Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 30

12 Ways Parking Lot Greeters Can Serve

Greeters make a difference in a church, and some of the strongest churches I know have them everywhere from the parking lot to the welcome center to the hallways to the small group rooms. Here are some things greeters can do in the parking lot:

1. Be a smiling face as people enter the lot. Some folks coming to church have had a rough week. Maybe even a rough life. A smile can go a long way for them.

2. Direct traffic if needed. Even if the church has a separate parking team, greeters are sometimes pressed into service in the busiest times.

3. Help families with children. Clearly identified and vetted greeters can assist families who are unloading multiple kids with all their associated stuff.

4. Guide people to the right door. It’s not always easy to know which door is the best entrance to a church. Parking lot greeters can help with that decision.

5. Offer rides if the lot is large. A greeter with a golf cart is a welcome sight for some folks who must park a long way from the building.

6. Guard spaces for the handicapped. You might be surprised how often our church consultation teams have seen seemingly healthy people with no handicapped sticker park in these spaces. 

7. Provide umbrellas and an arm in inclement weather. Not everybody comes prepared for bad weather, and some people need a helping hand when the parking lot is slick or icy.

8. Answer general questions about the church. You never know what kinds of questions a guest or new member might have – and a greeter might be the first person available to answer those questions.

9. Pray silently for attenders as they arrive. How might a church service be different if every person who enters the building is a recipient of prayer?

10. Provide security. Just their presence, assuming the greeters are clearly recognizable, can be a deterrent to other problems like vandalism and theft. 

11. Welcome the late-comers to church. It’s easy to get frustrated (often, at somebody else in the family) when people are late for church. A friendly greeter can say, “It’s all good. We’re just glad you’re here.” 

12. Encourage people as they leave. Few churches use parking lot greeters in this way, so your church can be unique if your greeters serve after the service as well. A smiling face on the way out is just as important as a smiling face on the way in.

What would you add to this list? 

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Five Ways to Hurt Your Pastor Deeply

The times sure have changed.

Yes, the statement is cliché, but it is one I often make about the challenge of pastors today versus several years ago. When I was a pastor, I had my challenges. But they pale in comparison to what pastors face today.

Why is pastoring so challenging today? There are several reasons. Social media did not exist when I was a pastor. It is now weaponized to hurt pastors. Culture has shifted to being mostly adversarial to Christianity in general, and to local churches and pastors in particular. And we are undoubtedly in the midst of a great polarization in our nation and many parts of the world. 

The recent study by the Barna Group should come as no surprise then. Four out of ten pastors are considering quitting! That should be a sobering reality. 

For pastors, though, the greatest pain comes from within the church instead of the culture outside the church. One pastor told me that he used to refer to it as “friendly fire” until he realized there was nothing friendly about it. 

I recently asked pastors how church members hurt them the most. It was amazing to hear these five responses repeatedly. 

1. When church members say they are not being fed. These words are used to attack the pastor’s preaching. Think about it. Many pastors work on their sermons 15 or more hours each week only to be told that their preaching is weak. A number of these pastors indicated that the members who used this attack most frequently are the ones who attend the least frequently. One pastor responded to an infrequent attendee who told him they were not getting fed with this retort: “You can’t be fed if you hardly ever come to the dining table.”

2. When church members say, “People are saying . . . “ Of course, “people” are rarely identified, so the pastor can’t go to them and speak with them directly. A number of pastors said that they get complaints about something they did or did not do, and they have no idea when or if this alleged offense took place. Some people like to hide behind a keyboard on social media; others like to claim “people” are saying. 

3. When church members stop giving. Most pastors do not know what their members give, but word usually gets to them about someone who had decided to protest through withheld giving. These members obviously think it’s their money, not God’s money. 

4. When church members say, “I love you, pastor but . . . “ Pastors told me that they only hear what is said after “but.” They would rather the church member simply speak negatively rather than couch the complaint or criticism in pseudo-love. 

5. When church members complain about the pastor’s family. Pastors know that their spouses and children aren’t perfect. And if something needs correction, they are willing to hear about it. But most of these complaints are petty and unfounded. And because you are talking about the pastor’s family, the attack is particularly painful.

