Thom Rainer of Lifeway recently wrote an article titled “Seven Reasons Some Church Members Don’t Want Their Churches to Grow.” I felt the reasons were valid and I wanted to share them with you. As a church grows, there is also sense of loss. But these losses should be outweighed by the blessings of fulfilling the Great Commission.
The seven reasons are:
- loss of familiarity, a growing church becomes a different church over time;
- loss of memories, a growing church’s facility changes to accommodate growth;
- loss of comfort, a growing church means that the closest parking spots are no longer available;
- loss of power, a growing church means the power bases are diluted, new influencers arrive;
- loss of perceived intimacy, a growing church may not feel as close anymore, members may not know each other;
- loss of worship style, a growing church’s new members and attendees might have different worship style preferences,
- loss of schedule, a growing church may add worship services or change the schedule. Change is not easy sometimes, but change is necessary to be obedient to the Great Commission.
Let’s commit to make the changes we need to grow our church! Let’s commit to tell people about Jesus and see lives changed.
-Bro. David