Questions small churches must ask - 1

I want to begin a series of posts on questions smaller churches need to be asking. We all know the challenges facing smaller churches today, and I do not know anyone who thinks things will improve any time soon. Those of us who attend or serve in smaller churches can either continue to drift along ignoring the difficulties we face or we can begin to ask and answer tough questions about who we are and what we are going to be in the future.

The first question I want us to consider is "Why should anyone attend your church?" I've actually upset some small church leaders by asking them this question. The reason I ask it is that I have attended, pastored, and been involved in working with smaller churches for 35 years. During that time I've seen very little change in the ministries, worship, structure, or anything else in most of them. Despite the fact that our world is changing today at a pace never seen in earlier generations many of our churches continue to act as if everything is still like it was in 1950.

If every church sings three hymns, has a couple of prayers, takes up an offering, and has a 30-minute sermon, what difference does it make which church a person attends? What makes your church so special that people will drive past other churches to attend it?

When I ask this question the answer I most often get if that they are a friendly church and if people will just come there they would find that out. For 14 years I served in a judicatory role and attended a different church almost every week. I can tell you from personal experience that many small churches are not friendly. They might be friendly to one another, but some are very cold towards people they don't know. I actually developed a workshop on church hospitality that I conducted for some churches that realized they needed that training. Many other churches need it too!

There has to be something about your church that will appeal to people seeking a church. There has to be something that your church offers that some other churches don't. It might be a particular worship style. Perhaps your church has a very good music ministry or children's ministry. It might be that your church is involved in a community ministry effort that allows unchurched people to connect with your church. Your church might have an excellent teaching ministry or small groups that address real needs people have. If you want people to come to your church you must offer something that will make them want to come.

The good news is that I believe God has a special purpose for every church, and it's not just to survive. He has a unique vision for every church that contains that purpose. The challenge for the church is to discern that vision and then live into it. As you do that you begin to relate to new people and give them a reason to come to your church. Without that reason they will continue to drive past your building every week never giving it a second thought.