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[Back to index of April 2007 articles] Some facts and fictions of church growth By Bishop John Bryson Chane I have always been fascinated by the process of how and why some churches are able to grow while others seem to find growth difficult, or in some cases even impossible. As a curate, rector and then cathedral dean, I was blessed to serve congregations where growth was a way of life and seemed to be based on common assumptions that were recently confirmed by the Faith Communities Today 2005 (FACT) national survey of 4,100 congregations. The extensive report, produced by a team that included C. Kirk Hadaway, director of research for the Episcopal Church, can help us to improve our understanding of the dynamics and variables of church growth. And Hadaway’s 30-page article “FACTs on Episcopal Church Growth,” available online at (www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/Episcopal_FACTs_on_Growth.pdf) is especially helpful. As a diocese we have established a road map for growth. We have adopted a mission statement (The mission of the Diocese of Washington is to build up the Body of Christ by equipping the people of the diocese, individually and together, to carry out their ministries in the world.) and embraced a set of macro goals (To build healthy, interdependent mission-driven congregations; to develop plentiful resources, both human and financial; to sound a prophetic voice in the community, the nation and the world.). Now we must do the difficult work of reaching out to those who have never been to church and those who have fallen away. Some of the collected data indicate that congregations located in newly-created suburbs are better able to grow than those in rural areas or in older suburbs and urban neighborhoods. This is due in part to the fact that these new neighborhoods tend to attract young families headed by parents open to introducing a spiritual dimension into their children’s lives. It also seems to be true that people are more willing to consider joining a church when setting up a new home than after they have settled in. For that reason, stable or declining neighborhoods are more difficult to evangelize than new ones. Interestingly though, the return of young people and empty-nesters to urban areas provides new opportunities for church growth. A congregation that is growing is clear on what its mission is and what it will take to accomplish that mission. Congregations without a clearly defined mission usually struggle and find growth difficult and even threatening. One of the reasons for the rapid growth in non-denominational megachurches is that these churches have a clearly defined goal of making disciples for Jesus Christ. They are equally clear about each individual’s obligation to participate in and offer financial support to the community. These churches do an excellent job in providing family support mechanisms, meaningful outreach opportunities, multi-tiered Christian educational programs and in giving members a sense that they are part of something larger than themselves. Congregations that grow are congregations that possess strong lay and clergy leadership. Clergy enthusiasm, vision, hard work, the willingness to take risks and the possession of strong people skills are essential to congregational growth. Clergy who have the ability to engage and recruit church members into leadership positions within the parish are highly successful in empowering church growth. In surveys, parishioners often cite these skills as more important than administrative or preaching skills. Congregations in conflict will not grow! Since 2003 a majority of Episcopal Churches reported experiencing conflict at some level over the consecration of an openly gay bishop in a committed relationship. But that conflict has been less destructive and less of an obstacle to church growth than conflicts between a congregation and its rector. Of all the conflicts that can deflate congregational growth, clergy versus parish conflicts are the most debilitating. Congregations that offer a variety of different worship services are more likely to grow than those that have only one liturgical style. Because we are a church that worships from a uniform Prayer Book, the ability to exercise such creativity is somewhat circumscribed, but churches that have the necessary staff and are able to think outside of the liturgical box offer services that meet different worshipping needs and attract diverse populations. Congregations that offer limited worship experiences tend to have a difficult time growing. Congregations that tend to have as their theology an “orthodox” focus tend to be churches that have grown over the last several years. Surprisingly though, churches that have a clear “liberal” message also have grown. Churches that tend to balance themselves somewhere in the middle suffer from ambivalence and are less likely to grow. The Episcopal Church, to its chagrin, is not demographically representative of the United States. We are mainly white, English-speaking and somewhat reserved in our worship experiences. Churches that grow are churches that can reach out to the cultural diversity around them and include that diversity within their life and mission. Churches that can creatively capture the young adult population, the 20-30-year-olds, also have a leg up on church growth. Finances also play an important role in driving church growth. Churches with significant deferred maintenance are less likely to grow than those with well-maintained properties. Likewise a diocese must have the resources of supporting funds, loan options to parishes, and a talented diocesan staff that is available to assist congregations in their quest to grow. What I have written is just a small part of a much larger picture that depicts church growth. If you would like to read the full report, visit http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/Episcopal_FACTs_on_Growth.pdf or write to me at Church House, and write the words “FACT report” on the envelope. I will see that you get a copy. [Back to index of April 2007 articles]
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