Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 47

Avoid Bringing This Leadership Baggage into Your Church

God created leadership for the church. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and He sets aside other shepherds to lead the church by serving under Him. Members of the church are to follow those who keep watch over their spiritual development. Additionally, these leaders should not abuse their authority but rather lead by example.

This relationship between leaders and followers in the church is clothed in humility through God’s gift of grace. But all leaders bring baggage into this relationship. It’s easier to point out the things your followers need to change, while it’s harder to unwind your leadership baggage from God’s plan for your church.

We church leaders can disguise this baggage as a “ministry philosophy” when it can be nothing more than our own prejudices. What are some ways we carry baggage?

Preferences. Some leaders simply rebrand their personal preferences as the “vision” for everyone. True vision is collective. True vision considers the gifts of all followers.

Experience. Most of the time, leadership experience adds wisdom. This same experience, however, can mold our thought process into doing things the same way as before. For example, if you’re a leader in a new position, it’s far easier to lean heavily upon previous solutions in past leadership roles. It’s harder to form new solutions that fit the current context using experience only as a guide.

Hurt. The longer you lead, the more hurt you will experience. Getting hurt—particularly as a senior leader—is inevitable. Learning to cope with the jabs thickens the hide, but projecting previous offenses on others attempting to offer constructive criticism is an easy mistake to make.

Oversimplification. Veteran leaders have a valuable perspective. This veteran perspective enables them to make decisions quickly and clarify complex problems. However, veteran leaders can oversimplify these problems when they get too far in front of their followers. Sometimes overly simplistic solutions are more confusing than the problem.

All leaders bring baggage into a relationship with their followers. Recognize this baggage. Avoid using it. Discard the baggage when possible, and be a better leader.

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7 Things that Happen when Church Leaders Don’t Pray Much

My personal experience and anecdotal studies have shown that prayer is the most difficult spiritual discipline for many believers. It assumes dependence on God, and we simply don’t default in that direction; we default into independence and self-dependence even when we don’t want to. Here are some things that happen, though, when we church leaders don’t pray much:

1. We do ministry in our own strength. That’s inevitable when we don’t pray. That’s also inevitable when our prayer life is only reactive, that is, when we pray only out of need and not out of relationship. Eventually, our own strength will run out, however.

2. Our ego grows, especially if others recognize the value of our church work. You see, it’s possible for even seldom-praying church leaders to have some ministry “success” in the world’s eyes. It’s even possible for a denomination to recognize them for their work—and the result is often ego.

3. Our church lacks the power of God on it. The ministry goes on, for sure. The work continues. Activities still abound. Sundays come and go . . . and keep coming. Some attenders may even see some growth in their lives. Overall, though, work done in our own strength lacks God’s power. Almost everything we do is just that: what we do.

4. We become hypocritical leaders. I’m convinced many church members assume their congregation’s leaders are people of prayer. That’s one reason they turn to us when they have personal and family needs—they believe in our prayer lives. When we don’t pray much, though, we don’t correct their wrong impression; we just live as “actors” in this area of our lives.

5. We tend to neglect teaching about prayer. The Bible is filled with stories of prayer. Mandates and teachings about praying continually resound. It’s almost impossible to teach through the Word without facing these stories, in fact. It is possible, though, to hit them only softly or ignore them completely. That’s what we often do when those stories convict us about our own prayerlessness.

6. We don’t enlist and equip workers we deeply need: prayer partners who regularly intercede for us as church leaders. There’s something encouraging and inspiring about knowing we have prayer warriors continually on their knees on our behalf. We trust God more, and we press on in faith knowing we’re not alone. We miss that blessing, however, when we don’t even ask others because we don’t pray much ourselves.

7. We raise the risk of moral failure. That’s because genuine, heartfelt, dependent prayer is built on a foundational relationship with God that matters to us more than anything. Prayerlessness, on the other hand, says, “I can handle life on my own. Failure won’t happen.” That’s trouble. Indeed, I’ve never met a leader who fell who said, “I’m not sure how that happened. My prayer life was vibrant, growing, and powerful.”

So, what do you do if you don’t pray much? It’s simple.

Pray a little bit more today—even five minutes more—than yesterday. Get at least one prayer partner to walk with you. Start somewhere!Let us know in the comments section that you’d like the Church Answers community to join you in prayer to be a stronger praying leader. We want to support you.As part of Church Answers’ work to help church leaders, I’ve also written a soon-to-be-released short book called, The Power of Potential of Prayer. I hope it’s helpful to you.

