Warren Bird, the Director of Research and Intellectual Capital for Leadership Network, recently published a blog, Awe-Inspiring: Innovative Leaders Encouraged by How God is Moving, commenting on the 104 interviews he conducted in 2011 with “influential” churches across the US. His summary comment coming away from those interviews was energizing:
“I was so amazed by what God was doing in their midst, I wanted to be part of every one of them…There is a genuine sense of wonder, excitement and encouragement about how God is moving—despite tough economies and challenging jobless rates.”
Those were churches that had been identified as “influential” before the interviews. What would we find if we took a cross section of all US churches? We get some indication from research, What People Experience in Churches, reported by the Barna Group in January of this year.
Some of what they found is encouraging:
- “Most people (66%) feel they have had ‘a real and personal connection’ with God while attending church.”
- “…one-quarter of Americans (26%) who had been to a church before said that their life had been changed or affected ‘greatly’ by attending church.
- “…nearly seven out of 10 respondents (68%) said when they attend church they feel ‘part of a group of people who are united in their beliefs and who take care of each other in practical ways.’”
- “…many churchgoers receive a diverse and rich set of inputs by being involved in a church…most notably connecting with God and others.”
Some of what they found is concerning:
- “…one-third of those who have attended a church in the past have never felt God’s presence while in a congregational setting.”
- “Nearly half said their life had not changed at all as a result of churchgoing (46%).”
What can you do to help your church grow?
The Barna Group noted from the research that the “church experiences do not differ all that much based on the size of the church” so we all have the opportunity to make changes. Here are 3 handles from additional research outlined by Warren in “Growth Edges for Your Church” :
1) “New congregations are more likely to grow than are those with a longer history.” – Studies continue to show that the vast majority of church growth comes from churches started in the prior two decades. That makes sense because they would be in the Growth and Maturity stages of the lifecycle “S” (Sigmoid) Curve. If your church is older than two decades, you may need a bold vision birthed by clear strategic thinking and ignited thorough communication.
2) “Youth is a key factor. Congregations in which people over 50 make up 30 percent or less of the active participants are most likely to have growth.” – That strategic thinking needs to include a demographic and psychographic analysis of the people God has called you to reach. If there is a disparity, you should consider steps that will lead to a demographic profile that reflects your ministry focus in terms of age, ethnicity, socioeconomically, etc.
3) “A clear sense of mission and purpose is ‘one of the strongest correlates of growth.’" – During the recession it was consistently reported that one of the common denominators of the churches that were doing well was that they had a clear and compelling vision. In fact, regardless of where you are on the S Curve, this is the place to start!
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