The Need To Do Church Differently...

Recently Adam Hamilton asked a question of his Facebook friends: "What are the five most important qualities of pastoral leaders that create or lead vibrant, alive churches?" He received 55+ responses and then followed up with another question: "What is the one thing that could strengthen current and future pastoral leaders in the UMC that would have the greatest possible impact on reversing the decline of the church?"

These are excellent questions and ones (especially the latter) that I have been asking myself. This last year I began research, asking the vital question, why is our denomination declining? Statistics reveal a number of startling indications:

1) The percentage of Americans claiming "no religion" has almost doubled in two decades, climbing from 8.1% in 1990 to 15% in 1980 (ChristianityToday, Nov. 23, 2010).
2) Young Americans are dripping out of religion at a rate of five to six times the historic rate (30-40% have no religion today, vs. the 5-10% of a generation ago) (Putnam and Campbell - American Grace)
3) In 2004 UM membership was 8.1 million (Recent Changes in Membership and Attendance in Mainline Protestant Denominations) while a 2008 report showed UM membership fell to 7.7 million.
4) David Kinaman reports in his recent book, UnChristian, that non-church attenders (especially the younger ages) view Christians as: a) hypocritical; b) judgemental; and c) homophobic. This is one of the reasons our teens, tweens and twenty-somethings are turned off from church.

The statistics go on and on, relevant to attendance, participation, financial giving, biblical study participation... In general the UM church (mainline churches across the board) is declining and church leaders (such as mega church pastors like Hamilton, Slaughter, bishops and others) are seeking answers as to why.

I lead a smaller church of around 275-300 members. In the last 3.5 years we have added 76 new members (not an astronomical number by any means - but a significant one for our size especially in light of church reports I read where membership is declining). Many of the new members are younger families - vitally important as our overall mean membership age was in the later 60's - early 70's. We have launched a new mission ministry team that has taken members and non-members (young teens and older adults) to Alaska and Cleveland OH on mission endeavors. Beginning of 2010 we launched a second service of contemporary style. We have added a Sunday night Bible study class, and are involved in numerous community outreach activities and actions that have touched the lives of our locals. Our average attendance has gone from 100 (2007) to 140 (2010), while our annual financial giving has increased $10 - 20,000 each year since 2008.

Why do we seem to have success in growing? I firmly believe it is because:
1) Our church has a vision. It has been cast in our 7-year ministry plan. This plan provides guidance and direction to our church leadership. The key to a successful plan is to continue effective vision casting/communicating to the congregation. This is something I need to continue to do effectively.
2) Our church is turning the corner from being a welcoming church to an inviting church. When I talk with visitors I inevitably ask the question - what do you like about our church? What keeps you coming back (for our repeat visitors). The answer - your church is very welcoming. We feel like this is home to us. The trick is to take this welcoming attitude out into the streets and extend invitations. Welcoming is reactive. Invitation is proactive.
3) The service has to be a quality, worshipful experience from beginning to end. The music has to be good. The media (we utilize slides and video in our services) has to be run well. The message has to be biblically sound, yet relevant to our current day situations. And people need to be fed, so when they leave they are: 1) wanting to come back; 2) wanting to invite someone to join them; 3) feeling like they have received something to nurture them through the week.

Each year our church leadership undertakes a year long study to improve leadership skills and understanding of how Christ calls us to serve those in need, while building the kingdom of God. Last year we studied Rev. Dan Dick's Vital Signs. This year we studied Bishop Schnase's 5 Fruitful Practices. In 2011 we will be taking the first of our annual leadership retreats to worship together, learn together, and become better leaders together.

Last year, I invited several younger and upcoming leaders in our church to participate in a Spiritual Formation group with me. We meet once a month in study of the Bible, mission and ministry callings, how our church needs to grow in following the vision cast through our Church Ministry Plan and to be faithful to God's call upon our own lives. I am keeping the same group, but am adding several new people to the group. I keep in mind that this is the group of people who will be making decisions in the near future regarding our church growth, outreach, ministry and mission. How can I help them grow to hear what God has to tell them, and to be open to God's shaping and forming?

We have also opened our doors and facilities to many of the community groups. We have four Girl Scout troops and one Boy Scout troop which use our building monthly. We have a Strong Women's and Strong Men's workout group which meet twice a week throughout the year. We host the Milton Youth Football for organizational meetings. The Share Food program handles 70-80 people and families each month, providing discounted foods for them. There are other group activities that take place in our church - we have intentionally decided our church doors are open 7-days a week, not only Sunday morning.

This is just a little insight as to why our church is growing and thriving in a time when many are not. As to why the denomination in general is declining, I believe it is because we are struggling with doing church differently. We all need to find ways to reach the unchurched and sometimes that means shedding old ways - even to the possible ire of the "old timers" who insist we do it this way because... well, because that's the way we've always done it.

Our church needs the courage to do church differently, while maintaining scriptural integrity and faith. Our church leaders and especially pastors must be willing to cast the vision and then have the ability to keep the vision before the congregation - communicating it effectively. Our church leaders, not only the pastor!, must be in the community learning the needs of the people of the community. And there must be a desire - a heartfelt desire - to follow God's call for the local church and building of the kingdom of God - even when this goes against what the congregation believes they need. The two do not always go hand-in-hand.

peace out my friends,

Patrick