By Laila Maline
Church growth means different things to different churches. Some focus on getting bigger buildings, while others care more about building a strong community of believers. No matter what, church growth is really about people—connecting with them, helping them grow in their faith, and creating a supportive environment.
Every church, big or small, wants to keep getting better and find new ways to keep the congregation active and lively. Whether the goal is to get more members, have more resources, or become a bigger part of the community, having good plans for growth is important. This article talks about useful strategies to help your church grow quickly, with practical tips to attract, keep, and engage members.
How can we improve church growth?
Many people in the United States do not go to church or synagogue regularly. A 2020 survey showed that 29 percent of people never attend, and only 24 percent go every week. This has caused church attendance to drop over the years.
To help churches grow and bring in more people, it’s important to try different methods. This includes finding new ways to reach out to people, getting more involved in the community, and using modern ways to communicate. By doing these things, churches can attract more attendees and keep their current members interested.
Church Growth Ideas to Acquire Members
1. Craft a growth-focused mission statement
Reevaluate your mission statement to focus on church growth. For example, “Spread love and happiness” is a positive message but doesn’t address growth. Instead, try, “Grow our community while spreading love and happiness.”
Make sure all church activities align with this growth-focused mission. This includes sermons, outreach, and events that support expanding your congregation. Clearly communicating this mission to your members will encourage everyone to work together towards growth, creating a unified approach to achieving your church’s goals.
2. Encourage your congregation to bring people along
You could plan a ‘Family and Friends’ Day’. It can be a special holiday or a monthly event. This allows your members to invite their loved ones without any pressure. They come for a day, enjoy your interesting sermons, and might want to come back regularly.
3. Take your church online
People use the Internet for everything today. Start by creating a website with all the details about your church. Many people might be interested in joining your church but need a little nudge. Showing up on their phones when they scroll can help. Share a preview of your church in different ways on different platforms. This also helps include those who can’t attend in person, making your attendance grow and helping with future events.
4. Partner with local bodies
Meet often with local government officials, church leaders, and business owners to build strong relationships in the community. By staying connected, your church stays top-of-mind when people need support. Working together with other churches on events or seminars can really help. It strengthens community ties and helps more people know about your church in your neighborhood.
5. Contribute your services at community events
Take the lead in helping out at community events and leave a positive mark. Help with parking, serving food, giving out free stuff, and setting up. Make sure your team wears T-shirts with your church’s name so everyone knows who you are. This not only lets more people know about your church but also shows how involved you are in the community.
6. Add a second service
By offering different times for services, everyone in your community can find a convenient option. For example, you might have one service in the morning and another in the afternoon. This way, more people can join in, even if they have different schedules. You could also get volunteers involved to help out with these services. While they’re helping, they could hand out flyers or cards to let more people know about what you’re doing. Here are some ideas for services you could offer:
- Delivering and picking up Christmas trees
- Painting bus stops
- Taking care of gardens at schools nearby
- Supporting homeless people
- Visiting and spending time with older folks at retirement homes
- Organizing phone trees to connect with people who need help
Giving people different choices makes it easier for them to join in and be part of what’s happening in the community.
Church growth ideas to retain members
1. Make everyone feel welcome
Some people might hesitate to come to your church for various reasons, like preferring different ways to worship or changing their beliefs. While you can’t control these reasons, you can make sure visitors feel welcomed and comfortable.
People like being in places that feel nice. How you make visitors feel during their visit can affect whether they want to come back. Greet them warmly when they arrive, keep your church clean and inviting, and give them time to settle in. It helps to give clear information about your services too.
Get their contact details like email and phone numbers, and offer resources such as Bible verses, create videos of sermons, bulletins, and guidelines to help them feel part of things.
First impressions matter a lot. They shape how visitors see your church. Make sure newcomers don’t feel ignored or overwhelmed, but genuinely welcomed and valued.
2. Keep your sermons interesting
According to research, 31% of young adults find church boring, and people’s attention spans are shorter now (8 seconds compared to 12). To make sermons more interesting, especially for younger people, try to keep them short and engaging. Treat your sermons like exciting TED talks by telling interesting stories, talking about things that matter now, and speaking in a lively way to keep everyone interested and motivated.
