Home Pastors Articles for Pastors Are You Leading an Outward or Inward-Focused Church?

Are You Leading an Outward or Inward-Focused Church?

The Inward-Focused Church. 

The primary challenge will be how do we reach people who don’t have a relationship with Jesus.

Most inward-focused churches are not sensitive to this challenge. These leaders are uncomfortable with any changes that might address that challenge for fear that it might push insiders away and, frankly, impact the bottom line.

Ironically, any organization, including a church, that doesn’t focus on reaching new people has already started to decline and will eventually die.

This may be hard for you to hear, but I’ve seen that most (though not all) outward-focused churches have a very intentional path for spiritual development. Many offer discipleship opportunities to help people take steps toward Christ outside the weekend service.

And, of the churches I work with, most of the students and adults who attend those churches are engaged in that discipleship path.

On the other hand, I’ve never seen an inward-focused church have an intentional path for reaching people outside the faith.

In those instances, the inward-focused churches hope (and sometimes pray) people outside the faith will somehow join what the church is already doing for existing church members. When it comes to reaching people outside the faith, I’ve never seen that strategy work.

What kind of church are you leading?

In either instance, are you willing to engage the primary challenge your church faces? I’m hoping you will step up to the challenge … even if it makes others (including yourself) uncomfortable.