Key Principles

One of the most important aspects of congregational growth in a small church or small community comes during the first three months. During this time it is critical for the leadership to focus on three key principles for congregational success: 1) Restore an attitude of hope; 2) Fully utilize all of your resources; 3) Get involved in the community. These are the three fundamental goals I set for myself whenever I undertake a new work in a small community.

Programs, team meetings, and outreach efforts are great in congregations where the members believe in the power of God to reward their efforts. In the past eight years I have worked in three small, struggling congregations. The congregation in New Zealand had been established only three years prior to our arrival. The congregation in AIachua, Florida had been in existence since 1921, and the congregation we are currently working with was established in the late 1940s. With the exception of the congregation in New Zealand, these churches had a long history of slow growth or no growth. It was vital to restore their sense of hope and expectation.

The first thing I try to do when I arrive at a new work is to rally the troops. I get a list of all of the members -- faithful and delinquent -- and ask for their help. People want to feel needed. Many leave the church because they are neglected or overlooked. Once all of the members feel that their presence is important, they begin to take a more active part in the work. In Cedar Key our attendance was running around 25 when we arrived four months ago. Over the last few weeks our attendance has been approaching 40. During that time we have experienced only one baptism. The difference has come through a renewed hope and revived commitment to the Lord's church. It is exciting to see the church talking about expansion, growth, and goals for the coming year. A renewed hope means a renewed work ethic within the congregation.

The second phase of working in a small congregation is getting the most out of the facilities. We currently have an auditorium that seats about 65 people and one classroom that will hold about 30. This puts serious limitations on what we can do in the area of developing an educational program, so we have to be flexible. This summer we conducted the first Vacation Bible School ever for the Lord's church in this city. We were praying that we might have 20 to 25 in attendance each night (the entire school system only has 220 students). The first night our attendance was 58 and we averaged 67 for the week. The enthusiasm could be felt 100 miles away when we exceeded 90 on the last night of V.B.S.

Putting an average of 67 children in our facilities is a real challenge. We divided the group into two main segments. Half of the group went to the classroom to work on crafts while the other half stayed in the auditorium for Bible class. The Bible class was then subdivided into two groups. Halfway through the class we alternated activities. By the end of the week we had crafts in the classroom, two classes in the auditorium, and the high school class meeting in lawn chairs on the front porch. It took some creative manipulation, but we had the greatest week in the history of the Cedar Key Church of Christ. Even the denominations in the community commented on what an outstanding job the church had done.

In a radical approach to community outreach we moved our mid-week Bible study from Wednesday to Thursday. There are only three other religious groups in our community and competition is stiff to reach the 600+ people who live here. By moving to Thursday, we are no longer in competition with the other religious groups. We use our mid-week Bible study to focus our attention on special classes on the home and family, successful Christian living, and morals and ethics. Once we get them to visit, we begin to work on setting up Bible studies to lead them to the truth.

The third phase of any new work requires getting involved in the community. During the last six years of work in the states, I have served as a chairman for the Drug Prevention Partnership~a federal grant program, president of the chamber of commerce, coach for local sports programs, a motivational speaker for the local schools, and I have written a column for the local paper. None of this is intended to blow my own horn. God has blessed me with opportunities to serve and each opportunity opened new doors into the community. I am reminded of the sage advice an older preacher gave me years ago, "They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

The benefits of this kind of involvement, especially by the local preacher, cannot be measured in church attendance or Bible studies. Families outside the church have called me to assist in funerals, to counsel their children who were in trouble, and to lead prayers at civic events and city council meetings. A byproduct of this kind of involvement includes visitors to the congregation, Bible studies, and precious souls who obey the gospel of Christ.

Conclusion

In the last six years I have seen two congregations turn things around dramatically. The Alachua Church of Christ has more than doubled its attendance, tripled its contributions, and installed elders and deacons for the first time in 20 years. Only four months into the work in Cedar Key, we have seen the church move forward by leaps and bounds, especially in the area of our contributions. Since entering the mission field in 1988, the most significant thing I have done is to take the words "We can't do it" out of my vocabulary.

There is no magic formula to church growth in a small community, but in my experience restoring a sense of hope, fully utilizing the resources available, and getting involved in the community are a great starting point.