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WHY YOUR CHURCH DOES NOT GROW

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THREE REASONS A CHURCH DOES NOT GROW
Church

 

By Ken Blue

“…. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:47.

It may surprise you that there are pastors who do not seek or desire their church to grow beyond a certain number. There are several reasons for their “non growth” mentality; we will give the three we believe to be most prevalent.

Wrong to seek growth-

There are a few pastors who believe that seeking growth is carnal and should not be among any ministry objectives of the church. They believe that prayer, Bible preaching and witnessing is what God requires and all that is necessary. They are opposed to any and all forms of activities, events, or promotions to attract the lost. The church, to them, is intended for the saved only. The only acceptable outreach is door-to-door soul winning.

Like a small church-

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]There are pastors and churches who do not want their church to grow beyond a certain number.[/perfectpullquote]

A small church is a wonderful thing, as long as it is large enough to pay you a salary. A small church is like a family; everyone knows everyone, and they all know the pastor. He receives all the attention and praise for things that go well. He is also able to give attention to all the members.

In many cases, the pastor and the people like this arrangement. They practice “doublespeak.” While they speak of winning the lost, they seldom give room to new families. The glue that holds the small group together is the cement that keeps others out. Everyone is happy and content. All that is lacking is a fireplace where this wonderful little family can gather for fellowship.

Fear growth-

There are those who would like for their churches to grow, but fear keeps it from happening. Their greatest fear is their inability to pastor a larger group. I have witnessed a few preachers and Christian workers with this phobia. If you pay close attention, you will observer them sabotage any growth that is threatening.

This fear is based in insecurity. The reason for the insecure is the pastor has not learned the skills of organization, management, and leadership. Ignorance of these is enough to cause fear in the heart of any pastor. That is why it is important to learn how to pastor, in addition to ones preaching ability.

It may be difficult for you to believe that there are pastors and churches who do not want their church to grow beyond a certain number. Believe me, they exist. You may be one of them. If so, tackle your roadblock, remove the fear, and grow for the Lord.

BULLETINS: BURDENS OR BLESSINGS?

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Church Bulletin Notes

Church Bulletin

By Ken Blue

It seems that there are some things churches are expected to do, and one of these is the church bulletin. Now, my purpose is not to “rant” against the bulletin, but to stir up your mind so the bulletin can become a meaningful tool and not just a traditional practice.

Many church bulletins are pathetic and a waste of money and time. They say the same nothing every week and every comment is in the exact location each week. There will be a list of songs, a last Sunday’s offering and attendance, and who works in the nursery this week. The only new news is the potluck next Sunday afternoon.

The bulletin must be clean and attractive. A church in Alaska called theirs the “Sunday News.” The purpose statement of the church should be on front or on the first page so it can’t be missed. Rather than a menu of songs, have the song leader or music director write articles about the history of one of the songs to be sung. Books are available on the history of hymns.

There should always be a different message in the bulletin from the pastor about some victory, and the philosophy of the church. Write on the subject of the month. Give a progress report on what is being accomplished and what the church vision is.

I recommend that the pastor’s sermon title and outline be in the bulletin. The title, the text, and the main points should be listed. Sometimes the sub points could be added. Leave a blank space where the key word is in each line. As you preach through the sermon, you will state the keywords and people will write them in. This keeps their mind on the subject and gives them the outline to take home. Learning is being processed through the ear, the eye, and the pen. Everything is being reinforced by the people’s participation.

You can make your bulletin count, and you should use it as a tool to communicate your message, your ministry, and your purpose. Stretch your imagination and vision and make the bulletin worth the investment.

I ask my wife what frustrated her most when she was doing the bulletin for our church. She said the thing that frustrated her most was that I did not get my notes to her in a timely manner. I’m sorry I asked.

I also ask Barb Hughes to give her insights on the church bulletin; here are some of her comments:

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Bulletins CAN BE a resourceful and informative vehicle of church news.[/pullquote]

hughes2_sm“I have been doing our church bulletin off and on since 1974, and have learned much. Bulletins CAN BE a resourceful and informative vehicle of church news. Sadly, many churches use them for carrying “fill ins” and “funnies” or inspirational drivel. These bulletins tend to be time and money wasters. Surely it’s not a surprise that members fail to read them.

