God designed the church to be a vibrant and growing body. Because Jesus has built the church -- both universal and local -- (Matthew 16:18) we can be assured that a church planted firmly on the cornerstone that is Christ will grow both in quality and quantity.
Many churches today face an attendance plateau while some even drop in population. The overall church attendance in America has been declining. Is this the church that God has meant for us to be? And while church attendance isn't the only measure of the vibrance of the body of Christ, it is a good indication of how healthy churches are. How can churches who hit a growth plateau respond to it?
Intercede. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6 "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." At the end of the day, we must acknowledge that church attendance is up to God. He knows best and He wants what's best for His church. As His stewards of the local church, we must seek Him first and let Him add everything upon our churches -- including members.
Evangelize. In Matthew 18:13, Jesus spoke of the highest value He had: "And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray." Beyond political and doctrinal correctness, perfect rituals and practices, Jesus values souls and He calls us to value the lost as well. Is your church actively seeking the lost and engaging them just as Jesus once did?
Simplify. Often, church membership can be more of a burden instead of a cause of growth. A simple way of moving people from simply being attendees to becoming active members can help your church community grow strategically in numbers and in quality of disciples being made.
Disciple. Jesus's commission in Matthew 28:19 was to "...go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Churches are meant to be a place of relationship-building and teaching. Are our churches making disciples or simply making events?
Train leaders. A lack of growth is often co-related to a lack of leaders. If we want to see more people come in, we need more ministers, both vocational and as volunteers. Church leaders must always be on the lookout for potential interns who will eventually become ministers and leaders of the church as well. 2 Timothy 2:2 tells us, "And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."
