The Secret to Growing Your Church

All pastors want to see their church grow. Many are willing to try anything (sometimes to a fault) to see more people in their congregation. Most churches today have plateaued and are now in decline. The stress of that weighs heavily on a pastor and can cause one to be more reactive instead of spiritually led by God.

Every church is unique to its culture and community. What works in one may not work in your particular church. That is why it is so important not to necessarily mimic what another church is doing. There really isn’t one secret to growing your church. However, there are some key ingredients that will help put your church in a position to see God bless and impact your community. At the end of the day, it is the pastor’s job to model Christ and lead others toward Him.

Here are 10 concepts that have proven to be a catalyst for growth:

Remember that the church you serve is not yours, but God’s.
Spend a significant amount of time in prayer for your church.
Have a healthy balance of focus within the church and those who are un-churched.
Don’t bulldoze your way around the church, but lead with compassion and grace.
Be a risk-taker – remember the 7 last words of a dying church: “We’ve never done it that way before.”
As pastor, you must be a model for your church and live out the Great Commission.
Preach the Bible with conviction.
Build consensus with key leaders and influencers when making big decisions.
Remember that you can’t please everyone, but try not to isolate people when they disagree with you.
Be balanced in your priorities and model what it means to be a Godly husband and father to your children.