I attended the NoBA Conference (Network of Baptist
Associations) in Jonesboro
recently and heard this in one of the sessions: "On average, churches lose
6% of their membership annually to attrition. That is, people die, move away,
go off to college, move their membership to another congregation or simply drop
out. If a church does not add 6% of new members annually that church is
declining. If it only adds 6% that church is plateaued."
The most recent ACR (Annual Church Report) data compiled by
Lifeway indicated that Southern Baptist Convention Churches declined by 200,000
members in the previous year of that report. That was the single biggest
decline in membership since 1881. Baptisms also declined. Half of all churches
reported baptizing not a single millennial. There was growth in the baptism of
the number of children under 6 years of age. This should be a cause of concern
since that most certainly predicts the probability of more unregenerate church
members being added to SBC rolls. There was some small growth in the number of
new churches planted.
When we look at these trends closely they are cause for
great concern. Ed Stetzer has written that what we are really seeing is a
decrease in those who would be considered nominal Christians and a rise in
those who say they have no religious affiliation or the "nones." See
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2015/may/nominals-to-nones-3-key-takeaways-from-pews-religious-lands.html. I agree with Stetzer that the Church is not
dying, but that some local expressions of it, without significant adjustments,
will die.
I want to offer (repeat) four issues that are important for
churches to pay attention to:
Meaningful prayer - Mel
Blackaby observed that "Most local churches have scheduled prayer out of
their services." A key to experiencing God is encountering him in biblical
prayer in Christian community. The quality of the average church prayer meeting
has to change dramatically!
Biblical leadership
- Again and again the story is repeated that many church leaders are control
freaks rather than servants (3 John vv9-10). It doesn't matter if it's the
pastor, deacons, or a member with no title, if the nature of leadership is not
humble servanthood, churches will be obstructed from the mission of God. John
Kimbrell said the right question for the leader is, "Am I a servant or a
power broker with an agenda?"
Outward focus - Churches
must be intentionally evangelistic! We must strategically engage our
communities in a variety of ways. Pastors must teach and model personal
evangelism. Often churches are exhibiting symptoms of sickness but the core
diagnosis is that nobody is sharing the Gospel with anyone and no one is
discipling anyone and consequently stagnation and death are encroaching.
Healthy introspection
- George Yates in his great book Reaching
the Summitt says churches need to have a "vigorous face to face summit
with reality." This requires a few facets: (1) Honestly evaluate, (2)
humbly invite outside help (consider receiving "coaching" help), and
(3) courageously change.
The heartbreaking truth that is now becoming apparent, is
that without some critical adjustments some local churches will cease to have
the opportunity to exist. But this doesn't have to happen in every case. The
question is, are we willing to pay the price for turn around?
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