When your pastor resigns this year, you probably will not hear any of these five issues in their reasons for departure. But you can be assured that the ongoing complaints, criticisms, and attacks have taken their toll.

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Why Smaller Churches Must Be Better at Hospitality than Larger Churches

It’s not fair. I know. Smaller churches must be better at hospitality than larger churches. First, I will explain why. Then I will demonstrate how this perceived inequity is to the benefit of smaller churches.

Guests have different expectations of different-sized churches. When new people or families walk into an extraordinarily large church, most will expect anonymity. A 500,000 square-foot campus with thousands of people has a different feel than a smaller church with one hundred people.

For example, when I enter Tropicana Field for a Tampa Bay Rays game, I do not expect people to go out of their way to show hospitality. The ballpark is enormous, and there are—on average—between 15,000 and 20,000 others walking around. I’m thankful they focus on efficiency more than hospitality. I get frustrated when the parking attendant wants to have an extended conversation. When I walk into a small, family-owned restaurant, however, my expectations change. Hospitality is now the priority and not efficiency.

Churches are not ballparks and restaurants; I get it. But the sociology of being in a small group or a large crowd remains. It’s weird when you enter a room with a few people, and no one acknowledges you. It’s not as strange when the same happens in a room with thousands of people.

The Difference Between Friendliness and Hospitality

Many churches believe they are friendly, but too few demonstrate hospitality. The problem is friendliness is often directed internally. Members are kind and pleasant with each other and overlook guests. You can be nice to someone without showing hospitality. Hospitality involves generosity and sacrifice with outsiders. In the New Testament, the Greek word for hospitality means to love those on the outside. Peter wrote about the importance of hospitality in his first letter.

“The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” – 1 Peter 4:7-10 (NLT)

The apostle had a penchant for the dramatic. The world is ending! Please show hospitality. A couple of lessons emerge from this text. Hospitality is how the church will shine when the world is falling apart. Additionally, every believer, regardless of spiritual gifting, is expected to be hospitable. In other words, every spiritual gift is amplified by hospitality. I believe hospitality is one of the most underrated ministries in the church, and it is expected of all members! How can smaller churches use the greater expectation of hospitality to their advantage?

Five Easy Ways to Make a Splash with Your Hospitality Ministry

What makes a church visit memorable for a guest? Generally, the experience is the memorable part of being in a large crowd. But the personal connection is what people value in a smaller setting. Do larger churches get more guests because of their size? Yes, but they also assimilate a smaller proportion of them. A typical-sized congregation will not have as many guests, but they have a better opportunity to assimilate guests through a personal connection.

The problem is many churches (large and small) do not elevate the ministry of hospitality to take advantage of the opportunity. They believe the culture of being nice to each other (internally) will equate to guests feeling hospitality. The opposite is true. Many guests feel ignored or excluded when no one intentionally extends genuine hospitality to them.

How can a smaller church make a splash with hospitality?

1. Allocate more budget resources. Your church budget reflects your ministry priorities. Don’t cut the coffee budget! I realize most small churches do not have big budgets. But there are ways to invest in hospitality without breaking the bank. Give the pastor a lunch budget to treat guests and their families after church. Hand writing a thank you card to guests is inexpensive and one way to make a memorable impression.

2. Do not neglect your online presence. Monitor your social media accounts and respond quickly to questions. Make sure your Google business profile is up to date with correct addresses, service times, phone numbers, and hours of operation. Include pictures on your website of actual congregants. Don’t use stock photos. And please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t use an empty sanctuary picture as your primary image.

3. Train your first impressions volunteers. Personal attention is what sets hospitality apart from friendliness. Shaking someone’s hand and smiling is a friendly gesture. Hospitality is talking with someone, walking them into the sanctuary, sitting next to them while getting to know them, and inviting them to lunch. If you don’t know someone more after an interaction, then you may have been kind, but you were not hospitable.

4. Make a big deal about guests in the worship service and then follow up. Thank your guests from the platform each week (without singling them out). Ask for their contact information. You can use connection cards with QR codes (for those who prefer digital methods). Keep a fresh stock of pens available in your seats or pews. Contact every guest at least three times. Each one should receive a phone call from church leadership (or an email if no number is available). Follow up with a handwritten note if they provided a physical address. Then have a church member invite them to a small group or Sunday school class.

