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How to Really Address Declining Attendance

Reviving the committed in a low-commitment culture

When I was growing up in the Bible Belt, Sundays consisted of church, fried chicken, an afternoon nap, and then another dose of church in the evening. My childhood memories are full of handbells, youth choir, discipleship training, visitation, and potlucks. Fast-forward 20 years and Sundays look very different around town. No longer is the church the center of the family's social network. According to a recent Barna poll, only 2 in 10 Millennials (those age 30 and under) believe church attendance is important. Even the definition of regular church attendance has changed from those who attend several times a month to once every four to six weeks.

As a children's minister, I have felt the effects of the cultural shift. I have families who show up three times a year who expect a permanent tag for their child. I place them on the roll and then don't not see them again until the following major holiday. In light of this lack of commitment to the body of Christ, how should the church respond?

The modern church responds to the decline in church participation in a wide variety of ways. Many churches have adopted a less traditional framework for worship by incorporating modern architecture, setting, environment, and worship style. Sermon series hold captivating titles and center around highly applicable topics. Consequently, many churches are effectively reaching the generations for Christ. However, according to statistics, there is much work yet to be done.

Perhaps it is not style, atmosphere, or environment that needs to be changed within the church, but rather the message emphasized within its walls. Many churches are so concerned about the number of "members" they have on roll or the number of people they had in worship, they forget that we are part of the larger body of Christ. This article will examine six principles employed by the New Testament church and consider how we can use these principles to help resuscitate the members of the body of Christ.

Pray without Ceasing

Before any strategizing or planning, the most important thing we as believers can do is to commit the cause to the Lord. Acts 2:42 emphasizes the importance of prayer within the early church and the catalyzing effect prayer had in expanding the message of the gospel. Likewise, Jesus prioritized prayer within the scope of his ministry. He withdrew to pray before and/or after major life events, and prayer was a regular means by which he was strengthened and resolved in his mission (Luke 5:15-16, 6:12-13, 9:28-29, 22:42). Prayer was the means by which Jesus found complete fellowship with the Father. In the same manner, people of the church should devote themselves to prayer, communing and petitioning with the Heavenly Father regarding the needs of the body before any concrete solutions be evaluated or implemented to revive the body of Christ. It is by faith and prayer that the Lord responds to his people (1 John 5:14-15).

Keep Christ the Head of the Church

The common phrase "running around like a chicken with its head cut off" is used to describe someone who is without direction or purpose. Unfortunately, many churches operate under the same colloquialism. The effects of a "headless" church are noticeable. Colossians 1:17 states that Christ is the one who holds all things together. The following verse tells us that it is he who is the head of the church. Just as the body cannot exist without a head, it also cannot have two heads. I remember visiting Ripley's Believe It or Not, where they had a picture of a two-headed cow. The cow lived for only two years because it was not meant to exist with two heads. Likewise, if a pastor, staff member, or member tries to force the direction of the body rather than Christ, the church will not be able to thrive. Members will begin to see disunity and will leave the church.

Show the Importance of Community

A survey of 1,200 Millenials by LifeWay Research found that those 30 and under value the authority of people's personal experiences over expert advice. What this means for the church is that in order to effectively reach this generation, we must prove the authenticity of the gospel through the relationships we build with them. In the study, 50 percent of respondents said church had no influence in their lives. However, parents, friends, and extended family had significant influence. Therefore, if the church wants to impact generations for Christ, it needs to understand the importance of community. Corporate worship should therefore not be done in isolation. If you go to church and speak to no one, have you really worshipped corporately? Acts 2:42-27 describes how the early church emphasized the importance of community. Theirs was an ongoing devotion to doing life together. They learned, interacted, and ate together. They were one in heart, connected by Christ, and they met each other's needs. If the church today came up with a strategy to help believers understand that we need each other to do life together, it would be impossible for the church to have no influence in people's lives if they truly connected. People want to feel like they belong.

Embrace Diversity of Roles

One of the reasons the New Testament church thrived through times of hardship and persecution is because it recognized the importance of each person to the body of Christ. First Corinthians 12 discusses the value of diversity and the consequences of disunity within the body of Christ.

Today when people feel disconnected from the church, they either relocate or disengage entirely. The temptation is to elevate one position within the church or a ministry over another. The result is politicizing the church rather than honoring the body. If the church focused on seeing the potential in each member and plugging them in where they would thrive rather than trying to fill empty spaces, people would feel valued for who they are and retention rates of volunteers would most likely increase. It would also help to celebrate the "less honorable" members of the body.

I was listening to a podcast of a service at North Point Community Church and heard Andy Stanley take about 10 minutes to appreciate volunteers serving in the children's area, parking team, and host team. In fact, he recommended that people get out the gift cards in their purses and give them to people wearing volunteer shirts! Sometimes a little appreciation can carry a lot of impact.

Nurse the Members Back to Health

My husband recently endured an injury to his ankle. The recovery was an extensive process. During that time, all the other parts of his body had to make up for an ailing member. If the church wants to grow and flourish, we must recognize that we all struggle in many ways. At a conference, Pastor Perry Noble said, "It's okay to not be okay, but it's not okay to stay that way." If the church wants to meaningfully impact this generation for Jesus, it needs to recognize that people need help and that as Christians we need each other. First Corinthians 12:26 states that if one member suffers, we all suffer together and if one member rejoices, we all rejoice together. Therefore, the church needs to be a place where all are welcome and we can accomplish victories together in Christ. If people feel that they have to have already overcome their struggles before they can walk through the doors, we can never effectively reach the world for Christ. If a member feels judged when they fall rather than supported, they will turn away from the church instead of running back to the body. My husband's ankle healed because he cared for it and his other muscles worked harder for a while so that the weaker could become stronger.

Teach to Apply Scripture Accurately and Prudently

In looking at how the early church responded to the Spirit's lead in the New Testament, it is clear to see the important roles biblical interpretation and application played in the growth of the church. If the church wants to continue to reach generations in a relevant way, one of the most important ways it can do so is by teaching how to correctly interpret and apply Scripture to daily situations. Second Timothy 2:15 commands believers to be diligent in presenting themselves to God as workers who are tested and approved. This is done by knowing how to correctly interpret the word of truth. When Jesus was on earth, he spent a large portion of his time teaching people how to understand the truth of God's Word. He then challenged them to respond through action.

Likewise, Paul wrote to many churches explaining the cultural applications of the cross. For instance, the Corinthians had many questions about how to respond to the culture of the day in light of the change in their theological views (1 Corinthians 8). Paul did not simply indoctrinate them into a system of belief, but he talked them through why they should make the decisions based on their religious convictions. If the church wants to survive in the times of tolerance, it must learn how to teach its congregants to think critically and yet respond lovingly. The New Testament writers emphasized this need for humility, love, and prudence when it came to sharing with unbelievers (Matthew 1016, 1 Corinthians 9:22-23, Colossians 4:5-6, 1 Peter 3:15).

Studies indicate there might be a perception problem among those outside the church. However, some churches are thriving and reaching people for Christ on a weekly basis. The body can respond in several ways. It can ignore the warning signs and continue to operate as it has. Or it can look at the studies, examine the Scriptures, pray, and strategize together for how we can more effectively reach the generations for Jesus Christ.

Cortney Whiting is a wife and a mother of two young children. She received her Masters of Theology in New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. Cortney serves as a children's minister in the Atlanta area and has written for Gifted for Leadership, Today's Christian Woman, and several other Christian publications. You read more from Cortney at http://becomingministries.blogspot.com or check her out on twitter at @cortneywhiting.

August14, 2014 at 8:00 AM

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