Beyond the Ordinary

Flourishing congregations

By Deborah Bruce

Brent Bill is a Quaker minister and author who writes about everyday spirituality. He recently posted his thoughts on revitalizing the Quaker message in the United States. But don't stop reading now just because you're not a Quaker! Bill makes some excellent points that apply to all congregations.

What does Bill suggest will help revitalize congregations? Congregations need to look at what flourishing congregations are doing well. These congregations:

• Provide a sense of community
• Seek to educate attendees about the faith
• Share their faith with others
• Serve others (outside the congregation)
• Convey the sense that life has meaning

These signs of vitality "have very little to do with specific 'programs.'  They are about attitudes and how faith is lived out, " Bill notes.

Congregational leaders are encouraged to learn from others. The point is not to blindly follow what others have done, though but "to make decisions and/or proposals from a basis more solid than hunches or impressions," Bill says.  Examine success stories and research on thriving congregations and ask critical questions about how those examples can be adapted to fit the unique situation your congregation faces. Bill suggests these queries:

• Who are we?
• Why do we exist—what's our mission?
• What is God calling us to be and do?
• Do we welcome others?
• How do we relate to our community?
• HOw do we adapt to change?

Is your congregation on the path to revitalization?

Small groups by the numbers

By Deborah Bruce

Most congregations offer some type of small group experience, whether it's church school classes, Bible study, prayer groups, fellowship groups, or educational or spiritual development groups. Which small groups are most common?

1. Religious education classes.  Almost all congregations offer a variety of religious education opportunities to their worshipers. Most (95%) hold church school or Sabbath school for children younger than 12 years old. Almost nine in ten offer similar classes for youth between ages 12 and 18 (87% ) and for adults (89%).
2. Small groups for sharing and support.  Eight in ten congregations offer small groups that give worshipers a time and place for sharing and spiritual growth.
3. Small groups for spiritual development and discipleship.  Almost as many congregations (42%) say their small groups foster spiritual development and discipleship.
4. Small groups for service.  Two in ten congregations (22%) rely on small groups as a means of involving worshipers in community service or other ministries of the congregation.
5. Small groups for prayer.  Prayer groups meet in eight in ten congregations. Some prayer groups focus on spiritual growth. Others are part of the congregation's small group program, are groups attached to specific programs or ministries, or meet at specific times of the year.

For what purpose?  Almost half of congregations that rely on a small group strategy (44%) say these groups are an important part of their strategy to involve people in their congregation.

Do worshipers participate?  Somewhat less than half of worshipers (45%) participate in their congregation's small groups. Fellowship groups, clubs, and other social groups associated with the congregation draw the largest share of worshipers (28% overall). Two in ten worshipers (19%) take part in Sunday school, church school, or other religious education classes sponsored by their church. Similar numbers (19%) are involved in prayer, discussion, or Bible study groups.

Faith group differences.  In Protestant congregations, six in ten worshipers participate in small groups. In Catholic parishes, small groups are less prevalent—only three in ten Catholics are involved in any small group activities in their parish.

What matters?  Congregations where worshipers actively participate in many ways—including in small groups—are more likely to be growing churches. Involving more people in the congregation's ministries makes the difference.

How can your congregation increase participation in group activities?

Resources:

Learn more

Read How to increase adult Sunday school attendance

Read How to grow strong youth groups

Read about best practices for Christian education

Find resources on adult education or small group ministry  

Why we worship

By Deborah Bruce

Worship is at the heart of every congregation and nurtures the faith of those who attend. Worship services are usually the main gathering of a congregation and the first place where new people connect with the congregation. What did worshipers from over 5,000 congregations that have participated in the U.S. Congregational Life Survey tell us about worship in their congregation?

Experiencing the presence of God is what draws most worshipers.  When asked about the two main reasons for attending services, these two stand out:  (1) worshiping or experiencing God (62% of worshipers said this was one of the two main reasons why they attend), and (2) receiving Holy Communion or the Eucharist or participating in the Lord's Supper (31%). Other reasons for attending services include seeking encouragement and inspiration (25%) and searching for a time of prayer or reflection (15%).

