Word Count: 411 – Est Read Time: ~2 Minutes
What’s Up:
Pastor, if you want church growth, you need to spend at least half your time with the unchurched. Period.
So What:
Most churches are financially unsustainable because they aren’t reaching enough people. Especially for churches with fewer than 125 in worship, a growth plan is a financial must – and that plan starts with YOU getting outside your office and into the community.
The Point Is:
1. You Can’t Grow Your Church from Your Desk
Your sermon prep, your staff meetings, your endless emails – none of it will bring new people into the church. Growth happens when pastors invest their time where the unchurched are: coffee shops, networking events, schools, and local businesses.
2. Paul Borden’s Research Proves It
In Make or Break Your Church in 365 Days, Paul Borden found that pastors in growing churches spent at least 50% of their time with the unchurched. And according to the founder of The Effective Church Group (Bill Easum), in churches under 100 in worship? That number jumps to 80%.
3. Your Congregation Will Push Back
They expect you to be available 24/7 – for them. But that’s not your biblical job description. You weren’t called to be a chaplain. You were called to be a disciple-maker. And disciple-makers spend time with future disciples.
4. Your Church’s Future Depends on This
Without intentional outreach, your church will plateau, decline, and eventually close. You have to decide: Will you lead a church that thrives, or one that slowly fades away?
And … ?
The average church in North America has about 66 in attendance. Take away the mega-churches, and that number probably drops closer to 50. And with 125 as the baseline for financial sustainability, most churches are operating in the red – or surviving off of endowments or aging tithers who won’t be there forever. That’s not a strategy; that’s hospice care.
But here’s the kicker: You CAN turn this around. Every single church that has broken out of the death spiral has done so because the pastor made the decision to prioritize the lost over the found. They got out of their offices. They built relationships. They lived on mission. The question is: Will you?
Action!
Block off half your weekly schedule for community engagement. Get out of the office. Meet new people. And watch your church begin to grow. Need help? Check out the Growing Church Network and get started growing your church this week.