5. Lead by example. Hospitable churches have hospitable pastors. Titus 1 is explicit. If pastors do not practice hospitality, they are not fit to lead their churches. Having guests in your home is just as important as sound doctrine. Hospitality starts with the pastor!

Hospitality is the opportunity many smaller churches are missing. Frankly, good hospitality is in short supply in our culture. The church can make a memorable impression—and have a greater impact—by investing in hospitality.

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The Top Ten Lowest Attended Sundays in U. S. Churches

Most pastors, staff, and active church members have a good idea when attendance will drop on a given Sunday. Churches develop a discernible pattern that is repeated each year. 

We asked over 400 people, mostly church leaders, to identify their lowest attended Sundays on a recurring basis. Though our study was not scientific (comments and likes on two social media channels plus our Church Answers community,) the large number of responses developed into a clear pattern. 

To be clear, every church is different, and every community is different. Different contexts give different responses. For example: 

A congregation with a lower median age will likely have a lower Mother’s Day attendance than a church with older congregants. The younger church members travel to their mother’s home.
Hunting and fishing season can adversely affect church attendance. Deer season was mentioned most frequently.Travel and Sunday sports can be a killer to church attendance. Sunday sports for kids and youth have become the newest god to worship.Geographic location is important. For example, a church in a warm destination may have an influx of “snowbirds” in the winter, and then a decline when they leave.The weather of the day is an important factor too. If it’s raining, attendance will be down. If it’s sunny and warm, attendance will be down. In the South, if a snow flurry is forecast for Sunday, the grocery stores are packed on Saturday, and the churches are nearly empty as the people contend with 1/16th inch of snow on the ground.

Still, most churches have a pattern of low attendance that is consistent. Here are the top ten responses we received, ranked by frequency of response. 

Father’s Day.The Sunday after Thanksgiving day.Memorial Day weekend Sunday.Labor Day weekend Sunday.The Sundays before and after Christmas.The Sunday nearest the Fourth of July.The Sunday nearest to New Year’s Day.Time changes: spring forward.Spring and fall break Sundays.Summer Sundays, particularly in July.

Do these low attendance days align with your church’s low attendance days? What is the lowest-attended day in your church? Let me hear from you.

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Brothers & Sisters Flourishing Together: Why We Need to Keep Talking About Women

It seems like the internet and evangelical churches can’t stop talking about women. As a woman leader this can be exhausting, but at the same time, I think we are having vital conversations that need intentionality, grace, and understanding. My point in this post isn’t to dredge up a bunch of theological should and should nots, but to bring us back to the foundation of how God allows us to serve alongside one another in mutual ministry and mission. 

The Church and its members are not fully representing Christ and His church without the mutual flourishing of both men and women in discipleship processes and the collaboration of their giftings.

1) Both men and women bear God’s image. 

In Genesis 1:26-27, we see how God created humanity in His image and are both created to rule and reign together. In Genesis 2, we get to see the intricate detail of both Adam and Eve and how they are created. There is a distinction not only in how they are made, but also in the biological differences that come with their God-given genders. As God brings Eve to Adam, his song is not of distinction but of sameness: “Bone of bone and flesh of my flesh.” 

2) Both men and women carry out the mission.

Shiphrah and Puah defied the most powerful man on the planet to protect life.
Ruth faithfully teaches us covenantal love and the hope of a redeemer.
Mary learned at the feet of Jesus and was one of the first to proclaim an empty tomb.
Ten women are woven into the celebration of names mentioned in Romans 16 by Paul for their ministry, hard work, and faithfulness.

Women have been and will always be a part of the great redemptive story. I write in my book, The Calling of Eve, that the Great Commission is not gendered. Jesus’ final words to teach, disciple, and baptize have been given to all of us whose lives have been changed by the Gospel.

The church is described as a family with fathers and mothers (Titus) and brothers and sisters co-laboring alongside one another for the sake of the gospel (Phil. 1). How we work together, cling to unity, and walk out our daily sanctification is a picture of God’s heart for the world. 

