In evaluating "why" your church isn't growing look at three areas:
1. Your VISITOR VOLUME. Growing churches have 4% - 5% of their total weekend attendance as visitors (include first, second, and third-time visitors over a one-year average.)
2. Your VISITOR CONNECTION. You have 5 - 8 weeks after the first visit to see first-time visitors return. After that retention rates drop dramatically. Work at developing "connection points" between visitors and one or more people in your church (with whom they share something in common).
3. Your VISITOR RETENTION. Growing churches average 20% of all first-time visitors actively involved a year later. This happens best through involvement in a group, and/or having a meaningful role or task.
Churches need a specific PLAN to be sure each of these three areas are covered. Like a 3-legged stool, without one, the others are useless.
Hope this helps a little...
Charles Arn, President
CHURCH GROWTH, INC.
