Monday, October 30, 2006

CHURCH GROWTH?

Posted by Reverend Ref + at 9:49 PM

I talk alot about church growth. Mrs. Ref and I visit other parishes and work with them on that subject.

I spent the better part of a week at SWTS listening to lectures about church growth.

Yesterday's sermon discussed church growth.

Church growth is more than people in the pews. It is also spiritual depth. It also has to do with money -- let's face it, if your 150 people on a Sunday give no more than $5 a Sunday, you might as well close the doors now.

Church growth is a multi-faceted and complicated thing.

All of this talk of church growth, however, assumes at least one constant: A dedicated core group of people who want to make things happen.

For your information, that core group of people needs to be more than the vicar's family and the young married couple expecting their first child.

5 comments:

Anonymous | 11:51 AM, October 31, 2006  

...and when your core group stays 18 months and then changes?

Susie/Nueva Cantora | 1:45 PM, October 31, 2006  

I liked what the Dean said, about church development and church growth not being the same thing, to get us out of the numbers game...

Anonymous | 4:26 PM, October 31, 2006  

I like what the Dean said as well. I just hope I can be persuasive enough to get my congregation out of the numbers game.

Reverend Ref + | 8:24 PM, October 31, 2006  

What we often forget, I think, is that we are really all on the same team.

Even though I am happy that the Methodists across the street are doing well, I can't help but wonder what I can do to get as many (or more) cars in front of my parish on Sundays.

It takes alot of effort to say, "All I can do is proclaim the gospel to the best of my ability; conversion is God's job."

It is a sticky wicket.

Jane Ellen+ | 8:04 PM, November 01, 2006  

It is also a quandry when the core group (heck, the entire congregation) is a minimum of 10 years older than their middle-aged priest.

However, I will admit that I'm trying very hard to get away from the reflex of "counting butts in the pews" as a focus. I have been preaching-- and honestly believe-- that if we stress growing deeper, and building lives of discipleship, the numbers will come.

Now, what's the best way to do that? Therein lies the challenge...

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