When you are part of a small church, you always notice when new people attend. You also notice when new people stick around. As a matter of fact, in many small churches going through the revitalization process, people in your church get excited to have a new family attend on a Sunday. People get really excited when the new family seems like they are going to stay. I know our older members do. They don’t want the church to which they have given so much to die. Our members genuinely want to grow and reach people. Which, compared to some churches I’ve been part of or know people who are part of them, is a great achievement in and of itself. This is good!
Many times however, eventually, the family leaves. Or, the new family that showed up one Sunday, never comes back.
As pastors and church leaders, we know this will happen. However, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. I believe this issue is compounded in smaller churches, where it is obvious to everyone…and people ask with regularity,
“Hey pastor, what happened to that new young family the was coming all last month?”
I also think this problem is even more compounded in smaller churches that know they are in the revitalization process or even would self label as a replant. I think it’s harder because I’ve been part of a smaller church where the majority of members did not feel that way. Therefore, when a new family came people were happy, but there wasn’t an overarching goal of growing and reaching new people. So if the family left, it wasn’t felt by the majority of members.
But to a church who would describe itself as a replant or revitalization work, new people aren’t just a “hey cool, it’s nice to see a new family every now and then.” New people, especially young families who are already Christians, can be seen as part of the turn around. If more people would show up, things would get better. If more new people, specifically Christians, would show up and stick around and help with the work, we could reach the community quicker.
Our older church members have sacrificed a lot in order to reach our community. They have given money. They have gone through tough changes. They have done all this because they want to see new people join the church. They want to see us use the baptismal often. They have a heart for our church.
The older members of the church who have made significant sacrifices to reach people and grow are excited to see new faces. It affirms that the sacrifices weren’t made in vain. So when the new people don’t stay or don’t stay long, it can hurt the hearts of the pastor, leaders, and regular attenders. After all, we want to grow and reach people with the gospel.
First, here are some of my personal observations regarding my church's situation.
Most of our first time guests this past year have been young families or young couples. Almost all of them would label themselves as Christians. Almost all of them were new to the area and looking for their new home church.
As already mentioned, the church where I pastor is a revitalization work. Some would even call it a re-plant. This is important to note. If someone is new to the area and already a believer, he or she is most likely looking for certain things in a church. Most churches going through the revitalization/ replant process aren’t going to have what these new people are looking for. Things like,
- a really, really good praise team
- the best kids ministry program in the city
- the best preacher in the city
- small groups with lots of younger families
- the list could go on and on…..
If your church is like mine, it’s small, average, a work in progress and sadly many of the Christians who are new to an area aren’t going to stay long.
There are exceptions to this rule. Over the past year, we have had some young couples become members. These couples have a few things in common. They want to minister. They feel called to plug into a church to help it succeed. They aren’t looking for what they can get, per se. They believe God has called them to help in the revitalization / replant work.
Sadly, this just doesn’t describe most Christians looking for a new church.
So what are we to do?
Focus on the mission.
All too often I fall into the trap of focusing on ‘growing’ my church. Now, I’m not against church growth. I fervently want my church to grow. However, I want my church to grow by reaching people in our community with the gospel of Jesus.
Growing a church by reaching the community means keeping the church, as well as your heart, focused on the mission. The mission of Jesus is to make disciples of Jesus.
Some good news. If you’re like me, you have a group of people who show up every Sunday to hear you teach the Bible (it may just be a few, but still, there is someone in the room or watching you online….even if it's just your kids). You are also having conversations regularly with people who are part of your church in more informal settings. Here are some questions to think through:
Are you equipping them, specifically in your teaching, to live missional lives? I believe you should preach the gospel to your people every week. Affirm them in the gospel every week. Point them to the gospel in every series, every text, every week. Teach them what the Bible says and how they can, because of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, seek to apply their lives to the Bible. I also believe you should be inspiring them to live their lives to make the gospel known to others. Are you challenging them to reach their family, friends, neighbors and co-workers with the message of Jesus, regularly....like they get tired of you telling them to tell people about Jesus?
When you meet with people, are you trying to fix their problems? Or, are you trying to help them become mature followers of Jesus? (*disclaimer: I’m not suggesting you don’t offer marriage or parenting advice. I’m not suggesting you don’t teach them biblical principles on money management or that you shouldn’t help them find healing in Christ from a traumatic experience). I’m asking this: when you meet with people, is your primary focus on helping them be good Christians or is your primary focus on helping them become who God created them to be, mature disciples of Jesus who are making disciples of Jesus?
Instead of focusing on keeping new Christians, focus on equipping the Christians who come every week
If God calls Christians to join the work of your church, praise God. But, if God is calling them to join the work of your church, they will stay.
I don’t know about you, but I want the bulk of our church’s growth to come from people coming to know and love Jesus, being transformed by Jesus, and joining the local church to join the mission of Jesus. If God sends people to help in that work, praise God…. but the mission isn’t to make a church where Christians have all their needs met. The goal is to have a church that is made up of Christians who are equipped to live their lives in a way to meet the community’s greatest need, which is a relationship with Jesus.
At the end of the day, if a member of your church tells her friend the gospel message and her friend believes or is just intrigued and decides to come to a church service, her friend isn't looking for the best praise team, the best kids ministry, the best small groups...... her friend is looking for answers. You, like me, are the pastor of a small church, average and ordinary, someone who will never write, much less sell a book that will be a NYT best seller....yet, you, like me, have what your church member's friend needs. Give the gospel and watch God grow his church and transform lives.
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Cheers!
Zac