People Spots
Online
Produced by James W.
Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries
The Real Value of People Spots
by James W. Moss, Sr.
Mrs. Esther Masser has attended St. Timothy's Church all her life. The last decade has brought drastic change to Esther's life. She is 51 years old and is keenly aware of her increasing age and mortality. Several of her contemporaries have recently died. Her husband's employer laid him off his high paying executive job because of a corporate take-over of his company. Earl had to take a job at less than half his previous salary for them to stay in their hometown. The change caused the dramatic altering of lifestyles.
The youngest of the Masser's three adult children graduated from college and moved away from home. Still single, that adult child moved back home several months later because his income was not sufficient to sustain an independent residence. Their oldest daughter experienced a messy divorce and moved home with her two small children a short time after that. The frenetic pace Esther's life had assumed caused her trouble at a time she was expecting to relax and enjoy living.
Rev. Mark Salas is the current pastor at St. Timothy's. He is completing his second year after a three-year assistantship at a large church. New people and programs are being aggressively brought to the church.
For a period of time Esther had voted "no" to every new idea and proposal that Rev. Salas made at council. She said to all who would listen, "This church isn't like it used to be. I came here and could count on what was going to happen. There were no surprises. We knew everyone who attended. Rev. Morse was a person you could trust. The children loved him. It is no longer fun to come to church. It seems some new program is offered every month. There are people here I don't know."
Finally, Esther vented her deep frustration to Rev. Salas on the way out of worship one Sunday morning. She began, "A stranger was sitting in my pew today . . . "
Rev. Salas visited Esther that afternoon. He listened intently and was sensitive to Esther's needs. It was not difficult to see that the root of her expressed frustration was not just the church. Increasing age, her husband's job change, the reduced income, the return of the adult children, the presence of grandchildren in the house, the loss of her dream for her middle-age years and retirement—these all affected her capacity to understand what was happening at the church.
Rev. Salas referred Esther to a competent counselor. Her life situation did not change appreciably through the passing months, though her understanding and acceptance did.
Through those ensuing months, Rev. Salas spent time with Esther. He carefully explained again and again the mission and principles of the church. He described the needs of people in the church. He carefully affirmed Esther as a Christian and human being. Time passed. Rev. Salas smiled one day as he overheard Esther carefully explaining the mission, principles, and needs for St. Timothy's to another lifetime member.
It became evident to Rev. Salas that Esther had tremendous gifts for managing a household. She also had the gift of teaching. Esther now leads an evening support group for young working wives. She shares her faith and management skills with them. Esther looks forward to Tuesday evenings. She has touched people's lives. Mary Salas, the pastor's wife, is in the group. Just today Esther received a note from Mary with great thanks for the insights shared. The formation of this group resulted in the addition of three new young families. Esther is now a positive leader at St. Timothy's because someone cared and ministered to her need. The participants discovered new friendships, the opportunity to impact lives of others was provided, and Esther received affirmation. The ministry challenged Esther to grow beyond her present state. The group met many of her needs, and she now nestled in a new "people spot."
There are two basic benefits to the concepts presented. First, the "people spot" principle will help assess the status of the current ministry of the church as perceived by the participants. Second, I will share insights should numerical growth be desired.
Assessing the current ministry
People pleased with what they're experiencing are more apt to attend regularly. Satisfied people attend because of the quality of the programs offered and the services rendered. They remain because of a sense of acceptance and because of an opportunity to make a real contribution to the life of the church. Heritage also holds many people in churches that are more than one generation old. Similarly, the charisma and ministry of a specific pastor can attract and hold some folks for a period of time.
Conversely, displeased people stop attending. Varied causes contribute to dissatisfaction for many members. Seldom does a person indicate the real reason for leaving. Sometimes it will be because of conflict, displeasure with the pastor or other members, crowded conditions, closed small groups, the quality of ministry, a lack of opportunity to make a meaningful contribution, and real or perceived rejection by current attendees. A low level of satisfaction will cause a new person to stop attending.
Try This Exercise: Make two lists of the members received into your church in the last seven years. First, how many were relatives of other members when they joined? Second, how many were not related to other members? What percentage of each list attended morning worship one-half of the Sundays last year?
It will take a great deal of dissatisfaction for a member of several generations in the church to leave, but that does occur. Harry and Betty Rogers were members of Greenville Church. Betty was a fourth generation member. Harry married into the congregation. Both had strong commitments to their church and filled leadership roles. The Rogers had two small children buried in the church's cemetery. Conflict erupted at the church. Attendance at Greenville became so uncomfortable that the Rogers stopped attending. That was especially traumatic because the Rogers felt they were abandoning their children.
Planning for numerical growth
Second, if numerical growth is a goal, information will be shared to enable its achievement. Stagnant growth produces frustration. Pastors and people assume that a church that cares for its own and attracts new people to the Lord Jesus Christ will grow numerically. When growth does not occur, frustration builds in the pastor. Pastors who are achievers find a lack of growth especially difficult. Questions about call and the capacity to minister in a specific congregation arise. Pastors may question their vocational call to ministry when the lack of growth continues and frustration intensifies.
A lack of growth also raises concerns in congregational leaders who are achievers. Growth is expected in their secular lives, and they bring that agenda to their leadership responsibilities in the congregation. The level of concern rises when the numerical decline increases financial pressure. Key leadership will assume the “chief executive officer’’—the pastor—is responsible when growth does not occur. Subtle pressure is applied. The pastor's self-doubts and perceived inadequacies are reinforced. A resignation is offered.
Rev. Sue Martin arrived at St. Paul eight years ago. The sanctuary capacity was 200. The average worship attendance was 107. Sue fell in love with the people of the church and pursued her role energetically. Rev. Martin cared, worked, administered, deployed laity, and preached quite competently.
Attendance soared quite dramatically to an average of 184 in four years. No action was taken to relieve the space pressure. Great effort and quality ministry were required to sustain that level of participation for the next two years. Then inevitable decline followed in successive years as the size of the church adjusted to the facility.
Rev. Martin began to wonder about her call at St. Paul. As the decline persisted she began to have doubts about her capacity to provide ministry. Harry Jones said to several other leaders, "Rev. Martin did a lot of good things here, but St. Paul has grown beyond her capacity to lead."
Rev. Sue Martin resigned in response to the increasing internal and external pressure. She left defeated and discouraged with little comprehension of the fine work she left behind. It was difficult for her to realize the number of people who had been touched by her positive ministry.
Rev. Robert Cole succeeded Sue. He had neither her tact nor skills. In six months worship attendance had dropped into the nineties. The quiet conversations Harry Jones had with other leaders took this form. "Rev. Martin was a very good pastor. It's a shame that we were not able to recognize the full extent of her skills before she left. She looks better with every passing week."
The church's growing appreciation of its pastor came too late. An understanding of the "people spot" principles could have provided tremendous affirmation for Rev. Martin. It could also have helped the church understand how to avoid the decline that resulted in their pastor's resignation.
Read More about People Spots
Jim Moss, People Spots
The online article, "Defining People Spots"
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Read about Jim's seminars and books.
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July 17, 1998. Volume 1, Issue 9. People Spots Online is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org. Articles may be duplicated and reproduced in any way. A new article is produced about every two weeks. To be added to a list to receive these messages directly by e-mail, send a request to churchconsultants@yahoo.com.