Diagnosing a Dying Church

Mark Clifton - Professor at Midwestern Seminary, teaching pastor at Linwood Baptist on Linwood Kansas, the Exec. Dir. of Church Replanting and Rural Strategy for the NAMB and is the foremost name concerning the planting and revitalization of the church.

When most of us think about our church…we think about us , and we should… but how often do we consider the needs of the unchurched as we plan our ministry and share our resources?

“We often make decisions in the church based upon not losing the people we have… instead of bringing new people in. A dangerous way to go about it.”

Do we believe that our church’s address is no accident? Yes

Do we believe the sovereign Lord led our neighbors to our city and planted us right in the middle of them? Yes

Do you believe that they are your mission field? Yes

So how much do you know about them? How much do you love them?

And how do you express that love?

What percentage of our budget/calendar is dedicated toward people who never attend our church?

?

Why does the church participate in community outreach events?

An important figure in the world of church revitalization…what percentage of our congregation is under the age of 30 ? Why is this important?

And in what ways do we engage young people in leadership roles in our church?

What are our fears concerning that? And what are the positives concerning young people/couples leading in our church?

What decisions have we made/or failed to make that resulted in our church being a place where young people did not think they could flourish ?