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The Five Stages of a Church Dropout: From Highly Committed to Goners

It’s painful enough to lose any church members, but it is particularly painful when the church member was highly committed. We call these dropouts “Goners,” because they were once one of your best church members. Now they are gone.

It has been both painful and amazing to see the consistency in the patterns the Goners follow. Though Goners have been a sad phenomenon for years, the pervasiveness of Goners is a reality since the pandemic.

1. Lower commitment in key roles. Goners begin their dropout journey by attending small groups less frequently, by attending elder or deacon meetings less frequently, or any number of reductions in key roles.

2. Less frequent worship attendance. At his or her most active state in the church, the Goner was present in worship services at least three or four times a month. At this stage, they attend worship services once or twice a month.

3. Resigning of a key position. In stage 3, the Goner steps down from a key position such as teacher, elder, or a key ministry leader. Their stated reason is typically “family reasons” or “personal.” They will keep the reason vague lest someone suspect they are simply less committed to Christ’s church.

4. Reduces or stops giving. When the Goner gets to this stage, he or she is almost gone. Most pastors don’t have access to financial records, so they don’t see this stage. That is why it is important for the person with access to the records to let the pastor know that the church member might need a visit.

5. Leaves for a “good” (not really) reason. The most common reason is that they are not getting fed. You would think these members would have learned how to feed themselves by this point. Another reason is that the church does not have adequate ministries for their children. Can you imagine a missionary saying that about a church? Someone with a true mission heart would see this void as an opportunity to start a ministry.

Yes, losing any church member is painful. But when that church member was once one of your more committed members (and/or a good friend), it is particularly painful.

By the way, most of the Goners never find another church that meets their perceived needs. They are gone from any commitment to a local church.

They are truly Goners.

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How We Reignited a Women’s Ministry in our Church

When my husband and I first arrived at our church in 2017 and he began to serve as lead pastor, I was approached by a number of women who wanted to talk about “women’s ministry.” I quickly learned that the definition of this term varied widely. It was obvious that our church was full of women who were great students of the Bible who, over the course of many years, had participated in wonderful offerings of women’s studies, mom’s groups, retreats, and more. However, in the months leading up to our arrival, some things had faded away and many women were eager to see this ministry grow under their new pastor. 

Our church doesn’t have a staff member focused on women’s ministry like most churches across the country. Through these conversations, as well as time in the Scriptures and prayer, it became clear that the Lord was leading me and a few other women of the church to begin a new plan for discipling the women of our church. The following outlines the steps we took to reignite our women’s ministry and it is my prayer that our story is a helpful guide for those in a similar position.

Pray for the harvest and the harvesters. 

One of the most rewarding parts of my church’s story is watching how God answered prayers at every step of the way. Don’t miss this blessing. The Scriptures are instructive for how women should form relationships, serve their families, and honor the Lord. Scriptures like Titus 2:3, 1 Peter 3:5, and 1 Timothy 2:9-15 became our prayers and the foundation of anything we dreamed to build. In addition, we prayed for the Lord to establish our ministry as a fulfillment of His call to discipleship. This was not a new call, but a tool for fulfilling “the call” found in Matthew 28:18. Matthew 9:38 became our refrain, asking the Lord for both the harvest and the harvesters. 

Talk with your pastoral staff. 

No matter the conviction you feel or the passion you have, the ministries of a church are clearly under the authority of the pastors. If you are a lay person like I am, the first thing you should do after prayer is have a conversation with your pastor and other relevant staff about the burden you are sensing and the conversations you are having. Lay out a plan for what you are going to do next. For us, that was to organize a group of about six women who were similarly motivated to read two books together about women’s ministry and discuss the potential applications to our church over a summer break in church programming. We would, at the close of that process, create a proposal to bring back to the church staff for their consideration.

Talk to the women.

Take time to talk with a variety of women in the church before beginning a women’s ministry. Approach your sisters with humility to hear about their histories, needs, and concerns. Seek out both students of the Bible and those with a history in the congregation to understand the foundations on which you will be building. In addition, consider the women of your church. What are their schedules, life stages? Do they work? Commute? What is your community’s school calendar? How would a new class or church offering fit amongst the other commitments they’ve made to your church? 

Men, let me give you special encouragement toward conversations like these as an opportunity to foster brother-and-sister relationships within your church body. I’ve witnessed pastoral staff determining the needs of the women of the church without ever having a conversation with a female about it. 

