Shrinking Church Attendance And What To Do About It?

I would love some discussion on the subject of shrinking church attendance and ways to revive any particular church whose membership is aging and dying off and whether to change music styles or any other ideas people have come across.
I am not talking about changing the gospel message or accepting gay marriage or any scriptural changes whatsoever. Obviously there is the change to a contemporary style, but I am looking for a more specific set of examples of what has worked for other churches.
 
I would not consider a shrinking church attendance a bad thing. Jesus taught one time and all of his followers never came back. The Word of God has a habit of separating the sheep from the goats which is what it is suppose to do. Jesus came not to bring peace, or unity, but division. Maybe the people that are left in your Church are the who are suppose to be there. I wonder if Jesus was ever asked to preach at some of these mega Churches how many people would get up and walk out. I would just do what you are suppose to do and the Lord will take care of the rest.
 
I would love some discussion on the subject of shrinking church attendance and ways to revive any particular church whose membership is aging and dying off and whether to change music styles or any other ideas people have come across.
I am not talking about changing the gospel message or accepting gay marriage or any scriptural changes whatsoever. Obviously there is the change to a contemporary style, but I am looking for a more specific set of examples of what has worked for other churches.
The leadership must repent. I've been in so many "churches" where the Holy Spirit was never consulted on the message, never invited to attend, never sought after! I've seen where the "pastor" is the sole leader doing everything - and sometimes that's fine, but most of the time they're the ones to blame for the "church's" condition. We need a revival of God's POWER and MIGHT, not a continued regiment of song, announcements, song, prayer, song, offering, another song and then a dry sermon (well prepared maybe, but void of the Holy Spirit), altar call, song, prayer, departing announcement, repeat next week. It's gotten to the point where pastors go to Google for inspiration! "Cliff notes for pastors".

Then there's those in the crowd that only "pray" in church, "sing" in church, "worship" in church for 2 hours out of 168 hours in a week! No one tells them that God is a consuming fire! And when they do, there's no Spirit behind it because the pastor doesn't know what he's doing because he was only taught salesmanship in cemetery (oops, I mean seminary). @Where is the Messiah is right, but not a curserary prayer, but on-your-face-all-day-all-night kind of prayer! Boldly going to the throne of Grace! There was a time when a pastor just walked into the room and the whole church fell to the ground in prayer of repentance to God having NEVER SAID A WORD! That's power!

Acts 1:8 (KJV)
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

δύναμις Dunamis - where we get the word dynamite!

- Definition:
1. strength power, ability
a. inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth
b. power for performing miracles
c. moral power and excellence of soul
d. the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
e. power and resources arising from numbers
f. power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts

2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

You won't like them and many will call them false, but they have the POWER! Ian Clayton, John Paul Jackson, Keith Moore!
 
I would love some discussion on the subject of shrinking church attendance and ways to revive any particular church whose membership is aging and dying off and whether to change music styles or any other ideas people have come across.
I am not talking about changing the gospel message or accepting gay marriage or any scriptural changes whatsoever. Obviously there is the change to a contemporary style, but I am looking for a more specific set of examples of what has worked for other churches.
"changing the gospel" ? ...what? This I know, that most churches are not preaching and teaching the true gospel, nor the joy and peace of the Spirit. If a church is walking in the Spirit? They have no problem with membership, because all can see the truth of the gospel working in their life. A dead church should be allowed to die, buried and then have some dirt thrown on top to cover up the bad smell.
 
"changing the gospel" ? ...what? This I know, that most churches are not preaching and teaching the true gospel, nor the joy and peace of the Spirit. If a church is walking in the Spirit? They have no problem with membership, because all can see the truth of the gospel working in their life. A dead church should be allowed to die, buried and then have some dirt thrown on top to cover up the bad smell.
What you wrote, Mitspa, reads as so harsh. But having been in a church that needs to be thoroughly demolished before it kills more people, I hate to admit it, but I agree with you. I have prayed for the demolition of that church, as have others I am sure, and we are watching it dissolve, one church at a time. The one I attended in my present town is empty and for sale after being started in @ 1928 or so and thriving until it booted the only good pastor it'd had in years in @1997.

Through GOSSIP!
Through absolute evil intent in people who claimed to be the holiest of us.
I pray for their forgiveness from G-d for ruining a good man's ministry and reputation. I have no desire for them to suffer judgment.
 
