by Catherine Dafoe Hall
Ways to Grow
Whenever a parish says, "we need to grow" the speaker is almost always talking about numbers: New people to join and attend. The sad truth is that there are some churches that will never grow in numbers. Some of our communities are simply too small to expect that there are going to be many more people joining the church. But every church can grow in other ways, becoming a vital and attractive place.
Loren Mead wrote a book called "More than Numbers: the ways churches grow," and he speaks of three other kinds of growth that are important in any church, large or small. One kind of growth is in Christian maturity. This comes with learning about and living our faith. Courses like Education for Ministry, programs offered at Sorrento Centre and well conducted Bible study all contribute to our maturity as Christians. Regular attendance at worship and attention to prayer and service help us to grow. When we are mature Christians meeting about important things we make better and more faith-filled decisions.
Another kind of growth that Mead talks about is the growth of the community. Doing things that strengthen the bonds between and among the members. We need to have fun together, share sorrow together, take care of one another and be committed to our common life. Organic growth means paying special attention to how we structure our life together, how we make decisions and how we manage conflict. Churches that fail to grow in this way will not be able to grow in numbers.
"Incarnational growth" is about how we make a difference in the world around us. In what ways does the church make Christ known to those who are in need or in trouble? Often churches don't give themselves enough credit for the ways they serve. Sometimes churches need to reflect on their pattern of service to see if it still meets the needs that it is intended to serve and that it still suits the skills and gifts of the congregation.
When a congregation has depth in these areas it is deeply attractive to those who encounter it. A focus on these other kinds of growth may have unexpected dividends as new people find their way to this attractive and vital community.
