There is modest correlation between demographic trends, church growth, and mission. Some churches grow in the midst of a declining population. Some churches decline in the midst of a growing, unchurched, population. Some churches engaged in substantial mission tend to grow; some do not. Below are 10 keys to an effecective church:
- Pastoral and Lay Visitation. Though, a lost art in many churches, the missional church does visitation with the unchurched, newcomers and members on a weekly basis.
- Dynamic Worship. The weekly services are holistic in music and message, corporately planned and led by a compassionate, competent team.
- Relational Groups. Most people come to a local church looking for community. Missional churches are constantly starting new caring groups in which people may discover roots, place and belonging.
- Strong Leadership Resources. Many churches train leaders to fill functional slots inside the church’s program. Missional churches nurture a majority of their leaders to be relational and caring with individuals and groups in the regional community.
- Solid Decision Making. Missional churches plan on the basis of their strengths, hopes, and objectives. They have a streamlined organizational structure.
- Open Accessibility. A physical location that is accessible in terms of major traffic patterns and average trip time and leaders who are accessible to the community are both important.
- High Visibility. Successful missional churches have a high degree of geographical and grapevine visibility with churched and unchurched persons in the community.
- Adequate Parking, Land and Landscaping. As a national average, one parking space permits 1.75 persons to participate in the church. Occasionally, it may be as high as 2.5 persons per parking space.
- Adequate Space and Facilities. More churches underbuild than overbuild, and they thereby limit their growth. They build fixed rather than flexible structures. Missional churches build for the future. Increasingly, they take energy and debt interest issues seriously.
- Solid Financial Resources. Missional churches know people give money to people more than to programs, purposes or paper.