I would love some discussion on the subject of shrinking church attendance and ways to revive any particular church whose membership is aging and dying off and whether to change music styles or any other ideas people have come across. I am not talking about changing the gospel message or accepting gay marriage or any scriptural changes whatsoever. Obviously there is the change to a contemporary style, but I am looking for a more specific set of examples of what has worked for other churches.
God adds to the church daily 'such as should be saved' Acts 2:47. So, I would say priority 1 is to look inside 1 Cor 5:13 as a little leaven leavens the whole lump Gal 5:9.

Older people do to 'a degree' need to adapt to changes. Not changes in hymns and never in sound teaching.

- Nothing wrong with a nice coffee shop! Christians crave being more social. Church can / should meet that need.
- Modern Christian songs are nice. It is not too carnal if we can get a decent sound system to play background music. Just have to get that balance right! Some churches bass speakers and lighting....
- Open ministry, as long as elders present to oversee.
- Keep the church clean. 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness'.
 
Not literally. But it should be Christian common sense. Deacons need to be fired if they leave roof unpainted. Driveway missing tiles. Cracked windows.

While we on this subject, what do you guys and tezrili think of Catholic churches? I have been a harsh critic of their 'fancier' then necessary churches, but I don't see that anymore.

Jesus on centre stage (y). A place to kneel (y). Priest wearing a robe and not casual clothing or boss type boastful tuxedo. I see the nice windows, paintings and sculptures as honouring / respecting God. Effort and thought went into building it. Not just bricks, carpet and roof.

Of course we can meet on a hill. But that does not automatically translate into a cathedral = evil.
 
I would love some discussion on the subject of shrinking church attendance and ways to revive any particular church whose membership is aging and dying off and whether to change music styles or any other ideas people have come across.
I am not talking about changing the gospel message or accepting gay marriage or any scriptural changes whatsoever. Obviously there is the change to a contemporary style, but I am looking for a more specific set of examples of what has worked for other churches.
Rather than "give up", "give into" the hands of Lord.. Part of the problem is trying to take things into own hands.. But Churches should be Spirit led.. And people should understand the purpose of Churches.. Only when that is understood, Churches can flourish. I think there is a misunderstanding on purpose of Church today which is leading to the decline.. Since people do not understand the purpose of Church, they seek out for other things as "alternatives"
 
Not literally. But it should be Christian common sense. Deacons need to be fired if they leave roof unpainted. Driveway missing tiles. Cracked windows.
Hee-hee! Did you hear that someone said that in a church? :D

I guess I would just think of such buildings that if they could afford to fix it, they would. I don't know where you live, but I'm in the U.S.A., and rich country though it is, there are some places where people can hardly afford to put food on the table. When I lived in Mississippi in the late '50s and early '60s, there were churches that had no paint to be seen on any walls. I've even been inside some of those churches down there, and the people could not be sweeter, could not better show G-d's love to us as visitors. I saw houses with many barely clothed people on the front porches and no paint. Just precious people. Sometimes, things don't work out as we think they should, unless we roll up our own sleeves and do something for them.

And I have seen many very fine churches, well-kept, yet I seriously doubt that Messiah has ever been in them.

While we on this subject, what do you guys and tezrili think of Catholic churches? I have been a harsh critic of their 'fancier' then necessary churches, but I don't see that anymore.

Jesus on centre stage (y). A place to kneel (y). Priest wearing a robe and not casual clothing or boss type boastful tuxedo. I see the nice windows, paintings and sculptures as honouring / respecting God. Effort and thought went into building it. Not just bricks, carpet and roof.

Of course we can meet on a hill. But that does not automatically translate into a cathedral = evil.

I haven't said anything harsh about the R. Catholic church yet here, as far as I can remember. I have my own problems with the R. Catholic church, but they are problems that the other churches have embraced. Yes, that bothers me. But as of yet, I have not been called to be the H Spirit, to convict others. I may write something about these at times, but not for the purpose of changing anyone or changing their minds -- just for the purpose of writing what I believe.

I do believe that the R Catholic church initially attempted to raise the common attenders' minds above the common by building edifices that raise the eyes and point toward the heavens, because their purpose was "getting out of here."

The church I last belonged to also had wonderful stained glass windows and was beautifully painted. Brick outside and white-painted wood inside and out, it looked wonderful. They tried to sell it while I was still attending there. My shul was looking for a place to buy, so I told the leaders about it, and they were very interested. The pastor knew they were interested, and they had sent people to look it over with the idea of buying it.

One day, the pastor didn't know I was in the building. I heard him tell someone else that they needed to "unload" that church, because the mortar was "rotten," and the church probably would not survive the next earthquake. Of course, I went immediately to the shul's leaders and told them what I'd heard. They withdrew their interest.

