Beating the Plateau

There is much discussion these days about churches that are plateaued or declining in membership and attendance.  Some estimates say that as many as 80-85% of all churches find themselves in this position. 

Three and a half years ago I came to Canyon Lake to pastor the First Baptist Church.  God has richly blessed us.  Over this period of time we have maintained a growth rate of near 10%.  As a result I am often asked, “What are doing to keep the church moving forward?”  My answer is always the same, “I am doing what I have done at every church I have served.”  Some of those churches experienced growth and some did not.

I tend to be an evaluator.  Alright, I tend to be an over-evaluator.  I am constantly turning things over in my mind.  Sometimes this is a good practice and sometimes it is bad.  It can help move things forward but it can also cause you to be overly critical.  However, I have come to the conclusion that a church that wants to break through the plateau must have four things:

1.  God’s favor

I do not know why God chooses to move where He does and chooses not to move in other places, but I am certain that this is a giant part of the equation.  A church cannot experience movement without God moving in their midst.  If you have the privilege of serving in a church that is on the move, you will agree that there are things that take place that can only be explained as “the God factor.”

2.  The people of the congregation must be committed to growth

If the congregation has no desire to move forward, then the pastor is beating his head against the wall.  The simple fact is that there are people who love their church, love their traditions, and love the memories of the past more than they love lost people.  This is a sin no doubt, but it is still a factor to be dealt with.  People must move past their personal preferences to the point that they understand the heart and call of Jesus Christ.  Until this happens, you are stuck and shall not be moved.

3.  The existing staff must have a desire to grow

The staff of any church plays a key role in moving the church forward.  The staff provides leadership and vision to the church.  If the staff is lazy, unmotivated, or simply in love with the way things are, then there is going to be a problem.  The staff has to be willing to learn, grow, change, and work hard.  If the staff truly has a heart for the Lord and is willing to have a “whatever it takes” attitude, then you have a team you can work with.

4.  The pastor must have a compelling vision

It might seem strange to you that I list this as number four, but I have become convinced that unless the first three items are in place, then the pastor’s vision will be lost in a cloud of complacency.  The church will grow frustrated because the pastor is pushing them to do what they don’t want to do.  The staff will grow frustrated because things have always been fine in the past and now the pastor wants to change everything.  The pastor will grow frustrated because he has a vision that he feels is from the Lord and no one will listen.  The greatest vision in the world will not move a church without God being on the move, the church being supportive, and the staff working hard.

With that being said, if God is on the move, the church is supportive, and the staff is awaiting their marching orders, then the pastor better have a compelling vision ready to go.  If God is moving in the hearts of the people and the hearts of the staff and the pastor lacks a compelling vision, both the people and the staff will start looking to leave the church.

Again, all four elements are necessary to move a church forward.  If one of these elements is lacking in the church, then make it a matter of prayer.  Wait on God.  Wait for God to move the hearts of the people.  Start at the top of the list and do not move on to the next item until you see God moving in that area.  Rest assured, God desires to move in our churches.  I can only imagine how it must break His heart to see such a large percentage of churches just sitting stagnant.  Allow God to stir the hearts of the people, allow Him to work, and allow Him to get the church moving again.