Eight Signs That Point to Probable Church Death

Episode #337
June 16, 2017
Rainer on Leadership Podcast Logo

Podcast Episode #337

These eight signs are almost always evident in churches that are on their way to death. Does your church exhibit any of these?

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

  • Blogs create fans, podcasts create family.
  • Four consecutive years of decline indicate a problem that must be addressed.
  • If your congregation is mostly senior adults, you’re only a few funerals away from closing the church doors.
  • Don’t sit and expect younger people to come to your church. You have to work to connect with them.
  • In churches that are on their way to death, members often fight fiercely for their preferences.
  • One of the most sacred cows in dying churches is the parlor.

The eight issues we cover are:

  1. There has been a numerical decline for four or more years.
  2. The church does not look like the community in which it is located.
  3. The congregation is mostly comprised of senior adults.
  4. The focus is on the past, not the future.
  5. The members are intensely preference-driven.
  6. The budget is severely inwardly focused.
  7. There are sacred cow facilities.
  8. Any type of change is met with fierce resistance.

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So if you’re a Lead Pastor or an Executive Pastor looking for peer roundtable coaching, check it out at vanderbloemen.com/coaching. It’s limited to 16 folks, so apply today before it fills up.


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Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast