Greetings everyone! The following is just some thoughts about something that has become an epademic of sorts in the church today. I recently purchased and started reading Sticky Church by Dr Larry Osborn. In the first chapter he addressed this very issue. If one church gains ten new members but then has seven leave through the back door (a 30% retention rate), what good does that due? Something is obviously not right. If a church across town gains ten people and looses three out the back door (70% retention rate), they are obviously doing something right. The second church in this pretend scenario is a “sticky” church.
Now it is not my intent in this post to review Dr Osborn’s book here, but it did get the wheels in my brain to start churning about this subject. How can we make our churches “sticky” churches? How can we close the proverbial back door? Here are a few I had. Inviting visitors out to lunch and/or dinner to your house after church. One of the elders or ministers inviting new members to their home for a meal after church when they first place membership. New converts classes to teach the basics their new found faith. New members classes for new members. This could include talking about spiritual gifts, helping the new members discover theirs, and help them find or establish a ministry for them to get involved. Visiting all visitors and new members as soon as possible. Finding a small group for them and help them get involved in the small groups ministry.
That’s about all I have. What do you think about these things? What do you think about this? Any more suggestions? Any thing I have on this list you don’t like and would extract from the list? I would love to know what you all think and hear your ideas. Comments? Questions? Do tell. Thanks! God bless. Grace and Peace.
You have some great thoughts here, Zack. One thing I couldn’t help but notice in your list is that each one of your ideas could fit under the heading of “fellowship.”
And I think you hit the nail right on the head. I think fellowship is something that hasn’t been focused on like it needs to be. Our Lord emphasized the need for not just a “hi, how was your week?” kind of fellowship, rather he commanded a fellowship where love is present (John 15:12-17).
I do know some congregations with this kind of fellowship and I would definitely consider them sticky churches.
Thanks for getting my thinking gears going. I always enjoy your thoughts.
Fantastic thoughts on a very real problem in many churches, Zack. I think that the solution, as always, is the fundamental principle of retention: drawing new members into authentic Christian community. Whatever form that takes, be it small groups or Sunday morning classes or whatnot, the PRINCIPLE of authentic community is all-important. New members must be drawn into social circles where they come to feel at home -preferably even so far as feeling that “this is my new primary group of friends.” Only when that is achieved, I think, will members stick.
Anne and I searched for churches for a long time after we left Buckingham. I can distinctly remember falling away (or rather, “choosing to attend somewhere else”), because we felt we were putting in more effort to be a part of a certain congregation than they were putting into keeping us there. I think if we can reverse the polarity, (i.e. put more effort into keeping people a part of our church communities than they are putting into being there), we’ll achieve the desired result.
The next step, I think, is just as important: Drawing new members into a meaningful state of contribution to the Christian community (i.e. ministry). Too many people have no buy-in. They attend “someone else’s” church, but never “their” church. They’re spectators who are, in effect, perpetual visitors. It never becomes their church that stands or falls with their effort. I really think we get out of church what we put in, and it’s very important not only for new members to find a home in the social fabric, but to contribute to the quality of that fabric as well.
Anyway, just some thoughts.
Love your blog and your thoughts are right on target. The only thing I could think of is… noticing those that are slipping away and make a point to call, encourage and care about the missing. It might not work every time but most of us appreciate being cared about and missed if we aren’t where we usually are. Just a thought. Thanks for your thought provoking words. Love you!!