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 Why Churches Don't GrowFive barriers to church growth.
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Healthy people grow. Healthy animals grow. Healthy trees grow. Healthy plants grow. Healthy churches grow. Growth is a characteristic that God supernaturally breathed into all living things. And the body of Christ—the local church—is a living thing. So, when a church is not growing, it is helpful to ask: "Why not?" Here are five "growth-restricting obstacles." If we understand the reason for non-growth, it is easier to accurately diagnose and prescribe the cure. Growth-restricting obstacle #1: The Pastor. There are three different causes for the pastor's inhibiting the growth of a church:
Growth-restricting obstacle #2: The church members. There are often competent and skilled clergy in non-growing churches, because the problem is in the pews. Church members can keep a church from growing when: Members have no priority for reaching the lost. "Sure, our church should reach people," some say. "But me? I've got three kids, a job, membership at the health club, and a lawn to mow. Someone else with more time should feel compelled." Members have a self-serving attitude about church. When members believe the priority of the pastor and the church should be to "feed the sheep," the message that newcomers hear is: "We like our church just the way it is…which is without you!" Members fear that new people will destroy their fellowship. When "community" is the number one priority in a church, members will act in a way that communicates to newcomers: "We're just fine with the people we have, thank you." Growth-restricting obstacle #3: Perceived irrelevance. Growing churches start with the issues and concerns of the people in their community, and then relate the gospel to those points of need. Stagnant churches are seen by the unchurched as having an irrelevant message to their life. Growth-restricting obstacle #4: Using the wrong methods. Any farmer knows you can't harvest ripe wheat with a corn-picker. Using inappropriate methods can be worse than no methods, since they create resistance to the gospel. A bullhorn on a street corner, tracts in an urban neighborhood, youth outreach in a senior adult community…none of these methods are wrong. But they are inappropriate for the harvest field. Growth-restricting obstacle #5: No plan for assimilation. Over 80 percent of those who drop out of church do so in the first year of their membership. A new member does not automatically become an active member without an intentional plan by the church on how to assimilate them into a caring, loving, Christian community. There are many reasons why churches don't grow. But there are no good reasons. Healthy churches grow. God wants your church to grow. He created it to grow. Sometimes it's just a matter of finding out why it's not growing, and removing those obstacles. What about your church? |        
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The Truth
Always - the church does not growth because there is some "bad apples", usually those are in the positions and have titles - translated that as Church Politics. The "bad apples" does 4 things: 1) They started with a rotten core inside. They put up their spirituality front - even using all the right words in public prayer. 2) They are self-serving to raise their self-esteem by controlling or contemptuous others for being less spiritual than they are. 3) The "bad apples" can show more charisma than the pastor; therefore, more people follow the "bad apples". They knock down the vision of the pastor by suppressing him/her vision and corner the pastor when the pastor shows the pastoral authority. 4) The "bad apples" wait for every opportunity to attack those who challenge or disagree with them. Jesus said: A house divided cannot stand on its own. The "bad apples" are there to stay until they are rotten from inside out to show their true shelves. People just IN, then Out.
Anonymous
The church does not grow because to many things are taught and do not work. name it claim it, give me all your money and get ten fold back. I could go on and on with this but what good would it do. people just don't trust what is being said. When you talk about mega churchs they teach garbage not salvation. One thing I have noticed lately is everyone is looking for the next great feel good doctrine. Churchs also forget the older people and their music that built the church to start with.
Nathan
When a church works toward fulfilling it's core mission of seeking out the lost it will grow. Even so, the author is correct in that these new Christians must be assimilated into the church family. Regardless, of what the pastor does the members must be about the business of one on one evangelism in their appointed mission field which is their circle of friends at home and at work. Bill Fay in his Lifeway 4 session course "Share Jesus Without Fear" relates that 90% of evangelical church members have never shared the gospel with someone. This is apalling. Bill then examines the reasons we fail to witness the gospel and shoots down every excuse. We are giving the four hour course in our church and we have had an enthusiastic response. Members want to share their faith but don't because they are paralyzed by fear in an increasingly secular world. The course gives a simple method of sharing the gospel and requires no scripture memorization, one of the obstacles to evangelizing.
David Bass
Simple..... churches do not grow (in numbers) until those who are already in it grow spiritually themselves. People do not grow spiritually until they are "born-again" and discipled (teach them to obey). Too many are coming into churches through the "wide gate" (easy believism) and are on the "wide road that leads to destruction" because they are not hearing the whole counsel of God. Besides, God doesn't care about numbers, He is looking for changed hearts.
Pedro Rodriguez
How much of the folloing are our churches doing? They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
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