Why Churches Die - Part Three

Have you ever played tug-of-war? I remember as a child and teenager being amazed at how the "adults" would always win when we competed at camp or on activity days. There were always more of us and as a group we were even stronger. Looking back the answer is very simple. The "adults" knew to pull together, at the same time, all the time.

So what does that have to do with why churches die? Simple: Growth churches learn how to pull together and dying churches don't. By pulling together, I don't mean uniformity. Uniformity is everyone doing the same thing. Honestly, lots of dying churches have uniformity. They all do the same things, the same ways, and then wonder why it isn't working anymore. When I say pulling together, what I mean is everyone is captivated, motivated, and working towards the same goal. For example, on a football team everyone has a different role to play. The coach calls the play, the center hikes the ball, the quarterback throws the ball, the receiver catches the ball. Although there is not uniformity, there is unity around the goal: Score a Touchdown! The ministry of a dying church is usually like a shotgun blast - wide, spread too thin, and lacking in power. In growing churches, the mission is clear, the vision is focused, and the people all play their part in making it happen.