ATTRITION
IN THE CHURCH
Attrition
is the process of reducing something's strength or effectiveness through
sustained attack or pressure. People who leave the church and people in the
church but leave the church spiritually.
There are three kinds of growth in the church,
·
Biological growth
(Christian parents produce Christian children)
·
Migration growth
(Christians moving from one place to the other)
·
Conversional
growth (healthy growth of adding non believers into the church)
There are three reasons
for people leaving the church,
·
Death
·
Transfer in – Transfer
out (Migration)
·
Backslidden
All churches face the same thing all over the world… One
of the statistics says 60% of Christians who live in the cities lose their
children going to the church in their youth stage. The church attracts the
children and women with various programs and activities but leave out the youth
and men. Therefore the churches lack youth and men on Sundays. Do people go to
church because of good sermons? The answer in most times NO!
The following are the most
probable reasons for going to the church,
1.
THE
COMMAND OF “DON’T PREVENT GOING TO THE CHURCH”
(Heb 10:25-27), “25 Do not stop
going to church meetings. Some people do stop. But help each other to be
strong. You must do it all the more as you see the Great Day coming closer. 26 Do
we go on doing what is wrong after we know the truth? If we do, then there is
no sacrifice any more for the wrong things we do. 27 But we
will be judged, and that makes us fear. God's anger will be like a very hot
fire that will burn up those who are against him.”
Christian life is a church centered life – a church
should be called as “Life Center” which gives life to the entire community –
must be functioned 24x7. Many people were not able to follow this command
because…
·
Pastors
exaggerate themselves very much
·
TV preachers go
heaven and come back almost every day
·
The priority of
pastor is “crowd” in his impression to measure the success
2.
THE CHURCH
IS A PLACE OF MAKING DISCIPLES – NOT CROWD PULLING
Crowd: Matt 5:1ff – There was crowd following Jesus but he
spoke to the “disciples” (v.2)
Matt 8:18, “Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to
the other side of the sea”
Matt 27:16-26 - The same crowd shouted to “Crucify
Jesus!”
If you are
a crowd puller you will face Attrition – Crowd will turn right or left anytime.
To pull crowd you will need some
beautiful girls in the church / professional singers / high quality speakers
(or) musical instruments.
Jesus did not pull crowd
but had “discipleship” training in the crowd. Through various trainings the
believers are strengthened to be disciples – Jesus was doing discipleship work
in the crowd.
3.
THE CHURCH
IS A PLACE OF FELLOWSHIP (KOINONIA IN GREEK)
Church began in fellowship
(Act. 2: 1ff) but in later became an organization (Acts 6:1-7). Fellowship
gives strength to the church.
4.
CHURCH
GROWTH IS FOUND THROUGH SMALL GROUPS
The strength of the church is not based on how big the
building of the church is but how many small groups – clustered churches the
main church has! The fellowship of the church strengthened in small groups
where the believers exercise leadership and spiritual gifts for the benefit of
many. The small groups can be a prayer band, bible study, regular cottage
meeting …etc. (sheep – shepherd – wolves – example to prove the importance of
multiple leadership).
Elephant
(mega church/cathedrals) lays 10-12 calves in their entire 50 years of life
time – it is the comparison of growth in a mega church, where people don’t
bother about the need of evangelism and church growth.
Rabbit (small groups in the church) lays 750-800 babies in
the span of 6-7 years of life time – the churches that have small groups will
grow in the same manner.
Holy Spirit will lead you into all truths (John 16:13)
– Every time a bible study is held whether it is 5 or 10 meditating the word of
God there the spirit of God works and leads them to all truth.
How many Holy Spirit
leading small groups in your church?
Love not a single pastor – Don’t make him ideal to you
– people will be following a leader!
Leaders will be respected! But people will be
following only a good follower (I Cor. 11:1)
5.
CHURCH IS
THE ONLY PLACE FOR TRANSFORMATION.
The politicians can bring awareness and developments.
But God works ONLY through the church to transform the community! Church regardless of its size is equal in
HIS size (part in the body of Christ – all churches form equal amount in
the fulfillment of the body of Christ). He keeps the church without any wrinkle
(Eph 5:25-27), “… as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to
make her holy, cleansing her by the
washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant
church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”
Speaking in spiritual sense – God needs renewal of
church (in all areas). Church has more potential than we ever thought about it
– and known it so far. Church has power to transform the community – as it was
held in the earlier centuries. A scholar says about today’s churches as “Sleeping Giant” – has the potential to
destroy / change / transform anything but Sleeping – there is no use of a
sleeping giant – church must wake up and break the chains of Attrition in the
church.
To break attrition a church must rise to… ATTRACT –
DISCIPLE MAKING – UNITED / FELLOWSHIP CENTERED – SMALL GROUP – WHICH HAS A
LEADER AND FOLLOWER – WILL TRANSFORM THE COMMUNITY and break the chains of
attrition. Because Church has tremendous power which must be used to bring
Glory to God! Amen.
Credit: Rev.
Vasantharaj Albert (at closing session of NAIC council meeting on April 11,
2016)