For all of us, this is a prayerful process. Sometimes the most vocal or approachable individuals do not represent all of the women in the group. You will need the Lord to guide you. 

After we talked with our church staff, we started two groups that we called “test labs” to walk through a Bible study we had chosen. At the end of the study, we asked for honest feedback from the women who participated and I was floored by some of the things I learned. Women have different learning styles and experiences, and I would have never heard about them if I hadn’t asked in a semi-private setting. These were critical conversations for shaping the future discipleship in our church. 

Create a multigenerational Women’s Ministry Board. 

One of the most wonderful characteristics of our church is that it is multigenerational. We wanted the leadership of our women’s ministry to reflect that. We knew that it would be essential in order to create a ministry that serves multiple generations as well. The Proverbs and other places in Scripture are full of admonitions to consult the wise, the older, and the group. In addition, Titus 2 instructs relationships between older and younger women. For me, being a part of this board helped me to establish these mentor-type relationships, as well as pulling back some of our more zealous or myopic ideas when needed. 

Lean into your women’s giftings. 

The conversations required to lay the groundwork for your church’s women’s ministry, as outlined above, also allow you to discern the giftings of the women of your church. We sought to create space for our women to exercise their gifts in all that we did, and our vision for the ministry was shaped by the women God had given us in our church. We want to see women flourish as servants, leaders, and teachers, and as they do so, encourage others who may not have yet discerned their giftings. 

Stay humble and play the long game. 

We began our journey of establishing a women’s ministry in 2019 and have walked the difficult and winding road of the last few years. We’ve had to pivot. We’ve experienced a lack of volunteers. We had to create online groups and watch groups fold mid-semester. In other words, things didn’t go exactly as planned. But God has been faithful and we’ve learned much along the way. 

The more our ministry grows, the more we are able to refine our offerings, as well as consider new ways to serve the women of our church. When new ideas arise, it can feel like a condemnation of the past. Do your best to remain “unoffendable” and flexible as you consider how the Lord will take you and your women into new chapters of ministry. Prayerfully ask Him to show you the new leaders who you will need for the future and constantly ask if your pride and preferences are getting in the way of what He wants to do. This is another time when a leadership board can provide invaluable perspective. 

The Lord is eager to see his children grow in relationship with Him and He will provide all your needs. Seek the Lord of the harvest and get ready to work and you will watch your women flourish, like we have. 

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Three Leadership Practices Every Young Church Leader Should Do Right Now

“What can I do right now?”

I had coffee with a young minister. He asked a great question. What can I do right now? The young minister (in his early 20s) wanted to know how he could lead better—starting today. He caught me a bit off guard. After all, leadership is learned and refined over time. Pastors spend years growing. He knew that, but he also wanted to know what could be done immediately.

There are a few practices young church leaders can do right now that will help them grow immediately. Here are three leadership practices I shared with him.

1. Learn to love people much older than you. If you start pastoring in your 20s, you have a couple of decades in front of you in which many of the people you shepherd will be older than you. Not every person 50 years older than you will offer their trust, nor should they. Also, don’t expect to connect with everyone right away. You won’t. That’s reality. You’re young and inexperienced. But you can choose to love people immediately. Your church will know it. The people will feel it. And that’s important.

2. Say “yes” to almost everything. If you’re in your early-20s to mid-20s and single, you have more free time now than ever. Fill much of it with edifying work, not leisure. When your direct ministry supervisor asks you to do additional work, say “yes.” You may not get your “ideal” opportunities at first, but you don’t deserve them anyway. If your senior pastor offers to invest in you, then agree. If someone asks you to preach, cancel the weekend outing with your buddies. You are in a season of life where you can do this. Eventually, a spouse and children will have priority (and should) but do as much ministry as you can while you can. Saying “yes” today will help you learn new things for tomorrow.

3. Lead evangelistically. Every pastor should lead in this way, but not every pastor does. So go ahead today and start creating a pattern in your own life where you constantly share the gospel. You should not only immerse yourself in the culture of your local church, but you should also be in the thick of the culture outside of the church. By the way, those two cultures can be worlds apart. Show your church what a passion for evangelism looks like. You won’t regret it, and your passion might be contagious. Evangelistic churches have evangelistic pastors. An evangelistic congregation without an evangelistic shepherd is quite rare.

I’m encouraged about the future of the church. I’ve had the opportunity of meeting and mentoring several young church leaders. Will there be enough of them to lead North American Christianity out of its stagnation? There is no way to know right now, but I have high hopes. These three leadership practices are things young church leaders can do right now. And we’ll all be better if they do.

