Posted on 04/04/2015 6:10:22 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Nine out of ten.
That's a lot.
Nine out of ten churches in America have an average worship attendance of less than 350. And that percentage has not changed significantly for many years. Yet the unchurched pool of persons is increasing in most communities. There are people yet to be reached.
But most churches will never exceed 350 in attendance. Why?
A Few Caveats
Allow me to preface my analysis. First, big is not necessarily better. A church with more people in attendance is not necessarily more faithful than a smaller church. Second, some churches are in very sparsely populated areas. There may not be 350 people in a five-mile radius (though every community still has people who need to be reached).
My third caveat is key. I believe leadership is indeed a biblical and theological issue. It's really a matter of healthy stewardship. I offer this third caveat because I will be addressing the issue of leadership in this post.
Attendance Levels of Churches in America
We are a nation and continent of smaller churches. And though we have far more small churches than large churches, there is a big migration of people from smaller to larger churches. In other words, many of the smaller churches are getting smaller, and many of the larger churches are getting larger.
Here is a simple depiction of the number of churches at three different levels:
Keep in mind that the upper 10% tend to include more of the growing churches, while the lower 90% tend to include more of the declining churches.
One of the Key Reasons
There is no single reason to explain the apparent ceiling of 350 in attendance of most churches. I do believe, however, that there is a major reason for this barrier. Such is the thesis of this post:
One of the key reasons most churches do not move beyond 350 in average worship attendance is they do not have sufficient leadership and structures in place.
Many smart people have provided analyses of what is commonly known as the 200 barrier. I believe that the 200 barrier is highly elastic. In other words, the barrier is really somewhere between 150 and 350, depending on a number of circumstances. Again, I believe that the key reason stated above is among the greatest inhibitors of growth.
Increasing Organizational Complexity
Moses was an unintended victim of organizational complexity. He was trying the Lone Ranger approach to the leadership of Israel. The nation would implode and he would lose his leadership authority if he kept doing what he was doing.
His father-in-law, Jethro, saw the flaws of his leadership and said:
"What you're doing is not good . . . You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can't do it alone" (Exodus 18:17-18, HCSB).
So, following Jethro's advice and wisdom, Moses became a different kind of leader with a different kind of organization.
Here are the five major levels of organizational complexity in churches according to average worship attendance:
1. Under 100: Family and friends
2. 100 to 250: Basic
3. 251 to 350: Challenging
4. 351 to 750: Complex
5. Above 750: Highly complex
Most churches cannot or are not willing to make the types of changes that are necessary in complex organizations. In future resources, I will share what many leaders and churches are doing to move beyond the 100, 250, and 350 ceilings. In the meantime, let me hear from you.
I wouldn’t be comfortable in a church of over 100 people.
I like our 60 or so congregants .. we are truly a church family
Never thought of attendance that way but it makes sense for a closely pastoral, know your parishioners pov.
I disagree with the unspoken assumption that growing beyond 350 is a good thing.
An Army squad today may have four to ten people, a platoon sixteen to forty, and a company one hundred to two hundred. Those are good sizes for various missions, sizes that have not changed significantly since the early Roman army. A squad of more than 350 soldiers would not be suitable for the typical squad mission, and the same is true for a church. My Sunday School class of twelve is the right size, while a discussion among 400 would not have the same character or serve the same need. There are many correct sizes for a church, and I'm okay with my own very large church, just as I am okay with the under 100 church that I visit during the summer.
The Church has the right leadership structures in place, including small churches to meet the needs of Christians who want the closeness of knowing everyone in the church, and larger churches that can offer multiple musical groups and various specialized Sunday School classes to members. I approve when a small church grows naturally, and when it maintain its size, meeting the community's and the members' needs.
Humans are not able to maintain a stable social network with >250 people
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar’s_number
THE SMALL CHURCH
In a big world, the small church has remained intimate.
In a fast world, the small church has been steady.
In an expensive world, the small church has remained plain.
In a complex world, the small church has remained simple.
In a rational world, the small church has kept feeling.
In a mobile world, the small church has been an anchor.
In an anonymous world, the small church calls us by name.
author unknown
Our upper-middle class Catholic church is bursting at the seams with attendance, especially on Good Friday, Easter and Christmas vigils. These people have good jobs that they have worked and sacrificed for...the American Dream realized through equal opportunity NOT equal outcomes.