Our church’s bulletin is a MINISTRY, first and foremost. It fulfills our Church motto (included on the cover) “Bible Baptist Church exists to lead people into a redemptive and growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.”  We post:

  • Meetings where people can get church information and services for preaching.
  • Opportunities to serve the Lord and outreach.
  • Fellowship news with other members of the church family.
  • Websites and email information is available.
  • Teaching cds and dvds are listed and updated weekly.
  • Changes of activities that members will need to know are noted.
  • The weekly and Sunday schedule of events is updated/changed every bulletin.
  • Help wanted ads are regularly posted. Filling open positions in a timely manner and who to contact.
  • Offerings and birthdays/ anniversaries are mentioned weekly (members can send cards to others).
  • A note of information and emphasis from the preacher for the current week.
  • Back of the bulletin has space available to record notes from messages.

FILLER is generally a scripture of encouragement or encouragement to get involved in stewardship and missions, instead of FLUFF.

Suggested ideas: Find someone who will do the bulletin as a ministry, not a burden, or a “useless task”. They should be fairly knowledgeable with programs that create newsletter pages. Make sure the bulletin is COMPLETELY updated and rearranged each week. You don’t want it to be BORING or TEDIOUS. (Some features can/should be in the same place each week to lend “stability” to the design.- schedule for example).

Filler material, if needed, should be uplifting and scriptural for the most part. We occasionally run some funny, but it’s rare. If the bulletin consists of mostly FILLER materials, consider NOT PUBLISHING for that week.

BIGGEST FRUSTRATION would be mechanical failures or my own failures to do the job, for whatever reason. If people do NOT provide their news, they don’t get published. I recently began designing our bulletin covers and print them directly onto the paper each week.”

Hope this helps!
Barb

THINGS PASTORS FEAR

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HOW FEAR MOLDS OUR PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER

fear

By Ken Blue

We may become so accustom to living with fear, we are unaware it exist. It becomes a way of life, and it molds our character and personality. Although most pastors will deny his fears, excuses and paralysis betray him.

There are several things pastors fear, and among them is the fear of failure. I’ve see many of these young men. They usually mask it with verbosity and an overabundance of confidence. Talk becomes a substitute for action, and appearance a substitute for leadership.

I remember attempting to help one of my grandchildren create a budget and get out of debt. After a few days of inaction on her part, I ask why the delay. She told me that she had failed at everything she did, so why should she take on another project certain to fail. Her previous failures, and her prophecies of the future put her in a straitjacket and kept her in bondage.

Leaders understand that you always fail more than you succeed, but they learn from their failures, and discover the more you try the more successes you will achieve. The homerun king always strikes out more than he hits. However, he also knows if he doesn’t swing the bat, very little will happen. Sad to say, many pastors are afraid to step up to the plate. They fear they will strike out. So, they play it safe and just stand there.

The second fear that paralyzes pastors is the fear of success. You might question this phobia, and be the last to acknowledge its existence, but it is very real. Many pastors fear church growth. Success would mean more responsibility and commitment. Growth would mean change, and others would receive some of the attention enjoyed by the pastor. New babies demand a sharing of the toys.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Fear can put you in a straitjacket and keep you in bondage.[/pullquote]

Success means that someone else may be able to do things better than the pastor, therefore many refuse to develop people or give important ministries to them. The pastor becomes the bottleneck to growth. You cannot succeed unless you change, and success forces the church to change.

A third fear is that of rejection. Some pastors are more concerned about what other pastors think of them than they are their own congregation. Once pastors form a structured “fellowship” there will always be a battle for leadership. Privileges and accolades will be granted or withheld by the Godfathers. Thus, the pastor fears he might do something to offend those “who seem to be somewhat.” (Gal.2:6).

The solution is to learn all you can about how to pastor your church. If all you are doing is preaching to the choir and reading books by those who are obsessed with “standards” they require of you; you will never overcome your fears. Confidence comes with learning, experience, and trust in the Lord.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10.

PASTORING AND RAISING CHILDREN

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THE PASTOR’S FAMILY

 

childrenBy Ken Blue

“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” 1 Timothy 3:2-7.

Listed below are several qualifications required of the pastor. One should read the above text and note how many of these he can find.

Some qualifications for pastors are:
1. Blameless in conduct.
2. Husband of one wife.
3. Vigilant.
4. Sober. Self-controlled; temperate.
5. Of good behavior.
6. Given to hospitality.
7. Apt to teach.
8. Not given to wine.
9. No striker. Not quarrelsome; one not ready to strike back at those who displease him; no persecutor of those who differ with him.
10. Not greedy of filthy lucre. Not desirous of base gain; not using wrong methods to raise money to increase his own income.
11. Patient, meek and gentle.
12. Not a brawler. Not contentious, but quiet and peaceable.
13. Not covetous. Not a lover of money; not desiring the office for the sake of personal gain.
14. Ruler of his own house, not by hardness and tyranny, but with honesty.
15. Not a novice. Not a new convert to the faith.
16. Of a good report from outsiders.