3. Collect your congregation’s feedback and act on it
To keep your church growing and evolving, it’s important to seek feedback from your congregation. Use short surveys to learn from both new visitors and long-time members. New visitors can share what they think about their first experiences, while regular members can suggest ways to make current programs even better. Text message surveys work well because they’re easy to use and a lot of people respond quickly. When you listen to what your members say and make changes based on their feedback, it shows that you care about them and helps make your church community even stronger.
4. Offer volunteering opportunities
Volunteering is really important for church growth because it lets members and visitors get involved in meaningful ways. It’s good to include everyone who shows interest and make sure they know their contributions are valuable. One way to do this is by offering volunteer jobs that match what different people are good at and interested in. For example, if someone is good with technology, they could help with the church’s website or technical stuff during services.
You can find out what skills and interests new visitors have by talking to them in a friendly way. If they’re interested in helping out, you can post on social media about the volunteer jobs on. Make sure the enrollment form is easy to use so people can see where they can help and sign up without any trouble.
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Also, you can contact possible volunteers through text messages, phone calls, or send cold emails to give them all the details and what’s expected of them. This makes sure everyone knows what to do and helps them feel like they belong and have a purpose.
5. Communicate effectively from the start
First impressions really count, especially when people visit your church for the first time. Make sure they feel welcome and informed right from the start. One way to do this is by using clear signs that show them where to go when they arrive.
For instance, you can direct them to a welcome desk where they can fill out a card with their information. Giving them a small gift or a welcome package can make them feel special. This not only gives them a good experience but also encourages them to share their contact details for future events.
Imagine this: Would you rather go to a desk that says “Give us your contact details” or one that says “Get your welcome gift here”? Exactly!
6. Brand your church
Stand out from other churches in your town by using effective social media branding and adding special things that make visitors feel excited and part of a close community. Create a brand by keeping a unique style and use it on all your messages. Good branding doesn’t just make people feel like they belong, but also makes them want to stay with you. People who stay often tell their friends about your church and bring more people to join.
7. Reward progress
Let’s cheer for even the smallest wins to encourage everyone at church! For example, if our volunteers raise $10,000 in donations in a week, we could treat them to a special dinner out. Progress can show up in different ways, not just new ideas.
Sometimes, things we’ve done before get noticed, like winning an award for community work, which can make our church more visible and influential. Share these successes with your team and celebrate together. Good leaders point out and celebrate wins to inspire and support their members.
8. Reach out to former members
Stay in touch with people who used to be part of your church but are now less involved. Give them a friendly call, send a text, or email to reconnect. This helps you rebuild your relationship with them and slowly bring them back. When you talk, mention any events coming up at church. Keep them updated with personal messages, newsletters, or social media posts about what’s happening at church, like events and chances to join in again. Show that you care about them and are interested in how they’re doing. Encourage them to come back to church whenever they feel ready.
9. Focus on current member attendance
Regular attendance is key to church growth. It’s good to check in with people who miss a service to see how they are and encourage them to come back. A friendly call or message can remind them how much they mean to the church community. If they’re having a hard time, offering your support can really help. By paying attention to who comes to church and making everyone feel welcome, you can make sure that everyone stays involved and cares about what the church is trying to do.
10. Follow up with new visitors
After people visit your church for the first time, it’s important to thank them and let them know you’re glad they came. Studies show that when churches do this right away, about 90% of visitors come back! You can reach out to new visitors with text messages or emails to invite them back.
Send personal notes, emails, or make phone calls to say thanks for visiting and share more about your church. You can also invite them to come again for more services or events. Consider having a welcoming team to help new people feel at home and become part of your church family.
Get Started – Implement Your Church Growth Ideas
Start using these ideas to help more people join your church and keep those who already come interested. To grow even more, figure out which ideas your church likes the most and focus on those. We also have a helpful guide on how to tell more people about your church, with six good ways to get more members. See how you and your team can use these ideas.
Have you tried any good ideas to help your church grow? Tell us about them in the comments!
Conclusion
In conclusion, cultivating church growth requires intentional effort, strategic planning, and a genuine commitment to nurturing relationships within your congregation and community. By embracing these 16 cost-effective ideas to acquire and retain members, your church can create a welcoming and thriving community where individuals of all backgrounds feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow spiritually together.