Sometimes, a perfectly painted building hides its rottenness or its imminent collapse.
 
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I would love some discussion on the subject of shrinking church attendance and ways to revive any particular church whose membership is aging and dying off and whether to change music styles or any other ideas people have come across.
I am not talking about changing the gospel message or accepting gay marriage or any scriptural changes whatsoever. Obviously there is the change to a contemporary style, but I am looking for a more specific set of examples of what has worked for other churches.

That's a really interesting question! It's my belief and please test what I say but I am of the belief, that the Lord desires his church in this time to come back to his original design contained within the NT. The church over the ages has grown with many major moments which have shaped what we have today with many seasons having come and gone and as far as I can make out from God's Word and the reality of the world we live in today, the old methods just won't cope with the challenges the world will be facing in time to come. I'm not saying we need to change or adopt strange practices but to come back ever more to the true new testament church design contained in his Word so we can meet the challenges with power. Hope that's a brief message for thought.
 
Church is not a structure.

When there is fellowship, there is church.

No need to carry on with the old model when we have moved on.
 
Church is not a structure.

When there is fellowship, there is church.

No need to carry on with the old model when we have moved on.

I'm not sure if the above was directed at myself but I'd have to say according to God's Word, there very much is a structure including properly qualified overseers,(apostles, prophets and Pastor-teachers, elders, deacons and Christians operating within their spiritual gifts in love. Every book in the NT was written to churches or overseers of churches and each individual mentioned was accountable to another, when we come back to the true NT Church design, we'll see power like the early church experienced on a great level.
 
I'm not sure if the above was directed at myself but I'd have to say according to God's Word, there very much is a structure including properly qualified overseers,(apostles, prophets and Pastor-teachers, elders, deacons and Christians operating within their spiritual gifts in love. Every book in the NT was written to churches or overseers of churches and each individual mentioned was accountable to another, when we come back to the true NT Church design, we'll see power like the early church experienced on a great level.
Yes brother and every false group uses these titles and in abundance. There is not a denomination anywhere that has the authority to ordain any man before God. Can God work through a denomination and a religious system? Yes. But He had rather not..:eek:...:D
 
I'm not sure if the above was directed at myself but I'd have to say according to God's Word, there very much is a structure including properly qualified overseers,(apostles, prophets and Pastor-teachers, elders, deacons and Christians operating within their spiritual gifts in love. Every book in the NT was written to churches or overseers of churches and each individual mentioned was accountable to another, when we come back to the true NT Church design, we'll see power like the early church experienced on a great level.

Which should we cling to tradition for traditions sake? Or the Holy Spirit?
It was tradition for only the reason of tradition that The King found reprensible.
 
Yes brother and every false group uses these titles and in abundance. There is not a denomination anywhere that has the authority to ordain any man before God. Can God work through a denomination and a religious system? Yes. But He had rather not..:eek:...:D

I would absolutely agree, agree, agree. I was grateful to be called of the Lord by prophecy and set forward publicly by the laying on of hands, the fact it was part of a denomination at the time made no real difference to me at the time, as from point of prophecy to being set forward took seven long hard years confirming my call. I'm now part of a non-denominational local church which is overseen by a Christian Association who oversee us to the point of, you follow God's vision for your assembly and your area as lead by God and his Word, we do fellowship with other assemblies and have great connections and close friends but I'm afraid to say, the man's idea of church in my experience quenches the spirit and hurts too many with in-experienced and un-wise decisions. Glad to have a blank sheet of paper to be honest!
 
Which should we cling to tradition for traditions sake? Or the Holy Spirit?
It was tradition for only the reason of tradition that The King found reprensible.

i wouldn't call God's Word traditional or old, it's the foundation laid by Jesus Christ and the Apostles as an example for us today. There is no middle ground...
 
Obviously man is evolving in his knowledge, and in how he lives, but if you pull back his flesh he is still the same old sinner no matter what age he is living in. Our environment has changed so much to what use to be a good method of proclaiming the gospel needs to be updated and follow suit. Where it use to take years to do can now be done with a few keystrokes on the computer. A global preaching and teaching that far exceeds what the Apostles could have imagined in their day. Gathering together in His name can be just a push of a button. I sense God's anointing power just as strong not only in a physical building gathering of believers, but also in a online forum.
Wisdom is what is needed to reach those whom God has called from the beginning to enter his Kingdom. A quick work can and will be done by God through what we have today at our fingertips. Imagine, teaching, and preaching the Word by clicking a button and having that message sent around the world in a fraction of a second.
 
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