Mark's Blog

Unfortunately, many of the phrases, like multiplying churches, discipling churches, or change agents, that best describe great, growing churches have fallen into disrepute in many church circles. On the other hand, some phrases, like conservative churches or mainstream churches, are very comfortable descriptions, but often do not describe great, growing churches.  Can we lay aside all the labels for a moment and just talk about what it takes to have great, growing churches?

In previous blogs, I have given you four observations about great, growing churches:

#1 – Christ owns the church, not anyone else.

#2 – Prayerful vision and strategy are essential.

#3 – Growing churches is a process that takes time.

#4 – Groups working together are more effective than individuals working alone.

Today I offer you the observation that great, growing churches are constantly creating growing edges. Growing edgesfor churches means new doors and new windows for new people.

New church plants have an immediately recognizable vigor and an attractive freshness that attract new people. A new church plant is a growing edge. But even new church plants do not remain new (nor fresh or attractive), so what does a church do that is no longer new in order to re-newitself?

1. Great churches create new doors! Doors are entrances into your congregation. Most churches rely on Sunday services, midweek Bible study, ladies class, and a handful of special events each year (special series, VBS) to serve as doors. These are probably the same doors that came with the original building, if you know what I mean.  Many mission churches have the same doors as their American counterparts, which means that they stop growing at about 35-50 people. They only have doors for that many people.  Growing churches, on the other hand, think constantlyabout new doors! It might be a new service, a new time, a new activity, a new site, a new church plant, a new ministry, a new outreach, a new service in the community….but whatever it is, it will be new ( for a while) and it will invite new people into your renewed church.

2. Great churches build new windows! Most people want to look before they buy. How can someone who knows nothing about your church and who will not visit you (because you are a total stranger to them!) find out about you? Churches need lots of windows for people to look in on them.  You don’t need just one window that looks at your Sunday service (like a broadcast of a Sunday service), you need lots of windows for lots of people. What about your website? Is it for “lookers” or is it for members/visitors? Where can the community see you? Doing what? How will they know you are Christians and not just a humanitarian organization? Are you ever in the local newspaper? Do you offer (not wait for requests) your building to your community? The more windows you have, the more people will be able to see who you are—and the better you will become because you know the world is watching!

3. Great churches are always meeting new people! While this seems integral to the previous two points, I’d say many older churches basically reach a point where they say, “Everybody knows us.” Great, growing churches intentionally meet new people. This begins with church leadership: ministers, staff, pastors/elders.  If these leaders find all of their energy consumed by current members and their needs, they may have a good church, but not a great, growing church.

New people looking in new windows, then walking through new doors—the vigor in such a church attracts new people—looking in new windows, then walking through new doors—the vigor in such a church . . . and the multiplying begins!