When we siphon off responsibilities, diminish value, or control one another in fear of slippery slopes, we take away from the power of the Spirit and the beauty of mutuality. 

3) Both men and women need each other.

I would love to see more familial language in our conversations as we relate to one another as brothers and sisters in the family of God. Family is committed to one another, sticks up for one another, and seeks out the good of the other. When we focus on the ability to come together with our unique gifts, wisdom, and experiences, we are both stronger and wiser. We truly are ‘better together’ and more equipped to meet needs, move the mission forward, and celebrate the work God continues to do in and through each other.

We offer an incomplete picture of our loving Heavenly Father when we pridefully diminish the value, gifts, and wisdom of the other. In the same way that I hope my brothers would want my perspective or wisdom when it comes to teaching a text or dealing with a difficult leadership decision, I need them in the same manner. We all have weaknesses, blind spots, and biases, and it is God’s gift that he gives us one another to navigate life’s struggles and high points. 

A Quick Note to My Brothers:
I’m often asked, “What do women in my church need?” (I’m so grateful when I’m asked this!). This is just the tip of the iceberg for a response but a few things to look toward as you start to answer this question:

1) To Be Shepherded: Who and what systems do you have in place for women in crisis? Oftentimes women do not feel comfortable talking through issues of abuse, health concerns, parenting, or past circumstances with a male leader. 

a) Create a safe space for women to know they are protected and welcome in your church.

b) Provide visible women in the Church that are trusted and trained to meet with and counsel women.

c) Have a list of counselors and resources for them in the community. Here is a list of the resources I make available to our women. 

2) To Be Given Clarity & Opportunities to Use Their Gifts:

a) Whatever your framework or theological belief around women in ministry may be, there is an opportunity to utilize women in the church for mission and ministry. 

b) Be mindful of only communicating about women through the lens of what they are not allowed to do.

c) Think through what positions and areas of leadership women are able to serve in.

3) To Be Celebrated: Highlighting and elevating the value of women’s contributions in the church not only affirms the work that women are doing in your church currently but also helps to call out and call up those that aren’t yet fully functioning in their giftedness.

4) Invest in Your Female Leaders:

a) Enroll her in our Women’s Discipleship Certificate at Church Answers University

b) Purchase conferences, books, and resources to develop her as a leader.

c) Meet with her to listen, connect, and coach her through her own development as a leader.

A Note to My Fellow Female Leaders:
I hope you see the value, worth, and dignity God has infused within you as you serve and lead in diverse ways for the Kingdom of God. Oftentimes we can be held back by our own insecurities, questioning what God has for us, and isolated in the journey. 

My biggest encouragement is to continue saying ‘yes’ in big and small ways to the doors God is opening for you. Be a constant learner. Connect with other men and women in different areas of leadership. You are needed in Kingdom work. I’m cheering you on and here as a resource for you. 

Cheering you on,

Jacki C. King

*For more resources on equipping women in the Church check out ChurchAnswers.com/Women 

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The Looming Deferred Maintenance Crisis in Many Churches (and How to Solve It)

“It’s a custom color. Bradenton plum.”

The church council member and I laughed together about the project in front of us. He had been part of the original capital campaign in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

“The color was popular then, but I think it’s time for an update,” he said as we prioritized the deferred maintenance projects for our upcoming capital campaign.

A few years ago, we started tackling facility projects. Our church had done too few updates in the last forty years, and now we were in the position of doing several fixes all at once. Thankfully, the church rallied, and we raised the needed funds for the immediate problems. But we are still playing catch-up today because deferred maintenance was not a priority.

Not every church will have the luxury of chipping away at facility renovations.

Sticker shock with deferred maintenance projects will prompt some congregations to consider closing.

Deferred maintenance is the process of delaying needed improvements to infrastructure and assets because of budget and cash limitations. Churches are notorious for postponing these capital projects. We heard of one church recently that had worn the carpet through to the plywood floor. Rather than replace the carpet, they painted the wood floor the same color as the surrounding carpet. When you do these shortsighted fixes, the cost of collective repairs skyrockets.

