By Dr. Franklin Dumond
I keep not-winning the multi-million dollar Powerball drawings. Every few months I hear about someone who had the chosen set of numbers, with the result that early retirement appears to be on their horizon.
My wife and I have often speculated about what we would do with several hundred million dollars. We always come up with mortgages paid off, new cars all around, and student loans for the boys retired early. We quickly run out of things to purchase so I suppose that if we win we’ll just have to purchase a large vault to pile full of the left over cash.
Since only one of several million people win and since I don’t buy tickets I guess I’ll keep my day job, continue my mortgage payments, and offer a little help to my recent college graduates.
Church leaders often have a lottery mentality of church growth. They assume there is one thing they can do to bring the crowds back to worship. The four areas I run across most often in this church growth sweepstakes are:
1. Worship Style. I often hear people advocate a return to traditional worship as THE key to church growth. I even more often hear people bemoan their lack of contemporary worship as THE missing ingredient to bring about church growth. Neither a reactionary return to keyboard driven worship nor a proactive investment in a praise team will result in a crowd at church. The lesson here is that what-we-do is not as important as who-we-are as we develop relationships with people and invite them to join us on the journey of Christian faith.
2. Technology. It is rare these days to find a church without a sound system and it is almost as rare to find a church without a projection system. These technological tools will not, by themselves, reach people. If the culture of a congregation does not value reaching and caring for people, no amount of technology will do the job.
3. Décor. New paint and carpet may be sorely needed but new décor cannot by itself attract people. Since the vast majority of unchurched folks never enter a church building the color scheme, while important, will not be decisive in reaching the unchurched.
4. New Preacher. Pastoral leadership is a key factor in a church’s growth, yet in a congregational system of church government it will almost never be THE major factor in a church’s lack of growth. Long before lay leaders plan for the pastor’s replacement the honest question of “Who is really in charge here?” needs to be answered.
While there is no one thing that will result in the sweepstakes win of a record worship attendance, there are four core processes that will always be effective in winning people and growing the church. I like the way Bill Easum and Bill Tenny-Brittian identify them: invite, assimilate, disciple, and commission. These processes, when repeated and sustained, will attract a crowd and grow a church.
What do you think are some of the core processes that attract a crowd and grow a church? Click on ‘Leave a Comment’ at the top to share your opinion.
One thought on “The Powerball Theory”
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I think churches often get too caught up in technology, in programs and buildings. A growing trend is to focus on the current members’ needs (internally focused) and often those really in need (the world outside the four walls of the church needing to hear the gospel) are overlooked. There needs to be a balance between the two. If churches focus on discipleship and people interacting with other people, I think we will see more growth. Remember how excited you were about the Lord when you first became saved? We need to instill that enthusiasm and passion into our congregations. Help them see that they too are the church – not just the pastors. Help them want to take ownership in the church and in growing God’s kingdom by sharing their faith with friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members. I think we need to focus more on relationships – with Jesus and each other. We need people to be hungry and thirsty for the Word of God and who are willing to put their faith into action, get involved and build bridges, not barriers with the world around them.