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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodist News |
June 2001 |
Conference trends:
Larger churches more likely to grow
By Ed Fenstermacher
NIC Director, church development
A recent study based on the North Indiana Conference 2000 worship statistics indicates that the larger a church is, the more likely it is to grow.
Only 28 percent of NIC churches that averaged fewer than 50 people each week in worship grew last year, compared to 71 percent of NIC churches that averaged over 450 people each week.
Here are some possible reasons:
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Larger churches can offer people more choices.
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Larger churches can offer ministries targeting the needs of specific people.
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Larger churches can maintain a level of quality that Baby Boomers and younger people have come to expect.
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People attract people, and large churches have more of them. Many smaller NIC churches are no longer located where people live.
Can a small church grow? Can a church grow in a small community, one which isn't experiencing population growth? The answer is "yes."
Consider the small town of Redkey, population 1,400. The town has two growing United Methodist churches: North Meridian UMC (Rev. Randy Davis) and Main Street UMC (Rev. Joe Hines).
Main Street UMC was averaging 40-45 people in worship each week when Rev. Hines arrived in 1993. This past year, the church averaged 100. More important, perhaps, the church's steady growth from year to year mirrors the spiritual growth of the congregation.
When asked, Rev. Hines is quick to attribute this turnaround to God. "We're just hammer and nails," he says. Here are some details:
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Early on, the church started holding prayer conferences led by the Rev. Gregg Parris and the Rev. Steve Helm. Later, the church held a church growth seminar led by the Rev. Doug Anderson.
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Pastor Hines began teaching the congregation about the importance of practicing Christian hospitality.
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The church began tithing its income to missions.
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It established Prayer Warriors, a group that prays each week during the worship services.
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Worship became more contemporary in style, using praise hymns and testimonies.
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The church added a mid-week prayer and teaching service. It has also added new groups, including three new adult Sunday school classes this year.
Since January, the church has averaged 120 each week in worship. It has received nine adults by Profession of Faith, and has celebrated thirteen baptisms.
Last updated on 01/14/2004