The Missing Person in Worship Planning
Every congregation begins as an outwardly-focused group of believers, intent on reaching out to those with whom they want to share the Gospel message. Without…
Browsing: Worship Attendance
Articles
Metrics: A Tool for Learning, Not Judging
The current focus on setting numerical goals for ministry and reporting on the results is not new, though it is now greatly expanded. In the…
Why Worship Attendance Matters and Clues for Improving It
This 10-minute video by Lewis Center Director Lovett H. Weems, Jr., provides an overview of the importance of worship attendance and ways you can improve…
The Tussle over Metrics
Church leaders may think that leading in the business world is so much simpler than in the church since there is “one bottom line” and…
The Worship Recession
It is commonplace to hear references to what it means for churches to function in “the current financial recession.” But there is another recession going…
What about People Who Attend but Don’t Join?
In recent years, I have heard from many pastors who say that they are seeing an increase in the number of worshipers who attend their…
Monitoring Key Indicators of Congregational Health
Imagine driving a car at night and the dashboard lights go out. With the headlights on, you can still see the road immediately ahead of…
Ten Misconceptions about Church Vitality and Growth
The Lewis Center’s reporting on American Congregations 2008 (a report about congregational vitality and growth based on the Faith Communities Today Project at Hartford Seminary) brought…
If You Count the Money, Count the People
At a recent gathering, clergy and laity from several congregations were asked how they keep track of their attendance each Sunday and how they keep…
Ways to Improve Attendance of Current Members
At least once or twice each year, perhaps in the New Year’s resolution season, teach and preach the importance of faithful worship attendance. Invite church…
What You Told Us About Your Summer Worship
Last month, the Lewis Center administered a survey about whether and in what ways churches change worship practices during the summer. While this was not…
Deliberate Outreach Strategy Leads to Growth
Worship attendance at Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church in Gardendale, Alabama, has increased more than 5 percent each year since 1999. One reason for the…
What Might Other Churches Learn from the Southern Baptist Membership Loss?
Recently, the Associated Press reported that Southern Baptist churches suffered a loss of members in 2007. This may seem hard to believe for many that…
The Tully Principle of 52 Equal Sundays
Bill Tully’s principle of 52 equal Sundays strives to have powerful worship every Sunday of the year to best reach visitors at all times of…
Should You Change the Worship Time for the Super Bowl?
Adam Hamilton relates how changing a worship time to avoid a conflict with the Super Bowl helped connect with the non-religious and nominally religious. We…
Measuring Church Numerical Growth is Not as Easy as it Seems
George Bullard suggests an expanded understanding of what represents real numerical growth in light of each church’s situation. A recent request for the names of…