Neglected facilities become an albatross around the neck of many pastors. Deferred maintenance has killed numerous ministers with good intentions. Even the best churches often have closets full of junk—old trophies, dusty puppets, and binders of music from the 1970s. In severe cases, the entire campus has not been touched in decades.

There is a looming crisis about to impact the North American church. Failing air conditioners, leaky roofs, unsealed brick exteriors, old windows, and worn carpets can potentially sink congregations. Redoing the central air conditioning of a 50,000-square-foot facility can easily cost north of $1 million. Sealing brick exteriors can be tens of thousands of dollars. A leaky roof can climb into the six figures if a lot of work is needed. Higher inflation and supply constraints only exacerbate the problem. Sticker shock is coming, and many churches will not be able to pay to keep their campus open, even if they have dozens of people in the congregation.

We’ve got to do everything we can to keep these churches operating. Why?

One of the greatest kingdom assets is location, location, location.

Church facilities are one of the most expensive, yet vital, tools church leaders use to shepherd God’s people. In a North American context, buildings are essential to God’s mission of expanding His kingdom. From a practical standpoint, the church building should be the place where the local community congregates. Uninviting church buildings make it difficult for church members to invite their friends and family to worship with them.

What are some ways to start tackling the problem of deferred maintenance issues?

1. Include deferred maintenance in your operating budget. Create a separate deferred maintenance line item in the building and grounds section of your budget.

2. Create a priority list of projects. Walk around your facility quarterly. Write down items you see need work. Continually update your priority list and use the deferred maintenance line item in the budget to chip away at projects.

3. Utilize budget surpluses on maintenance items. When you have a budget surplus, use these funds to do bigger deferred maintenance projects.

4. Communicate regularly with your church about projects and celebrate their completion. When you install new carpet or new windows, let the church know. Visible progress will energize the church and prompt more generosity.

5. Encourage people to give to a building fund on an ongoing basis. At my church, we have three major giving buckets. The first is our operating budget. The second is a missions fund. The third is a building fund. We ask people to tithe to the operating budget and give above and beyond to the other two funds.

The mission of the church is to be a kingdom presence in a particular location. Your church address is not an accident. What God began at 1305 43rd Street West in Bradenton is not supposed to stop until Christ returns. The same goes for your church location. Don’t stop until Jesus comes back.

For more information about the most recent research and current church trends, check out our resource Big Storms and Blue Oceans, which includes both an e-book and video content.

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Church Leaders Wandering Past the Cross

Many years ago, I visited a rocky hillside in Jerusalem that some scholars believe is the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. On this hillside were three trees that reminded me of the crosses at Jesus’ death, and in front of the hill was a busy bus station. The stench of diesel fuel hung in the air. The loud hum of old bus engines was compounded by a continual chorus of horns blowing in the traffic. What seemed like thousands of people speaking multiple languages stood in the station, waiting for transportation to take them to nowhere important. 

A young believer at the time, I stood as quietly and respectfully as I could, looking toward the trees growing on that small hill. “Here Jesus died for me,” I thought, “and I can’t believe that everyone is ignoring this place. How do people just drive by this holy place as if nothing happened here?” 

Years later, I have sadly learned that I, too, can get so busy with life that I inadvertently wander past the cross as if it didn’t happen.¹

Maybe we church leaders are most susceptible to this problem because our ministry responsibilities never end. How, then, do we know when we’re wandering past the cross? Perhaps my personal reflections and confessions can help you think about your own heart: 

1. I know I’m wandering past the cross when the story of the cross no longer melts my heart like it did when I first followed Christ. Back then, the whole story was amazing; now, too often, it’s routine.

2. I can sing songs of the cross with little brokenness and gratitude. It’s been a long time now, but I remember singing, with much gratefulness, hymns like, “The Old Rugged Cross” and “At Calvary.” The songs we sing are different now, but how I wish my brokenness over the cross were still the same!

3. When I tell my testimony, I speak more about my life change than about the cross and God’s gracious love. I certainly don’t skip the cross, but I do fear I don’t always focus there like I should. I admit that I don’t always sufficiently camp out at a wooden cross and a borrowed tomb.

4. Observing the Lord’s Supper with my church family becomes routine. And, that’s not because our church shares the ordinance too often; it’s because I don’t always dwell deeply enough on the significance of the Supper. I wander past the cross . . . .

