You got into church leadership because you wanted to introduce people to Jesus. That’s pretty much how all of us begin, isn’t it? And yet every year, it seems to get harder to reach people, and that means every year we struggle with church growth.
It’s not for lack of effort. Most church leaders try hard, pray hard and do their very best to advance the mission of their church.
But the facts speak for themselves. The majority of churches are in decline, and 94 percent of all churches are losing ground against their community (that is, their community is growing faster than the church is).
And yet, even in the midst of that, some churches are growing.
In those churches are the early clues to what future church growth looks like.
Here are seven factors that will drive almost all future church growth.
1. Personal Invitation
One of the things that fly under the radar of most growing churches is how much personal invitation fuels church growth (and discipleship).
A great social media presence is important, as are services unchurched people can access.
But at the heart of it all, in almost every growing church is this: people inviting their friends.
Personal invitation fuels much of future church growth. Conversely, if your church members don’t invite their friends, don’t expect to grow.
This assumes Christians actually have non-Christian friends they can invite. Shockingly, too many Christians don’t.
Many Christians cocoon in their little bubble, distraught over the direction the world is heading and angry at or indifferent toward people who don’t hold their values and beliefs.
Don’t miss this, Christians: It’s hard to reach a world you don’t love…or know.