Of the sixteen qualifications listed above, most are ignored except number 2 and 12; these concern the pastor’s family. Verses 4 and 5 should be read again. Notice that the pastors inability to “rule” his household will reveal that he cannot “take care” of church matters. The issue is about one’s ability to take care of his family while they are under his care. It has nothing to do with how spiritual the children are at home or after they leave.

Because some lack understanding of these verses, they have resigned the ministry because of a wayward son or daughter. If this was the intent of the text, the only men who would be pastoring are those without children or who have children that cannot reach the doorknob.

A famous pastor, with an infamous son, wrote a book on How To Rear Children, and another on How To Rear Teenagers. A pastor friend said to me, “When my children are grown and their children all turn out right, I might consider writing such a book. Until then, I will refrain.”

While the pastor’s kids are under his roof, he must set the standards, the rules, and the example for them. Rules must be fair, and they must be enforced. This does not guarantee that your children will comply when they are out of your sight or when they leave home.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]One obstacle facing the pastor’s children and wife are church members who hold them to a higher standard than others.[/pullquote]

One of the obstacles facing the pastor’s children and wife are church members who hold them to a higher standard than they do themselves or others. Many times the children will be shamed or scolded by a youth worker or a Sunday School teacher. This sets the children up to dislike church people and the ministry.

When teachers and youth workers verbally abuse your children, you must personally confront them, and let them know that it will stop immediately. Tell them that if your child needs correcting or discipline, they are to come to you, and you will deal with the matter. Not until my children were grown, did I learn from them about the verbal abuse inflicted by some teachers and workers.

My advice is that the pastor refrains from using his children as examples from the pulpit. This turns the spotlight of criticism on them. Wait until your children are grown before bragging on them publically.

Remember, if you keep putting your children or your wife in the limelight, you are creating an atmosphere for them to be criticized. The more public exposure they get, the more the faultfinding and the gossip will fly. Let your wife be your wife; not the assistant pastor. Let your children be children, and don’t expect or demand they be models of angelic creatures.

Someone has said, “Your family is your best résumé.” The pastor, who thinks that to be true, either doesn’t have children, or his children are still in elementary school. The above text is not discussing how good your children are, but rather your ability to keep them in subjection while they are under your roof.

I know pastors who fail 15 of the 16 qualifications above, yet they have good kids. I also know good, dedicated men whose children are a disgrace to the human race. Two things are in play which you have no control over. One, every child has a free will; the other is the grace of God.

I heard a pastor make, what I believe, is a correct statement about human nature. He said, “You can’t give anyone spirituality, wisdom or character. All you can give is example and information.” May God enable us to give the best example and information possible, and then pray that God will use our children for His glory, and protect them from self-righteous church members who love to make public examples of the preacher’s kids. However, if you can’t handle a six year old, you will have trouble “taking care” of the church of God.

FLUFF IS NOT ENOUGH

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FLUFF DOES NOT EDIFY

FLUFFBy Ken Blue

“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” Titus 1:9.

The man who knows the least, usually, talks the most and the loudest. This is a cover-up for his insecurity and lack of knowledge about biblical truth. The preacher who quips is generally ill equipped for ministry.

The pastoral epistles resound with the need for pure motives and pure doctrine. The idea of “holding fast the faithful Word” is not instruction on how to grasp or hold the Bible. Many, who hold the Book in their hands, do not hold it fast in their heart. It means, you must know what you have been taught and who taught you. It is important that the preacher have a strategic grasp of the Book; but it is imperative that the Book have its grasp on him.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The pulpit is not a place to ramble on and say nothing.[/perfectpullquote]

The pulpit is not a place to ramble on and say nothing. Jesus said, they think they will be heard for their much speaking. The only one deceived is the one speaking. If you know what you are talking about, you should be able to make it clear, keep it concise, and bring it to a conclusion.

Fluff is not enough. You must be able, by sound doctrine, to encourage and edify God’s people. The proof will not be in your verbosity, but in lives that are changed. Also, you must, like Stephen, be able to silence the naysayers. Your preaching and teaching will be challenged and contradicted. Fluff will not edify the Saints or silence your critics. Sound doctrine, for this dispensation, is the preachers answer to the needs of all men and women.