Three Counter-Productive Church Growth Strategies

by Mark Tidsworth, Founder and Team Leader

Do you find yourself somewhat uncomfortable just reading this article title? Even though many narrow the phrase “church growth” to only numbers, we still use the phrase at Pinnacle from time to time, recognizing it helps get the attention of churches and their leaders. Church growth, in the fullness of that phrase, is about transformation, sometimes including numerical growth. Numerical growth is actually one lag measure of something more primal... spiritual vitality. Churches who are caught up in the Way of Jesus, living into something rich and life-giving, often draw people to their community like moths drawn to the back porch light on a pleasant summer evening. Living in the Way of Jesus is beautiful and winsome.

With this understanding of church growth as our foundation, let’s consider this present moment. For many reasons I’ve articulated elsewhere, the Great Re-evaluation is underway, providing an opportune time for churches to step into their next season of life and missional engagement. I can’t over-state how ripe church-change and transformation opportunities are for picking these days. These next few years could be our finest hours, so to speak.

To go there, we need new strategy. If this really is the best church-change and growth opportunity we’ve seen in decades, then using the strategies that brought us here won’t take us there.

Here are three counter-productive church growth strategies to reject right fast.

Believing or pretending the context hasn’t changed.

Some people frankly don’t believe much is different. Certainly they are working hard to avoid seeing the pervasive signs, yet persist they do. It’s amazing how skilled we humans are with denial. We can pretend to not see most anything we don’t want to see. The outcome is that they in no way believe their churches need to change much at all. When the context (the world around us) is basically the same as it was ten years ago, then there’s no motivation to adapt.

Note: Don’t spend your energy and time trying to awaken the deniers and pretenders. Their defenses are in place, well-practiced at denying the evidence. Love them, accept that’s where they are, and allow them space to continue their version of church as long as it will last. Meanwhile, partner with those who are ready without fretting over this group.

Allowing nostalgia to drive current efforts.

This strategy’s foundation is built on the first strategy just described, or very similar thinking. Of course when you don’t believe much has changed, it makes proper sense to return to what worked well in the past and repeat, perhaps with more excellence and quality. These are the people who aren’t interested in modifying your church’s approach, but rather your church’s personnel. They believe the approach, with it’s programs, structures, and methods is fine, working as well as it did in the glorious past. For them it’s all about quality. They believe current leadership is the problem. “If we just had a different pastor who was a better preacher, or different musicians, or better Sunday School teachers, like we did in the nostalgic past…then all problems would go away.” Since they believe the church’s approach is still effective, then it’s logical to believe the problem is in the execution of the approach.

Note: Since nearly everything is changing, this strategy is doomed from the start. At the same time, those who cling to this strategy can wreak havoc in churches, insisting on replacing clergy, church staff, and lay leadership like professional football coaches… at the drop of a hat (or a “winning” record).

Viewing young families as strategy, not mission.

Nearly every church we engage is discussing how to include more young families. I understand where they are coming from, sympathizing. I also recognize that our motivation for targeting age groups matters. Why we are interested in young families makes such a huge difference. Compare the two following statements.

"We are engaging young families because God has called us to love and share our lives with them, living into this particular calling God has embedded in our hearts, loving this age group. Even when we have more young families here than we can manage, we will still engage and love them.”

"We want young families to join us to build our institutional strength, populate our programs, and perpetuate our church."

The first statement is about loving people in the name of Jesus because God has placed a burden on our hearts for them. The second statement is about using people to build an organization, not loving them like Jesus would.

My experience is that there is not a church with totally pure motivation, since we humans populate churches. At the same time, the more the first statement is true, the more spiritually authentic, resonant, and missional we are. In early 2023 I’ll be with a church with a growing population of young families…due to their love and care for these people, drawn to authentic faith community. The more the second statement is true, the more we are using others to meet our needs. Perhaps asking God to purify our motives, teaching us to love like Jesus is a next step. Besides, the practically-minded among us quickly recognize that engaging young families for what they can do for us immediately sends up red flags, causing them to run for the exits (extremely counter-productive).

I have three more counter-productive church growth strategies to share, but since this article is growing long, I’ll save them for next time. But then, I’m eager to share six productive church growth strategies, pursuing the life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ as embodied in our churches. Stay with me, perhaps clearing away debris and removing obstacles. Layering off, while layering on… seems to be how this life of transformational growth takes shape.