Help! We"ve Got Shrinkage!
Though Institutional Churches (ICs) are certainly concerned with the same issue, let's focus upon the subject of shrinkage in the Simple Church/ House Church (SC/HC) variety.
From death to divorce, job relocations to relational difficulties, there are a myriad of reasons why any group might be floundering.
Many people in the Western SC/HC movement are scratching their heads, wondering if they've missed God by leaving the IC in the first place.
Others are asking themselves if they said anything to offend or had anything at all to do with their rapidly declining numbers.
"Perhaps the honeymoon is over.
" "Perhaps I've failed the test.
" "Perhaps I was out of God's will from the beginning.
" Is Satan beating you up in your mind, telling you have no anointing? Is he telling you you're not exciting enough? Does he have you condemning the people behind their backs for their lack of commitment? If you've been asking yourself why your group isn't growing or why it's dwindling, you're not alone.
Sure, the Western Church is famous for being lethargic, apathetic and complacent.
We have a million distractions presented to us on every hand as Satan sets a table before his enemies...
US! "It's summer.
" "I'm tired.
" "I'm sick.
" "We have holiday plans.
Legitimate as these may be, our third world brethren are clamoring to get involved at the risk of persecution and even death.
What's different? Is THAT what it's going to take? Following are five points to consider if you've been faced with a shrinking group: POINT #1: ARE YOU PLANNING YOUR NEXT CHURCH SPLIT? I can think of one major reason why an SC/HC group would be dwindling, that is, multiplication was never one of its core values.
No one has ever taught on it, understood it and, therefore, no one has ever seen it.
No, no one, in many SC/HC groups, has ever seen it modeled.
When a group of people, all with denominational backgrounds, decide to gather together and be part of an SC/HC, having never seen it modeled, all we know is, well...
church as we've known it.
We know what we don't like about the IC, yet we find ourselves settling into the same routine from one meeting to the next.
It's a spiritual merry-go-round and we can't get off.
Tell me, what family get-together, or party, is the same as the last one? Hopefully, when you gather in an SC/HC setting, becoming a family is paramount.
If all you've been concerned with is "having church," or "bringing a message," you're surely doomed to fail.
Consider the lack of wisdom in leaving one system only to replicate that system somewhere else.
Can it bring anybody any satisfaction at all? Ultimately, I think not.
Plan on helping people start their own SC/HC.
Help IS available through books, eMail, conferences, traveling ministers, and telephone.
You have within you everything you will EVER need to advance God's Kingdom.
Who says it has to last anyway? There's not a single House Church from the Book of Acts that's still in existence today.
Let us remember that God is using "nobody's" to advance The Body all over the world - in most cases, people with no Bible training - to plant churches.
POINT #2: "I COULD'VE HAD AN I.
C.
!" What about the things you actually miss about the IC? For instance, if gathering in a home, coffee shop or conference room allows no opportunities to sing praises to the Father - too many kids, too much laughter, too much Body ministry - why not gather on yet another night for that sole (soul) purpose? What harm would that do?The only thing I can think of that would support a reason NOT to gather would be because your group has ALREADY gathered that week.
This would reveal that a particular group is still focused around "the meeting" as if THAT were The Church - regardless of what day it takes place - rather than upon building God's family, the REAL Church; molding an army, as it were.
What about in-depth Bible Study? Healing ministry? Prayer meetings? There is no reason why The Church shouldn't take advantage of BEING The Church as often as possible, even if you were to do one of these on three different nights of the week, as the Spirit directs you, of course.
POINT #3: AN ARMY TRAVELS ON ITS STOMACH! Where SC/HC meetings are concerned, my recommendation is that you take advantage of every opportunity to minister to the sick and those with needs, praying together before anybody says good-bye.
I also recommend that your meetings be centered around, as Wolfgang Simson says, "mEATings.
" Eating is an important part of relational activity in every culture and The Church is no different.
Forget that thimble filled with grape juice and a tasteless cracker.
Let us return to the Love Feast of the early Church, all taking place in the presence of the Spirit of Christ.
POINT #4: BRING IT ON! When you come together, do you bring anything? I'm not talking about a taco salad or a peach pie.
I'm referring to the stuff of 2 Corinthians 14:26.
Far too often, we come prepared NOT to contribute anything.
We are far too well-programmed into being spectators than any of us care to admit.
Bring something! Bring someone! Death to spectator religion! POINT #5: PRAY AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT! Finally, MOST IMPORTANTLY, the #1 thing that any of us can be doing where The Church is concerned is called INTERCESSION.
Are you praying for your meetings? Are you praying that God increases the outreach of The Church in your community? Are you praying for opportunities to bless others - as a group, as a couple and as individuals? I'll admit that I often fail to pray about the Life of The Church.
