Reach Collegians

So, where might we start? 

Enlist a point person to oversee renewed efforts to reach collegians through your church. That person may be a lay leader or a staff member, but someone needs primary responsibility to keep these efforts in the forefront of the church. Ask God to direct you to that right person. And, if you’re the lead pastor, please hear me: if this burden is not your burden, neither will it become the burden of your church. It begins with you. Start where you can: reach out to your church’s high school graduates who are now in college. Set up a regular electronic meeting to check on them. Let them know you’re praying for them. Send them care packages. Encourage them to find a strong local church where they attend school. If your church’s college students haven’t heard from you in a long time, your church needs to shepherd them better.  Connect with Christian ministries on campuses near where your church meets. Somebody who oversees student life on the campus can help you make that connection. Ask those ministry leaders how you and your church might assist them in reaching their campus. Meet with their students and ask the same question. You need these ministries, and they need you as an interested, committed local church. Enlist at least one small group in your church to adopt a college student. I’m convinced that many college students want older, faithful adults to invest in their lives, and they welcome the opportunity to get to know others. Even if only one small group adopts one college student, your church will have already strengthened your collegiate ministry. Don’t just ignore this post. I’m sure, especially because it’s Thanksgiving week, it would be easy to lay this post aside and do nothing. Again, I plead with you: do something to reach college students!

I’ve said a prayer for all our readers today. God bless your efforts!

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