5. Writing or teaching things like this post calls me to repentance . . . again. I wrote the words of the first two paragraphs of this post more than ten years ago. I confessed my struggle back then, and I confess today that I still have much room to grow. 

Being a church leader is no guarantee you will live in the shadow of the cross. Busyness can, in fact, get in the way of that focus. For those leaders who need it, may the Lord take us back to Calvary and then to an empty tomb.

¹These first two paragraphs are found in Chuck Lawless, Nobodies for Jesus: 14 Days toward a Great Commission Lifestyle (pp. 23-24). Rainer Publishing. Kindle Edition. I wrote this book to challenge all of us to regain our fascination with Jesus—and consequently, to do the Great Commission.

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Five Cautions about Church Budgets for the Next Twelve Months

The call from the pastor was not that unusual. 

Indeed, it was a part of a pattern we’ve observed at Church Answers. 

“Hey Thom,” the pastor asked, “Are you seeing anything about church giving declining? We thought it was a temporary pause at our church, but giving is consistently down about five percent.” 

While we don’t have sufficient data to declare a definitive trend, we see reasons to urge church leaders to exercise caution before planning major budget increases in the months ahead. Here are five of those reasons: 

Economic uncertainty. Since the economic experts are not in agreement about the future of the economy, I certainly am not smart enough to make predictions. At the very least, the future state of the economy is uncertain. As a key indicator, inflation, though it has lowered from its peak, is still at a rate that could hold back economic growth. Declining attendance. There is a direct correlation between attendance and giving. Church attendance is significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels . If the trend continues, giving will follow suit.  Disappearing liquidity. In order to counter the severe financial effects of the pandemic, the government injected a lot of liquidity through payments to individuals and businesses. These subsidies are nearly exhausted, and the disposable income of church members has correspondingly diminished.  Polarization in churches. Church unity is one of the most important factors in the health of a church. And we know for certain that unity affects the giving of a church. A unified church is a church with a purpose. And a church with a purpose attracts greater generosity. Regrettably, many churches are experiencing internal division, which discourages generosity.  Facility surprises. Many churches have deferred maintenance issues, and many church leaders are surprised when the church is hit with a major facility cost. Numbers of congregations are in older buildings. Unfortunately, most of those congregations have not kept up with the maintenance needs of the facilities. The expense for major capital needs such as new roofs or HVAC systems is typically higher than expected. One former member of a church recently told me his church had to close its doors because they did not have the funds to make basic upgrades and repairs. 

One action a church can take right now is to prepare a contingency budget. For example, consider asking, “What changes would we make if we knew church giving would come in at five percent under the budgeted receipts?” Thinking through these scenarios in advance will help to ensure preparedness. 

What are you seeing in your church’s giving levels? We would love to hear from you.

 

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Why Your Congregation Is Likely More Optimistic about the Future Than You Realize

Over 80% of churchgoers predict a promising future for their churches. Is this figure what you would expect? Until I saw the research, I would not have guessed optimism was so high among churchgoers.

Where did this statistic originate? The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) conducted a national survey in August 2022 of almost 6,000 adults in the United States. They reported several findings, but the optimistic figure stood out to me.

45% of churchgoers are very optimistic about the future of their church.37% of churchgoers are somewhat optimistic about the future of their church.12% of churchgoers are somewhat pessimistic about the future of their church.4% of churchgoers are very pessimistic about the future of their church.2% did not provide an answer.

Amazingly, 82% of congregants have an optimistic perspective about their churches, while only 16% have a pessimistic outlook.

In addition to this optimism, 9 out of 10 churchgoers affirmed the following two statements.

“In conversations with my friends, I am proud to say that I am associated with my church.”“I am generally satisfied with the current leadership of my church.”

So, most churchgoers are optimistic about the future of their churches. They are proud to be associated with their churches. And they are generally satisfied with church leadership.

Is there a disconnect between church leadership and congregants? Are pastors inclined to be more negative? Solving problems is an essential leadership task, so church leaders are naturally more aware of challenges and shortcomings. Maybe the average congregant is blissfully unaware. But I think something more is happening. 