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A Church without Evangelism

A church without evangelism becomes a church that does not make disciples,

Because there are no new Christians to disciple.

 

A church without evangelism becomes a church where members fight over their preferences,

Because the members do not focus on reaching those who are not followers of Christ.

 

A church without evangelism becomes a church without true fellowship.

Because true fellowship not only cares for its own, but it looks beyond its own.

 

A church without evangelism gets mad at the pastor,

Because the members think they pay the pastor to do evangelism for them.

 

A church without evangelism becomes a church that does not do ministry.

Because there are fewer and fewer members to do ministry.

 

A church without evangelism becomes a church that strays from the Bible,

Because the Bible clearly teaches to evangelize people with the gospel.

 

A church without evangelism becomes a church giving less to missions,

Because there are fewer people to give to missions.

 

A church without evangelism becomes a church without prayer,

Because churches that truly pray are concerned for the lost in their communities.

 

A church without evangelism becomes a church that cannot worship together,

Because there are fewer people to attend worship services.

 

A church without evangelism will soon close its doors.

And that’s probably best.

Because that church stopped being a church long ago when it decided to no longer be obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

 

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6 Times to Talk to Your Guests

Let’s start with the basics: we should aim to talk to our guests all the time. When they show up on the weekend, they are our honored guests (that’s why we call ’em guests, and not the V-word).

But there are strategic times during the worship service when we should especially address our guests. When we do so, we serve not only our guests, but our members and regular attendees as well. Addressing guests reminds a growing church that there are newcomers in the midst, and encourages a plateaued or declining church of our evangelistic responsibility.

Keller says it this way in Center Church:

Almost every Christian, if they pay attention, will be able to sense whether a worship experience will be attractive to their non-Christian friends. They may find a particular service wonderfully edifying for them and yet know their nonbelieving neighbors would react negatively, and so they wouldn’t even consider bringing them along. They do not think they will be impressed or interested. Because this is their expectation, they do nothing about it, and a vicious cycle begins. Pastors see only Christians present, so they lack incentive to make their worship comprehensible to outsiders. But since they fail to make the necessary changes to adapt and contextualize, outsiders never come. The pastors continue to respond to the exclusively Christian audience that gathers, and the cycle continues. Therefore, the best way to get Christians to bring non-Chrsitians to a worship service is to worship as if there are dozens of skeptical onlookers. If we worship as if they are there, eventually they will be.

So you should make a plan for talking to guests every single week. Here are six specific times that you can do that:

1. At the beginning of the service. Within the first five minutes someone should deliver a welcome. Most churches do that, but we have to be intentional in recognizing that there are guests present. So welcome them. Let them know you’ve planned the weekend with them in mind, and you’re glad they showed up. (“Some of you may be with us for the very first time. We want you to know that we’re especially glad you’re here. There are a lot of places you could be or other things you could be doing, and we’re grateful that you’ve trusted us with your time.”)

2. During the sermon. Your preaching shouldn’t be exclusively focused on the guests in your midst, neither should it be exclusive to the seasoned saints among you. So every weekend in every sermon, address the common doubts, questions, and “so what?” moments that your guests are certainly having. (“If you consider yourself an agnostic or atheist, skeptic or seeker, this [passage / statement / point] may be confusing or it might make you downright angry. This is a place where you are welcome to ask your questions…I still have lots of them as well…let’s work through this together.”)

3. Prior to communion. Whether your church offers communion weekly or quarterly or anywhere in between, you have a responsibility to “fence the table” appropriately and explain the significance of the event. (“This church offers many things that are wide open to you. But if you’re here today and you’re not yet a believer, the Bible is clear that this one act of worship is not intended for you. As the elements come by, we respectfully ask that you let them pass you, and rather use this time to reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made for you.”)

4. Before the offering. Nothing riles a newcomer’s fur quite like the money bucket coming around. So give ’em a pass before it’s passed. Let your guests know that the service isn’t about what they should give, but what they can receive. (“If you’re a guest, we don’t want you to feel compelled to give in any way, we’re just glad that you’re here.”)

5. At the end. As you’re dismissing the service, remind guests of an appropriate next step. For your church, that might mean a stop by the Welcome Center or First Time Guest Tent. Whenever we remind guests of that opportunity, we always see an uptick in those that drop by. (“Maybe you saw the First Time Guest Tent when you entered. That’s set up especially for you. We have a gift there for you and would love the opportunity to get to know you.”)