Obama and the Democrats have caved off the low-information voters as single-parent women, blacks and Hispanics that pray at the alter of income inequality, gay rights & women’s rights. Socialism, communism and wealth redistribution have fundamentally transform the USA into a bastion of entitlements that will ruin our once great nation. They want wealth re-distribution over hard work and an opportunity to provide for their children what they could not achieve.
“I wouldn’t be comfortable in a church of over 100 people.”
Well, then no Pentecost for you: Acts 1:15.
The little town of 350 people I grew up in had/has a Baptist church and a Methodist church. The next town over was a bit smaller but also has 2 churches. The town I live in now is really small and only has 1 church.
Personally I think churches should be small but there should be a lot of them but I’m protestant and its what I was raised with. Catholics seem to have fewer larger churches.
Down in the south, there are small Babtist churches every mile or so scattered in suburbia like 7/11’s. There are also small cemeteries scattered around. Basically very localized communities.
I remember some kind of Indian saying that went something like “White man make big fire and people stand far away. Red man make little fire and people gather close. “
If the church I grew up in had more than 350 in attendance on Sunday morning, the town fire marshal would be very upset.
When the man in the pulpit doesn’t believe what he is saying... Ravi Zacharias.
RE: When the man in the pulpit doesn’t believe what he is saying... Ravi Zacharias.
The above sentence is a little vague, does it mean that Ravi Zacharaias is saying that the problem of churches is that the man in the pulpit doesn’t believe what he’s saying, or does it mean that Ravi Zacharaias does not believe what he’s saying. I sure hope it’s the former.
http://theothernewyorkststate.blogspot.com/2014/01/palmyra-ny-four-famous-churches.html
Used to live in Palmyra, N.Y.
http://www.visitpalmyrany.com/attractions/four_churches.html
But..............I think there were more bars than Churches.
When the man in the Pulpit only preaches love, and peace, give till it hurts, all the music is Comptemporay repetitive short choruses you lose your Seniors. When SALVATION and REVELATIONS, are NOT preached you save NO ONE.
When the man in the pulpit is out to only enrich him or herself as so many TV Evangelist do to live in earthly Mansions, wear $3K suits, drive expensive cars, hires their own relatives to enrich them, you bring down the true meaning of Preaching the Word of GOD.
I’ve been to small and large churches. I like the medium sized ones best if the Message is a full circle Bible based message. And the music is for all ages.
Doesn’t matter the size of the church, what matters is the MESSAGE and the music can set the tone. Nothing wrong with the old hymns that a little uptempo can’t improve on.
There is no reason that a church cannot mix their song list to suit all generations. And mix their messages. Consistence is needed, the message must preach it all. Not just love, peace, and GIVE.
HE IS RISEN! Hallelujah!
He’s Alive
Don Francisco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyPBVwOCYmM
Rhonda Vincent They Old Rugged Cross
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIe32s9nDcY
Jean Shepard - Where No One Stands Alone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caMSaIYBX4c
Jimmy Fortune - How Great Thou Art
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J3laFQwZos
It Is Finished
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxaAmNuL7BU
Elvis How Great Thou Art
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEeqAgbCMwg
Amazing Grace
Elvis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3XdXEJEI4E
Up from the grave He arose Classic hymn sung by Daniel Thornton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN77HjfAc8k
Because He Lives
Guy Penrod
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ldDDmJZrPg
Ricky Van Shelton - Mansion Over The Hilltop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o6JF1EKTCI
Ricky Van Shelton - I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpO7MDSqbek
Ricky Van Shelton - Suppertime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzgKw-Ox8Uo
RE: If the church I grew up in had more than 350 in attendance on Sunday morning, the town fire marshal would be very upset.
I guess there’s one answer to the question -— many churches are located in small towns.
Not at a Catholic Church!
How about four Masses at 600 plus! Two Masses on Easter morning will have people out the door even though extra seating has been provided. (Our church seats 800+ according to code.)
** Catholics seem to have fewer larger churches.**
In our town only one out of the four churches would be considered small — and it’s really around 400+ at two Masses.
One is the largest Church in the Archdiocese with (I think) 11 Masses. The other two have three or four Masses.
The Catholic Churches are not the small ones in town! Thank you, God.
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