How's that for an enthusiastic approach to
getting new members into your congregation? "We don't mind if you
come."
We all bemoan the dearth of new members, and the
continual - sometimes gradual, sometimes not - dwindling of numbers in
our congregations.
Here are some thoughts of mine for your consideration, reflection, conversation, or to "file"...
The "Presbyterian Church" is not losing members!
The General Assembly can neither receive nor dismiss church members.
Neither can the Synod. Neither can our Presbytery. Members come and
go in our congregations. Period. Although "denominational loyalty"
used to be the norm in American society, that time long has passed.
People usually don't join a Presbyterian congregation because they've
always been Presbyterian. In other words, people don't join a
Presbyterian congregation; they join a
local
congregation. People become involved in a congregation that is
welcoming, that offers meaningful worship, that invites participation in
activities that have an impact in the community and that make a
difference in the world, that nurtures their own spiritual life.
How welcoming is your church? Most studies show
that people who visit a church for the first time make up their minds
about the church
within 30 seconds
of walking in the door! How are they greeted? Is the entry space
filled with papers scattered haphazardly around on tables, or is the
paint on the walls cracked, or is the furniture about 80 years old and
unsafe to sit on? Is the worship bulletin self-explanatory? If
Communion is being celebrated, how will they know if they should eat the
bread when it's passed or wait until everyone has been served and
partake together? Are they treated as "visitors" or as "guests?"
(Those two are very, very different!)
Studies on church growth consistently show that
the vast majority of people who visit a church do so because
someone they know invited them!
Should the pastor seek out new people and invite them to church? Of
course! However, people usually will react to such an invitation by
thinking, "Of course she invited me to attend. It's her job." If
you're a church member, no one will think you're being paid to invite
people to your church. If you're genuine about it, they'll recognize
that you're excited about being a part of your worshiping community,
that you find it a worthwhile way to spend your time and energy, and
that you would love to have them share that experience with you. So...
when was the last time you invited someone to worship or some other
event at your church?
The song is true, that "they'll know we are
Christians by our love." If we are not living in ways that are
consistent with the things we say we believe, people will pick that up
in a heartbeat. However, people also need to hear us talk about our
faith. The Lord knows that we don't need more "Bible-beaters" in our
society! But we DO need people whose faith is deep, sincere, and dear,
and who find natural opportunities to talk about the things they
believe. The old joke asks, "What do you get when you cross a Jehovah's
Witness and a Presbyterian? Someone who knocks on every door, but then
has nothing to say when the door is opened." We need to get
comfortable with natural expressions of faith shared with people around
us.
The days are gone when we can once again expect
our sanctuaries to be bursting at the seams. But the needs of people to
be involved in faith communities that are vibrant and genuine are as
great - or greater - than ever. What can you do to encourage people to
be a part of your faith community, to join you on your spiritual
journey?
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