6. Any time something is unclear. Baptism. Communion. Commissioning. The stand up / sit down / stand up / sit down game that is Evangelical Aerobics. No, you don’t have to specifically address those explanations to your guests, but an occasional description of what is coming next will benefit not only first timers, but long-timers. (“This morning we’re sending out one of our families to serve as church planters overseas. Any time we do this, it is our privilege to pray for them as they go out.”)

 

This post originally appeared on dfranks.com .

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How Pastors Should Answer the Hardest Leadership Question

It’s the most challenging leadership question to answer: Am I humble?

Humility is the most difficult leadership trait to determine about ourselves. Pride is the most dangerous leadership trait. Arrogance is the root leadership problem. Our sinful nature propels us to an excessive and unhealthy focus on ourselves.

It’s the quintessential leadership struggle. We stand on a sliding scale somewhere between healthy humility and unhealthy pride. Even at our best, determining where we are on this scale is tricky. We almost always believe we are more humble than we are. Unfortunately, we rarely recognize our pride until it’s too late.

Fortunately, there are three key questions to ask to reduce the potential for pride to puff up.

Are you capable, and are you striving to learn more? This question involves competence. Quite frankly, do you know what you’re doing? Too many leaders fake it. Too many leaders do not want to swallow pride and ask for help. Too many leaders fear looking small by admitting they do not understand something. A lack of competence causes many leaders to guide an organization or church into unnecessarily risky waters.

Are you willing to sacrifice your career to do the right thing? This question involves courage. Leaders must be ready to make the hard and right decisions no matter what the cost. Too many leaders make safe (but wrong) decisions because they fear personal repercussions. Integrity means making the tough decisions and taking the heat.

Do you care about your followers as much as yourself? This question involves compassion. Do you love the people you’re leading? If you don’t, then why lead them? And why would they trust you? Don’t leave conflict unresolved with your followers. Don’t get offended every time a direct report corrects you. Don’t be resistant to getting help from the teams you manage. Be concerned about people on your leadership periphery—those on the outskirts of your leadership oversight. Do you know their names? Even if it’s not on your job description, be a human leader. Hob knob with quarterbacks and coaches—that’s important—but never forget the name of the person carrying the water bottles.

The personal virtue of humility is a constant battle, but the most important one. Humility is a daily decision and a lifetime commitment. Leaders are doomed to short-term, arrogant decisions without competence, courage, and compassion. We can fool ourselves by losing focus on who we really are. When the aura of the position gets in the way of serving, we are no longer fit for the position. Ultimately, we are merely pots. God is the Potter. He has ultimate control. And we should lead like we believe it.

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A Thought on Leaders Making Memories

I don’t often write about my story, but this topic—a topic I trust you will see relates to Christian leadership—was on my heart this past week as we celebrated Father’s Day. My first memory is being a frightened three-year old as my father wrecked our home in a fit of anger. Now almost sixty years later, I remember that event as if it happened yesterday. I can still show you where the lamp is broken, the picture frames are knocked from the mantle, the chairs are overturned, and the door window is shattered. I also remember where my sister and I hid that day until our mom arrived home.

Alcohol was a factor that time, but my father’s anger remained long after he gave up drinking. Many are my memories of his losing control, hollering loudly, throwing something, and then quickly moving beyond the event as if nothing had ever happened. It was strange, actually, how rapidly his rage would erupt and then disappear. For years even as a pastor, I struggled with loving my father as I knew I should.

I do have other memories, though. I remember his showing me how to bait my fishing hook. To this day, I can hear his voice when I’m playing baseball, “Keep your eye on the ball” and “Stay down when you’re fielding that grounder.” He taught me how to shoot a gun and play pool, both that I do left-handed (as he did) even though I’m predominantly right-handed. I always wanted him to be proud of me, even when I didn’t know how to love him.

There is so much more I wish he’d taught me—so much that I’ve learned (or am still learning) from other men in my life. How to tie a tie. How to love my wife as a Christian husband. How to deal with peer pressure. How to say no to pornography. How to live by a budget. How to fix my own car. How to build a bookcase. How to be a godly man.

I try hard to focus on the good memories these days. You see, my father became a follower of Christ a few years before he died – and we saw the power of the gospel firsthand. My father told us he loved us. He hugged us and told others how proud he was of us. His anger dissipated. He began to read the Bible, almost as a child devouring the stories for the first time. The tough man became the grateful child of God. I suspect it sounds odd, but I learned to call him by the affectionate term “Dad” only after his conversion.

