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:

1. The pastor does not have a priority. Churches grow when they have a priority for reaching the unchurched. When the pastor doesn't, the church won't.
2. The pastor does not have a vision. No vision for outreach is as much a barrier as no priority. Growing churches have pastors who believe God wants to reach people in their community and assimilate them into the Body.
3. The pastor does not have the knowledge. Working harder is not the secret to effective outreach. The secret is working smarter. Unfortunately, little is taught in seminaries or Bible schools about how to effectively reach and assimilate new people.

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