The positive view of a specific local church can be detached from an overall negative view of churches. There are many reasons to be concerned about the health of churches in North America. The overall picture does not look good. I believe churchgoers are aware of these problems, at least in part. But they remain hopeful about the local church to which they belong. The lesson here is simple. Progress can be made at your church. Complaining about every other church is not likely to help.

The loss of the periphery strengthened the core. Many churches lost people on the periphery over the last three years. Attendance figures dropped, and pastors worked to regain those who faded away. Most did not return. In response, those who stayed—the core—strengthened. I am not surprised a survey of the faithful produced positive results.

The preference is rising for smaller churches closer to home. Before the pandemic, only 10% of churchgoers were willing to drive more than thirty minutes to church. These drive times are likely shorter now. The reach of regional churches is beginning to pull back. People are considering smaller neighborhood churches in their communities. Smaller churches tend to be smaller targets for criticism. The largest churches tend to draw the most negative attention (whether deserved or not). As the megachurch movement begins to fade, so does some of the negativity.

The competition for attendance growth is diminishing. Average weekly worship attendance is still the metric of success and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. Churches should grow, but the pressure to be bigger and better than everyone else is fading. Thankfully, the stigma of being a smaller church is not nearly as intense as in the past. 

Optimism is a leading indicator of resilience. Therefore, be hopeful about the future of your church.

The Hope Initiative is a simple, reproducible, 30-day outreach strategy that helps turn a church outward and renew a leader’s hope. Church Answers spent a year developing this resource, and our testing has shown this strategy to be effective. We would love for you to join The Hope Initiative.

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This Book Changed My Life 10 Years Ago

It was ten years ago that I did something I had never done before. I turned a short blog post into a book. Much to my joy and surprise, the book became one of the bestsellers in its genre. It stayed at number one on the bestselling list for quite a while. 

Now, nearly two million book sales later, I look back and thank God for what He did. The little book was called I Am a Church Member. It continues to be widely used today. I have been blessed to hear from thousands of church leaders and church members that this book has changed their lives. I know it has changed mine.

The short blog post that became the impetus for the book had the same title. Today, on the 10th anniversary of the release of I Am a Church Member, I thank God for His blessings and for taking that book to move churches toward greater health and church members toward greater commitment. 

Here is the original blog post that began it all:

I am a church member.

I will seek to be a source of unity in the church. I know there are no perfect pastors, staff, or other church members. But neither am I. I will not be a source of gossip or dissension. One of the greatest contributions I can make is to do all I can in God’s power to help keep the church in unity for the sake of the gospel.

I am a church member.  

I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires. That is self-serving. I am in this church to serve others and to serve Christ. My Savior went to a cross for me. I can deal with any inconveniences and matters that are just not my preference or style.  

I am a church member.

I will pray for my pastor every day. His work is never-ending. His days are filled with constant demands for his time; with the need to prepare sermons; with those who are rejoicing in births; with those who are traveling through the valley of the shadow of death; with critics; with the hurts and hopes of others; and with the need to be a husband and a father. My pastor cannot serve our church in his own power. I will pray for God’s strength for him and his family every day.  

I am a church member.  

I like the metaphor of membership. It’s not membership as in a civic organization or a country club. It’s the kind of membership given to us in 1 Corinthians 12: “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part  of it” (I Corinthians 12:27). Because I am a member of the body of Christ, I must be a functioning member, whether I am an “eye,” an “ear,” or a “hand.” As a functioning member, I will give. I will serve. I will minister. I will evangelize. I will study. I will seek to be a blessing to others. I will remember that “if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad” (1 Corinthians 12:26).  

I am a church member.  

I will lead my family to be good members of this church as well. We will pray together for our church. We will worship together in our church. We will serve together in our church. And we will ask Christ to help us fall deeper in love with this church, because He gave His life for her.  

I am a church member.  

This membership is a gift. When I received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, I became a part of the body of Christ. I soon thereafter identified with a local body and was baptized. And now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church. I pray that I will never take my membership for granted, but see it as a gift and an opportunity to serve others, and to be a part of something so much greater than any one person or member.  

I am a church member.  

And I thank God that I am.

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