Plenty of Fish
A few weeks ago, I had a heart-felt conversation with a friend about "saturation." Hayward Wesleyan Church has experienced twenty consecutive years of continual growth in our Sunday morning services -- growing from 51 to 650."I'm wondering if we might be hitting our saturation point," I confided, "It seems harder to get people in these days. "
"Yes, I'm afraid you're right." he agreed sadly, shaking his head.
Considering that our town consists of only 2100 people, there is some cause to wonder.
But just yesterday, Paul Kraemer, the funeral director, set me straight. (I guess that's what he does for a living -- straighten people out!)
Paul told me that 50% of the people who come through the funeral home do NOT have any church affiliation at all. Often, they don't have any idea who to call or what to do about funeral services.
Now, if half the dead people don't have any church affiliation -- I'm fairly certain that the percentage is even higher among the living. All the data tells us that the younger folks are much less likely to have any church connection.
This means that over 1000 unchurched people inside our city limits -- within a mile or so of our church -- still need our loving reach. (Not to mention the additional 10,000 or so within a half hour's drive.)
I guess there are still plenty of fish in the lake after all!
ok after I pcked myself up off the floor from laughing
ReplyDeleteI decide to pray for you :)
The last three people who have started coming at GT have been unchurched. This is in a town of 5000 with somewhere around 14 churches. Lots of fish, we just need to keep on fishing.
ReplyDeleteUnfortately when a lot of pastors and leaders fish they decide many fish thay catch do not fit the frying pan and throw them back.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at stats nationwide only about 30% of any given population are members of a church. That means in a town of 2000 only 600 attend regularly. Then I wonder to myself of that 600 how many are saved, how many live a Godly life, and how many are fully surrendered?
ReplyDeleteGreat reminder about the ongoing need for a missional movement of Christ-followers.
ReplyDeleteAre you fishing with a pole or fishing with a net? A net will catch many more fish provided you are careful to keep the holes repaired.
ReplyDeletePut numbers in and I am hooked. Fifty percent have no church affiliation at all. Dealing with hundreds of students each quarter (tons of praying takes place in a college math course), I am constantly amazed by what I hear.
ReplyDeleteI believe the number of individuals that have no church affiliation is so high because the enormous number of people that have been greatly hurt by a church experience.
How many persons do we get to church with our fishing expeditions, but we lose because of the environment they encounter?
I also find many of these individuals have a close relationship with God.
The reason there might be a great number of people without a Church affiliation is that they had Christians running around telling them how bad the Church was and giving them all the excuses they need not to come or join a Church. Calling a Church of GOD a "chruch" does nothing to encourage the lost to come to know JESUS.
ReplyDeleteWould you advise parents to take kids to a childcare center where the care was questionable? Would you recommend a poor doctor or mechanic? Would you invest in a business with questionable ethics? Why should a church be any different?
ReplyDeleteI would not reccomend a sick Church to anyone, however I would lead them to a healthy Church. There are healthy Churchs out there. It doesn't seem that when people have a bad doctor they give up on all doctors. They still need physical healing and they look and find a doctor who can offer the healing they need. It does seem that a lot of Christians get hurt in one Church and decide that all Churchs are the same. They are not. These people need spirtual healing and alot of times they just seem to want to belly ache and stew in their own bitterness. My main point is that it doesn't seem like we lump all doctors, mechanics, or child care providers in one lump sum but we sure do with Churchs. I think Christians really have to watch what they say about the Church and its leaders. If it is constructive that is one thing but just to moan, groan, and complain about the little stuff for years after it happen is another.
ReplyDeleteSorry if my poor spelling hurt someone. I turn letter and numbers aroung. 23 will be 32. I do not try to spell church as chruch. May be I need to only read and not write. So Sorry.
ReplyDeleteKeep participating Walt. Good honest respectful communication is what makes this a good place to post and share ideas.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Linda keep posting Walt. I will admit that I thought the same thing that you were calling the Church a chruch. Mainly because the majority of your post are on the negative side towards the Church or its leaders. I think we all should be able to post our opinions. I also agree that there is may too much Church bashing that goes on in the Christian community.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Wilson
Thank you Linda and Jonathan for your remarks.
ReplyDeleteI do not have the education that you, Linda and probably most of the people reading and writing here have. I do have a lot of life experience that would be different than you.
I am hoping that my hurt can help others. Preachers and leaders so they won’t do it again, and others who were hurt to know that they are not alone.
I do not expect a minister like you Jonathan to have the same openions that I have.
On my part being a minority is not an excuse for being negative, but having people who profess to be Godly treat you wrong can have a bad effect on you.
Wow -- my little post about unchurched dead people sure made things come alive in the comment section!
ReplyDeleteWalt -- I welcome your comments on my blog site. Thanks, Linda and Jonathan for affirming Walt.
Thanks for the compliment but I am not a minister.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Wilson
oh yes you are! You might not be a full time vocational pastor -- but you are a minister for the Lord nevertheless!
ReplyDelete