I see two kinds of congregations emerging.
To put it baldly: one kind is the congregation that will survive and thrive and the other is the congregation that will struggle, fall behind and, more often that not, die. The situation is that critical.
What will make the difference? Attitudes toward change and boldness in adapting to change. Not denomination, not socioeconomic status, not location or longevity. Rather, a positive attitude toward the future, as opposed to a pinched pessimism. The difference will be a self-confident nimbleness as a new era unfolds, as opposed to wary rigidity.
What are the signs of that wary rigidity? Look at people’s faces during Sunday worship. Look for tight lips, cold eyes, raised eyebrows when something unexpected occurs, withheld affirmation, frosty greetings of strangers. Watch for lifeless singing, wandering eyes, closed body language.
Watch the minister on Sunday and throughout the week. Look for tentativeness, hesitancy to speak, an attitude of asking permission, as opposed to leading. Listen to words that seem too carefully phrased, as if a parental swat were coming. Look for anxious eyes that scan the room for danger.
Sit in on leadership groups. Listen for too much time spent on monitoring the budget, as opposed to assessing trends and opportunities. Listen for a few voices dominating and most participants waiting passively for the meeting to end. Listen for the new being dismissed — new ideas, new people, new leaders — and the focus clearly inward and not outward.
Listen for incessant complaining about the pastor, mainly for perceived insensitivity to the needs of older and more established members. Listen for the one person being held accountable when the system is failing, rather than the many.
Pay attention to metrics. Count the number who actually participate, as opposed to names on static membership lists. Look for an aggressive communications strategy targeting prospects, leads and touches, as opposed to serving up familiar fare to longtime members.
Monitor baptisms, the presence or absence of young families — not on Sunday, necessarily, but throughout the week — and the congregation’s average age. Most mainline congregations need to get younger fast.
Look deeply into giving: tithing is a sign of health; “tipping” is a sign of death. Giving with mission in mind is more positive than giving for institutional maintenance. See whether stewardship is a grim ritual endured each fall or an exciting adventure throughout the year. To see impending demise, look for emphasis on securing large pledges from the wealthy in exchange for giving them what they want, as opposed to teaching all constituents about responsible Christian stewardship.
Look at the week’s calendar. A lively congregation will be gathering seven days a week in various configurations. A dying church will put all of its energies into Sunday morning. A lively congregation will value study, mission, community-building and relationship-deepening; a dying church will focus its energies on worship and on keeping older constituents satisfied.
Listen for responses to change. Unexpected events, accidents, cultural shifts both large and small, new constituents, new opportunities to serve — a lively congregation will view these as welcome, even if challenging; a dying church will resist and resent the new.
All of these signs are visible. You just need the courage to look for them and then to act upon them.
TOM EHRICH is a writer, church consultant and Episcopal priest based in New York. He is a founder of the Church Wellness Project churchwellness.com. His Web site is morningwalkmedia.com.
