Seeing a decline in church numbers can be disheartening. Questions will likely swirl around in your mind – is it because of the service or are people choosing a different church? The truth the reason for church numbers declining is usually down to several reasons. For example, the younger generation in your area might not be as interested, and some people might struggle to get to church at all. Read on to learn what to do about it.
Make Church More Accessible
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to get out for church every Sunday. Some people are confined to their homes, whereas others might be busy. That doesn’t mean these people need to leave the church behind, not when you use a live streaming service. Use Melon for worship streams each week, and your service will suddenly appeal to many people, especially those who are busy or have a disability. Once the live stream starts, anyone from anywhere can join and enjoy your church’s worship.
Talk to the Community
To stop church numbers from dwindling further, you must understand why it happened in the first place. The easiest way to find out is to talk directly to community members. Ask them what they think about church and whether there’s anything they would change to make it more appealing. They might say that they want a more diverse, inclusive church or they might express that they are busy. Having feedback allows you to adjust your service to accommodate more community members.
Post on Social Media
You might have a bunch of people in your area wanting to go to church, but they don’t know enough about your service. You can find that by posting regularly on social media. You can even build an online following there, meaning more people feel connected and a part of your church. Plus, it’ll make your church easier to find online, so that when people search on the web for nearby churches, yours will be one of the first to appear.
Encourage the Youth to Join
It can be hard to encourage the next generation to attend church. Appealing to them might be different from appealing to the older folk. It’s important, though, as appealing to the younger people means creating a more diverse church community that will live on for much longer. Consider putting on a church youth group each week. It will give the kids a safe and friendly place to go where they can build friendships and learn about the church. Many of these kids will then turn into regular churchgoers.
Engage with Your Current Attendees
Don’t only focus on attracting new churchgoers, even if you’re mission is to encourage more people to show up. You still need to engage with your current church attendees! Put a major focus on them, ensuring they feel welcome and happy to attend church. By doing this, you ensure they come for many more years. Plus, don’t underestimate the positive effects of word of mouth. If they tell their sister, brother, auntie, or friend about how great your church is, you might gain a new member.
