Of the 385,000 churches in the United States, a staggering 80 percent have either reached a plateau or are declining. As a church consultant, I wonder why my phone isn't ringing off the hook from church leaders seeking help.
It would be reasonable to assume that with nearly 80 percent of today's churches not in a growth trend, those church leaders would be begging for help, pleading for guidance or longing for a mentor—someone, anyone, to help them get the job done.
Scary numbers
Let's face it: if you are a church leader, the statistics are against you. If you were in a small business franchise industry you would have a success rate of 80 percent. Instead, you have roughly only a 20 percent chance of reasonable, measurable church growth or success.
Those are scary numbers. The odds of successful ministry in healthy churches are overwhelming. But achieving success for the kingdom isn't impossible. Maybe you can start by asking yourself some basic questions:
* Is ministry working in your church?
* How do you measure the results?
* Are you happy with those results?
Frozen in time
Often what keeps churches from growing into the future is their fixation on the past. Perhaps you are stuck in your church's history. At one time, your church may have been the shining pillar of the community. People from miles around would come to hear the pastor teach, worship, fellowship and share experiences. But that has changed. Instead you find yourselves looking back at the way things were instead of looking at how things are today.
Looking back is not a roadmap for moving forward. Don't get stuck comparing what was then to what is now. That can be very discouraging. Instead, take a snapshot of what your church is like today, put it under a microscope and take a long look. Then ask yourself if that is what you want it to look like in five years. In doing so, you may envision a different outcome. Many times, moving from that microscope of today to the telescope for the future can be a bit unnerving. Queasiness comes over you and you literally don't know what to do next.
This is where a church consultant can assist you. Inevitably, it is through the eyes of an honest, objective, non-judgmental, non-critical observer that you can see things the way they really are in your congregation. Church consultants have many years of experience with church administration, leadership, or overall organization. Many have been teachers, pastors or leaders who have worked through countless hours of conflict resolution, growth challenges, program development or ministry start ups. You name it, they've done it. That experience combined with analysis can be a catalyst for your church to get "unstuck" and regain momentum.
Resolving problems
Typically church consultants can help with problems such as:
·
Stagnant attendance·
Members leaving for other churches·
Decreased giving·
Poorly attended programs·
Few baptisms·
Few visitors and guests·
No evangelism·
Discipleship issues·
Control issues limiting forward motion·
Lack of vision from leadership Any of these issues sound familiar? Not only do these problems impact the health of the church, they leave the unchurched people in your community without a way to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus Christ. Aren't these people worth the money and effort it may take to change the momentum in your church?Hiring a consultant
Several barriers usually prohibit church leaders from hiring consultants to help with church changes. See if any of these sound familiar to you:
"We're not sure we can afford it."
"We're not sure if we will be getting enough value in return."
"We can't get board members to agree it would be money well spent."
"We're not sure it will really help."
"We don't understand the process."
"We are afraid to fail."
A good church consultant should work with you until you achieve the results you are seeking. Consultants who rush in, write a report, and then never see you again may not be the most effective. Instead, consultants should conclude the process only when they are sure you are satisfied that you can effect changes on your own.
Maybe as you read this article, you are considering this moment an intersection between the status of your church today and the huge successes for the Kingdom that you can accomplish in the future. What does God want to do through you and your church?
Debbie Rendall trained with Thom S. Rainer, Ph.D, and Charles Lawless, Ph.D, to become a Certified Consultant member of The Society for Church Consulting. Debbie has worked on staff at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., and is founder and president of the Integrating Focus consulting group.