 
Most meaningful aspects of worship.  Worship services include a variety of activities and are conducted in a variety of styles. Which elements are most meaningful to worshipers? Three stand out: prayer, the sermon or homily, and Holy Communion. More than half of worshipers also say that reading Scriptures and congregational singing help make worship meaningful.

Worship styles.  Worshipers are fairly evenly split in their preferences for worship that is enthusiastic and energetic (preferred by 44%) and worship that is quiet and reflective (41%). A similar split exists between those who prefer consistency versus variety in worship 43% prefer worship that offers new experiences each week, while 42% prefer worship that is consistent from week to week. (In each pair, the remaining 15% have no preference.)

Unfortunately, numerous members are connected to their congregations through a single worship service each week. And many don't attend that often. That means the worship services must achieve excellence each and every week.

What can your congregation do to ensure worshipers experience God each week?

Read more:

Experiences during worship

Resources on worship

Features on worship

How to increase worship attendance

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

What makes a congregation strong?

By Deborah Bruce

Our answer to that question exposes much about our assumptions regarding congregations—what is a congregation and what is its purpose or mission? We believe that congregations are complex organizations with multiple purposes. Their mission tends to be multi-layered. Strong and vital congregations have a host of qualities that make them excellent.

We identified ten areas of strength in congregations across the country:

1. Helping worshipers grow spiritually.
2. Providing meaningful worship services
3. Involving worshipers in many ways in the life of the congregation.
4. Providing worshipers with a sense of belonging to the congregation.
5. Caring for children and youth in the congregation.
6. Providing opportunities for worshipers to be involved in the local community.
7. Helping worshipers share their faith with others.
8. Welcoming new people to the congregation.
9. Empowering all worshipers to contribute to the leadership of the congregation.
10. Developing a clear vision for the congregation's future.

Each congregation has a unique profile built on these strengths. Some embrace one or two and make them cornerstones of the congregation's identity. Others have a broader mix of strengths. But every congregation has strengths! And all congregations require multiple strengths to be effective in this complex and rapidly changing society. A congregation that has excellent community service programs, but lacks any other strength may be little more than a social service agency. A congregation that provides a strong sense of belonging, but lacks other strengths may be little more than a social club. Congregations must focus on multiple strengths to do all that is required of a people of faith.

The challenge is to discover your congregation's strengths and to use those strengths to become stronger in other areas, to focus on your mission, and to do what God is calling your congregation to do and be.

Blurred vision?

By Cynthia Woolever

Does your congregation suffer from blurred vision?  Too often, worshipers do not have a clear sense of their congregation's mission goals. We found one in four worshipers were (a) not aware of anyvision, goals, or directions for their congregation; or (b) thought there might be some "ideas" but no clear goals.

Unfortunately, almost one in three worshipers in Catholic parishes suffer from blurred vision about their congregation's goals and directions. The vision of mainline Protestant worshipers is slightly better—yet, one in five worshipers in these churches remains in the dark about their congregation's future directions.

Not all congregations are vision-challenged. Conservative Protestant worshipers exhibit the sharpest vision—only 13% are not aware of their congregation's future vision or believe there are only vague ideas for the future. Conservative Protestant worshipers are also the most strongly committed to their church's mission. About half of worshipers in these congregations say they are strongly committed to the church's vision, goals, or directions for its ministry and mission. And 42% report their congregation is currently moving in new directions.

Worshipers rely on their leaders to paint a picture of their congregation's future. A clear vision that is often repeated helps worshipers know what their congregation's future can hold. An inspiring portrait of the congregation's future—one that is positive and optimistic—moves worshipers to support and invest in that future.

Ask members of your congregation's governing board to write down as many words or phrases as they can to describe what the congregation will be like five years from now. Do these words and phrases match your existing church vision or mission statements?

Pick three or four of the most inspiring words or phrases. What is the congregation currently doing that moves it in the direction of fulfilling these aspirations? What one or two additional actions could the congregation currently undertake to live out more fully those aspirations?

In what ways do worshipers in your congregation learn about the congregation's aspirations for the future? Are there additional ways to help worshipers embrace the congregation's hopes for the future?

Learn more.