Church growth is a vital part of any ministry. When church attendance starts to dwindle, it can be easy to become discouraged. In this blog post, we will be discussing seven mistakes that pastors are making that are causing their church growth to stagnate. We hope that this information will help you avoid these mistakes and see your church grow.

Your church isn't doing anything to reach the lost.

The church is supposed to be a beacon of hope in the community, but if it's not doing anything to reach out to those who are lost, then it's not fulfilling its purpose.

There are many reasons why churches don't reach out to the lost, but the most common one is that they are too internally focused.

Yes, make your church great for your members, that is important. However, it is just as important to reach out to the hurting and broken people in your community and make a difference by showing them the love of Christ.

If your church isn't doing anything to reach the lost, then it's time to start making some changes.

You've become too comfortable.

Church growth is often the result of a church making mistakes and learning from them. Pastors who are too comfortable in their positions are often the ones who make the most mistakes.

Billy Graham once said, "a church that is not growing is dying." If your church is not growing, it may be time to take a look at your own leadership. Are you too comfortable? Are you making mistakes that are holding your church back?

Take a look at your church and see where you can make some changes. It may be time to get out of your comfort zone and take some risks in order to help your church grow. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because that's how we learn and grow.

Your church is exclusive, not inclusive.

This is one of the biggest mistakes churches make. They think that in order to grow, they need to become more exclusive and only allow certain types of people in. But this couldn't be further from the truth.

If you want your church to grow, you need to become more inclusive. You need to open your doors to everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. You need to show them that you accept them and that you want them to be a part of your church family.

Becoming more inclusive doesn't mean compromising your beliefs. It simply means showing the love of Christ to everyone and giving them a place to belong.

You're not meeting people's needs.

Your church has become a place for nice people to get together but no life change is taking place.

What happened? How did you lose sight of what was important? It's time to take a good, hard look at your church and see where you went wrong.

Some pastors worry that if they preach the truth as taught in the Bible, they will offend people. While that may be true in some cases, it is the truth that sets people free. Your job is to love people enough to show them the truth of God's love and to teach them that living according to His word will transform their lives.

You're not Praying for Your Church.

You're not praying for the lost. You're not praying for those in need. You're not even praying for yourself.

Instead, you're sitting in your pew, looking around at all the other people who are there to worship God. And you're thinking to yourself, "Why should I pray? Everyone else is doing it."

The truth is, prayer is not about getting everyone else to do it. Prayer is about talking to God and listening to what He has to say. When you pray for your church, you're not just praying for the building or the programs. You're praying for the people who make up the church.

Your Children's Ministry is Outdated.

If your children's ministry is not reaching young families, you're missing out on a vital part of the body of Christ. Young families want a place where their children can both hear the gospel message and have a good time.

So how can you make your children's ministry more exciting? First, take a close look at your curriculum. Is it interesting and engaging? Does it teach the gospel in a way that kids can understand? If not, it's time for a change.

Second, consider your programming. Are you offering activities that families will enjoy? If not, it may be time to mix things up. Finally, take a close look at your volunteers. Do they have a passion for working with kids? If not, it's time to find some new volunteers who do.

Making your children's ministry more exciting is vital to the health of your church. By taking these steps, you can reach more families and have a lasting impact on the next generation.

You Don't have a Follow-Up Strategy.

If you're like most churches, you don't have a plan in place to follow up with new visitors. You might be thinking, "Why should we? If they're interested, they'll come back." But the truth is, most people won't come back unless you invite them and make them feel welcome.

Think about it from their perspective. They walk into a church for the first time, not knowing anyone. They're probably feeling a little awkward and out of place. And then they leave without so much as a word from the pastor or any other church member.

Now, imagine if someone had taken the time to introduce themselves and make them feel welcome. Imagine if the pastor had taken a few minutes to speak with them after the service. That would have made a world of difference.

The bottom line is, if you want people to return to your church, you must find a way to let them know you noticed they were there and that you want them to come back. You need a follow-up strategy.

If you are guilty of any of these things, don't despair! There is still time to turn things around. Church growth is possible, but it will take effort on your part. Pray for guidance and wisdom, ask God to help you reach the lost souls in your community, then put a system in place and get to work. With His help, you can see your church grow!

If you would like to discuss any of the ideas in this post, reach out to me at 24todouble@daystarchurch.tv and we can talk about how you can get started working on your church instead of just working in it.

Thanks for reading and may the Lord bless you.

Jason Zinsmeister

24toDoube Executive Director