Connecting to the Community

Church growth experts tell us that in order to stay the same size every church must grow six to eight percent each year. This growth will just about cover the ones who leave by natural attrition. Some go to heaven. Some go to live with Aunt Josie. Some even have the audacity to get mad at the preacher and leave for another church in town. The very idea! You have to grow six to eight percent just to break even, and if you don’t, you decrease in number. The sad reality is that most churches in America are either stuck in status quo or are actually declining. With only a few wonderful exceptions even the churches that are growing are doing it through transfer growth. We fell into this trap for a season. Maybe if we can come up with a new angle or shine a little brighter than the church down the street we can get a few families. This causes problems of competition and territorialism among churches that hurt our reputations and hinder our efforts for the cause of Christ. Instead of seeking sheep from other pastures, we want to focus our attention on the power of connecting. We must get out there and connect with the community if we are going to do what our Lord commissioned us to do…”make them my disciples”.