The first year of every new pastor appointed to the church focuses on growing the church. But then after the end of the first year, the pastor may say, “Okay, Lord. What do you want me to do?” And the Lord says, “I want you to grow people.” The Plaza Church strategy is not a church growth strategy. It is a spiritual maturity strategy. It’s bringing people closer and closer to Christ. First, you get them to know Christ (exploring), then to love Christ (embracing), then to love Christ’s family (equipping), then to grow in Christ (empowering), then to serve Christ, and then to share Christ which will lead to discipleship.  The biggest mistake that churches make is that we think  sermons will produce spiritual maturity. In my short time at Plaza it is encouraging to hear when people may purchase a cd, but I really love when I see the congregation taking notes. It is a known fact that when people don’t take notes, they forget 95% of what they hear within 72 hours. That is not going to produce spiritual maturity. The Plaza Church mission statement is not a growth church strategy but a spiritual growth strategy! Why is this important?

In North America, church growth lags way behind population growth.  Every year we see that while the population continues to grow, the church continues to lag behind.  It has been estimated that over the half of the congregations in the United States are less than 100.  Other estimates have told us that over 80% of the congregations in America have less than 250 people on an average Sunday. Most churches generally face growth barriers when Sunday attendance approaches 65, 125, 250 or 500. I’ve observed through direct research, personal experience and dozens of consultations that there are two critical decisions every pastor must make regardless of the attendance barrier they face. The decisions are in two questions, “How do I get my church to grow?” and “What is keeping my Church from Growing? “

God is pulling for us!  He is on our side.  He sees so far beyond where we are right now.  He sees what can be in our community.  He sees the day that He talked about in Luke 23, when His house will be full.  Do you see that day?  I hope you have captured that vision.  I hope you have that internal motivation and now I hope you have made some key decisions that begin to move us in the right direction.  Remember the harvest.  We can break the next attendance barrier!

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