I
was reading a comment some time ago that the statistics you keep track of are
how you count success. In the church we most often keep track of attendance
on Sunday morning. It was a good criteria for many years, but I wonder just
how meaningful it is today - and if we just might need to change the way we
do church mathematics to reflect the difference that congregations are actually
making in people's lives.
It used to be that regular attendance meant every Sunday. Today, many church leaders tell me, regular attendance means every third Sunday in many congregations. Hockey and vacation travel take families away. Many of us cherish those weekends once a month at the cottage. Then there are people who lead incredibly busy lives and just want to veg out on a Sunday morning once in a while.
A New Way
What I see happening in churches these days are a great variety of activities, some involving hard-core church attenders, but many having a mix of regular attenders, not so regular attenders, and people who do not attend Sunday services in the congregation at all.
It used to be that all church groups were geared strictly for church members or adherents. The United Church Women and Anglican Church Women - or the equivalent in other denominations - were the backbone of the congregation. There were Men's groups, an Altar Guild, the Choir, and perhaps a Mission Society - along with the plethora of Committees that used to be mandatory.
Today we hear churches complain about not being able to fill committees. Yet church space is being used by an adult bell choir, children's chime choir, walking group, bible study, community choir, yoga practice, book club, film night, Green Team (read care of the environment), and a host of others. Every active congregation could add many of their unique activities to this list. Yes, many of these people show up on Sunday morning. But a lot of them do not, sometimes because - as many people tell me - "I'm spiritual but just not into religion." Religion meaning the formal Sunday morning part of church.
My Proposal
Let's do the math the right way. Why not count everyone who comes through the doors of a church at any time during the week, rather than just those on Sunday morning? Wouldn't that give a more accurate picture of the number of lives the congregation was affecting?
In my Baptist Sunday school days, the Superintendant posted the attendance and offering for the previous Sunday on a board at the front. Why not have a spot at the church entrance to post the number of people who made the church their spiritual home at some point in the previous week or month.
Of course this new thinking requires a new look at church finances. The Finance Committee wants people there on Sunday morning because that is when the offering plate is passed. What if at least once a year a finance awareness person paid a visit to each group meeting in the church. Let people know they can play a financial part in helping the congregation make a difference in people's lives. Perhaps even suggest to groups they could take on a needed project that would give them a first-hand sense of participation.
That's the proposal. Let me know what you think. Just drop us an e-mail. We're always glad to get feedback.
Thanks.
clair@congregationallife.com
Congregational News May 2009 Vol. 15 No. 3