6 Reasons Your Church-Growth Formula Isn’t Working

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Daniel Henderson, a former senior pastor of a 4,000-member megachurch and author of “Old Paths, New Power: Reviving Our Churches through Prayer and the Ministry of the Word” has come to an inescapable conclusion: Church, as we know it, is not working. “Short of revival, we are simply running laps on the Titanic,” he said. “As we enjoy the titillation of our self-contained evangelical culture, the ship is headed for disaster”. There is evidence to prove this. A recent study revealed that the percentage of Americans who qualify as “post-Christian” is growing from 37 percent in 2013 to 44 percent in 2015. Another thing growing is suspicion and hostility within the present culture toward Christians in general. If you’re wondering what it will take for the church to grow, it isn’t new strategies or cushy ministry budgets. The church needs a reawakening through prayer and ministry of the Word. Here are six reasons your church-growth formula isn’t working. If your church like so many others is struggling to grow, keep these points in mind.

Bad Prayer Practices

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God is not the author of boredom, especially when we are conversing with Him. Yet, this isn’t always reflected in the way we pray. There is something troubling in the fact that you can go to a prayer meeting and find participants snoring, drooling and falling over while engaged in prayer. If our prayer lives lack creativity, energy and innovation, it’s not God’s fault but our own. We’ve all engaged in some bad prayer practices. While our spirit is willing, our flesh is weak. We are commanded in the New Testament to be watchful and alert in prayer. If you or members of your church find yourselves lethargic when you pray, embrace creative approaches to prayer. How we start our prayer time is a core factor in its effectiveness. A person’s prayer experience plays a key role in their engagement with the church.

You Aren't Personally Inviting People

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Church leaders will pray, motivate and emphasize welcoming people to church, but members still don’t bring their friends. If you and other members of your church aren’t actively inviting people to your church, your church will struggle. Jesus’ first followers couldn’t wait to bring their brothers, co-workers, and friends to “come and see” what Jesus and the first century church was up to then but so many of us feel funny inviting people to do the same. Some of us are afraid to ask people out of fear, rejection and even embarrassment. People won’t feel compelled to come to your church if you’re not energized when you talk about your church life or don’t offer them a personal invitation. If you’ve been inviting someone to church and they are hesitant about coming, pray for them daily. Pray that they will be moved by the Spirit to experience Christ in a transformative way.