Thom Rainer outlines the cycle of vitality and decline that he has observed in growing and shrinking churches. Locally I deal with churches demonstrating the fourth and fifth of these stages. Even though being a growing church is especially challenging in country areas where population bases are declining, these churches have a culture that reflects …
Thom Rainer writes about how churches can find themselves with so many programs and activities that they become ineffective at discipling Christians and sharing the Gospel. From Rainer’s post: So how did our churches get in this predicament? The causes are many, but here are seven of them: Our churches equate activity with value. Thus …
Thom Rainer lists six reasons why dying churches continue on a terminal trajectory. They refuse to admit they are sick, very sick. I have worked with churches whose attendance has declined by over 80 percent. They have no gospel witness in the community. They have not seen a person come to Christ in two decades. …
Thom Rainer attempts to describe how churches can become focussed on their activities to the detriment of mission and ministry. He has eight points. Activities became synonymous with ministry. Programs and ministries are added regularly, but few or none are ever deleted. Programs and ministries become sacred cows. The alignment question is not asked on …
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