I miss my dad today. And, to be honest, I miss what could have been had he been a Christian as I was growing up. I am deeply grateful my dad followed Jesus, and I know I will see him again. I still wonder, however, how life would have been different if my father had prayed with me, taught me about Jesus, challenged me to live faithfully, and walked beside me in faith. My memories can’t go there, though, because I have no such memories.

Here’s my point. We are all memory makers, whether or not we think about that responsibility. The generations after us catch much more than we think, and they often remember more than we wish. Sometimes they don’t like what they see in us even while they want to be like us. They want to be loved, protected, and taught. They need to trust they’re more important than our jobs, our goals, our dreams, and our dollars. They want to know they don’t need an appointment to fit into our calendar. Our children and grandchildren need memories they will want to create for their own children.

Leader, you are a memory maker for somebody. Somebody will have good or bad memories because of the choices you make today.

Good memories don’t just happen. In God’s grace and under His leadership, we create them.

So, leader, if you need to do so today, push away from your desk. Close the computer. Turn off the phone. Cancel an appointment. Go, make good memories with the next generations. I assure you, they won’t forget.

 

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Seven Reasons Churches Are in Denial More Than Ever Today

It’s a tale of two churches.

Our team at Church Answers just delivered each church the written consultation report from our research and analysis of the congregations. Both churches have some significant deficiencies. We had cautioned the leaders of both churches that it is very common for the members to reject the findings of the consultation with both anger and denial. Leaders at both churches assured us they would gladly receive the report regardless of the challenges it might present.

Church A did indeed receive the report positively. While they had to swallow hard at some of the analyses and recommendations, they were ready to move forward. They brought our team on as consultants so they could make positive changes where they are needed.

But many of the members of Church B reacted angrily to the report. They were in denial about many of our findings. The leaders were hesitant to move forward because of some intense opposition toward the gist of the report. “That’s not our church,” one member said with unusually intense anger. “Those consultants did not know what they were doing.”

Church A represents the responses of about 15 percent of our consultations. In almost every case, we are happy to report these churches have made tremendous positive strides.

Church B unfortunately represents the other 85 percent of the churches. They are typically angry and in total denial about any deficiencies in their churches. They spend most of their energy defensively instead of taking the same energy to make needed changes. Church B congregations continue to decline. Many of them die.

We see more Church B churches today than we have in our decades of consultations. Why are churches in denial more today than ever? We identified seven reasons.

1. They are waiting for pre-COVID normalcy to return. Of course, you can’t go back. The past will not become the present. The pandemic has made permanent changes to culture and, of course, to churches.

2. They are not willing to accept the massive shifts in culture. The date is not 1972. A half-century has passed. Even the mythical Bible belt is unraveling. You cannot expect people to come to your church just because you have a building and a sign.

3. They have cash on hand. We have worked with a number of churches that have fat bank accounts and large endowments. Too much cash can be a curse instead of a blessing. The church members become too comfortable and complacent. The church will eventually decline where there are hardly any members, but there is a lot of cash. The church has become a museum.

4. They see churches in worse shape. “But we are doing a lot better than the church down the road.” That sentence was uttered in an interview I did with a church member in a consultation. Comparisons are always deadly, whether you perceive your church as better or worse than other churches.

5. They are content as long as they have their small group of friends. In a consultation we did several years ago, a lady told us that the attendance numbers we reported were wrong even though they were self-reported by the church. The trend showed that attendance had declined over 50 percent in 10 years. “That’s wrong,” she insisted. “Most of my friends are still here.”

6. They have a framework of the good old days. The members remember when Brother Bob was the pastor. They put all their energy into trying to replicate that era instead of moving to the future.

7. They had a spurt of growth from the malcontents at another church. Those malcontents probably came from a church that was making tough but necessary decisions. The receiving church just inherited a group of problems.

We offer a self-diagnostic tool called Know Your Church. Church members answer 160 multiple choice questions that provide a self-perception of the church. Some leaders decide not to use it because they don’t really want to know the hard truths. Other leaders move forward with the tool but do nothing after they receive the results.

But a few churches complete the survey and accept the results, both good and bad. They become determined in God’s power to make the necessary changes to become a Great Commission church. They are like Church A at the beginning of this article.

I pray we will see more Church A congregations in the days ahead. God still has great plans for our churches. He waits for our obedience.

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