The ideas presented here are compiled from various studies conducted in several denominations and geographic reasons.

1. Demographic Change

The people who planted the church and nurtured it for decades are gone and their descendants are no longer in the area. The challenge for the many congregations experiencing such change is to remember that the message of Christ is for all people. A priority is to find ways to serve the people who are part of the community here and now.

2. Economic Decline

Economic decline is often part of demographic change and means that congregations must find ways to minister with fewer or different resources.

3. Love of Bricks and Mortar

Congregations can become focused on preservation of meaningful sacred places. Ministries must focus on nurturing the existing community so that new people can form their own spiritual attachments.

4. Lack of Vision

It is easy for congregations to stumble into this pit, especially congregations struggling to fund a bare-bones budget. Although the mission of the church is stated clearly in the Bible, it can be helpful for congregations to draft their own words and remind themselves regularly that they exist to worship and serve.

5. Budgets that Preserve the Past

Budgets are often written by reviewing the expenses of the past. No money is allotted to allow for the creation of new ministries. Opportunities arise but are abandoned for lack of budget and rarely are the lost opportunities remembered the next time the budget is assembled. The result – new ministries don’t happen! Congregations must start putting aside money for ministry and be willing to spend it!

6. Deficient Leadership

As congregations struggle, leadership is challenged. Morale wavers. The temptation is to drift toward authoritarian leadership styles which result in less congregational ownership of its mission. Church leaders, both clergy and lay, must follow the servant/leader model.

7. Absence of Commitment

Ministry requires dollars and sweat and both must be nurtured.

8. Lack of Harmony

Challenging situations can foster opposing priorities. Properly channeled, differences can provide new vision and energy, but they can also lead to destructive feuding. This is where reminders of mission and strong servant/leadership are required.

9. Failure of Accountability

If members and leaders are all pointing fingers, nothing is likely to change. Rarely is one person solely responsible. Leaders must foster the ability to say, “I could have done this better.” Such admissions will encourage others to help because they will sense that they will not be publicly blamed for shortcomings.

This is the bad news. In our next post we will look at the Qualities Which Help Congregations Grow