Let's not forget!
From death to divorce, job relocations to relational difficulties, there are a myriad of reasons why any group might be floundering.
Many people in the Western SC/HC movement are scratching their heads, wondering if they've missed God by leaving the IC in the first place.
Others are asking themselves if they said anything to offend or had anything at all to do with their rapidly declining numbers.
"Perhaps the honeymoon is over.
" "Perhaps I've failed the test.
" "Perhaps I was out of God's will from the beginning.
" Is Satan beating you up in your mind, telling you have no anointing? Is he telling you you're not exciting enough? Does he have you condemning the people behind their backs for their lack of commitment? If you've been asking yourself why your group isn't growing or why it's dwindling, you're not alone.
Sure, the Western Church is famous for being lethargic, apathetic and complacent.
We have a million distractions presented to us on every hand as Satan sets a table before his enemies...
US! "It's summer.
" "I'm tired.
" "I'm sick.
" "We have holiday plans.
Legitimate as these may be, our third world brethren are clamoring to get involved at the risk of persecution and even death.
What's different? Is THAT what it's going to take? Following are five points to consider if you've been faced with a shrinking group: POINT #1: ARE YOU PLANNING YOUR NEXT CHURCH SPLIT? I can think of one major reason why an SC/HC group would be dwindling, that is, multiplication was never one of its core values.
No one has ever taught on it, understood it and, therefore, no one has ever seen it.
No, no one, in many SC/HC groups, has ever seen it modeled.
When a group of people, all with denominational backgrounds, decide to gather together and be part of an SC/HC, having never seen it modeled, all we know is, well...
church as we've known it.
We know what we don't like about the IC, yet we find ourselves settling into the same routine from one meeting to the next.
It's a spiritual merry-go-round and we can't get off.
Tell me, what family get-together, or party, is the same as the last one? Hopefully, when you gather in an SC/HC setting, becoming a family is paramount.
If all you've been concerned with is "having church," or "bringing a message," you're surely doomed to fail.
Consider the lack of wisdom in leaving one system only to replicate that system somewhere else.
Can it bring anybody any satisfaction at all? Ultimately, I think not.
Plan on helping people start their own SC/HC.
Help IS available through books, eMail, conferences, traveling ministers, and telephone.
You have within you everything you will EVER need to advance God's Kingdom.
Who says it has to last anyway? There's not a single House Church from the Book of Acts that's still in existence today.
Let us remember that God is using "nobody's" to advance The Body all over the world - in most cases, people with no Bible training - to plant churches.
POINT #2: "I COULD'VE HAD AN I.
C.
!" What about the things you actually miss about the IC? For instance, if gathering in a home, coffee shop or conference room allows no opportunities to sing praises to the Father - too many kids, too much laughter, too much Body ministry - why not gather on yet another night for that sole (soul) purpose? What harm would that do?The only thing I can think of that would support a reason NOT to gather would be because your group has ALREADY gathered that week.
This would reveal that a particular group is still focused around "the meeting" as if THAT were The Church - regardless of what day it takes place - rather than upon building God's family, the REAL Church; molding an army, as it were.
What about in-depth Bible Study? Healing ministry? Prayer meetings? There is no reason why The Church shouldn't take advantage of BEING The Church as often as possible, even if you were to do one of these on three different nights of the week, as the Spirit directs you, of course.
POINT #3: AN ARMY TRAVELS ON ITS STOMACH! Where SC/HC meetings are concerned, my recommendation is that you take advantage of every opportunity to minister to the sick and those with needs, praying together before anybody says good-bye.
I also recommend that your meetings be centered around, as Wolfgang Simson says, "mEATings.
" Eating is an important part of relational activity in every culture and The Church is no different.
Forget that thimble filled with grape juice and a tasteless cracker.
Let us return to the Love Feast of the early Church, all taking place in the presence of the Spirit of Christ.
POINT #4: BRING IT ON! When you come together, do you bring anything? I'm not talking about a taco salad or a peach pie.
I'm referring to the stuff of 2 Corinthians 14:26.
Far too often, we come prepared NOT to contribute anything.
We are far too well-programmed into being spectators than any of us care to admit.
Bring something! Bring someone! Death to spectator religion! POINT #5: PRAY AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT! Finally, MOST IMPORTANTLY, the #1 thing that any of us can be doing where The Church is concerned is called INTERCESSION.
Are you praying for your meetings? Are you praying that God increases the outreach of The Church in your community? Are you praying for opportunities to bless others - as a group, as a couple and as individuals? I'll admit that I often fail to pray about the Life of The Church.
Let's not forget!
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