7 Ways We Keep Church Hoppers From Staying
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Sun, April 13, 2008
- Viewed 63
- (23) comments so far
#1 Ask church hoppers to commit to tithing and serving in your 101-201-301 classes
That usually takes care of it right there. Because church hoppers are consumers by nature, anything that strikes them as sacrificial will surely turn them off. As a ministry friend of mine used to tell me, “At the first sign of trouble, raise the bar.”
#2 Tell your people to stop inviting their Christian friends to church
This past Sunday I may have been one of the few pastors out there that stood up and said, “Please DO NOT invite your Christians friends to our Easter services. We want other churches in the area to know we have their back. Also, we want to grow this church through conversion growth, not transfer growth. Let’s pack this place out with people who are keeping God up at night because they are living far from him.” I strategically do that 3-4 times a year.
#3 Preach short sermons
Howard Hendricks used to say, “Keep them longing, not loathing.” I buy into that philosophy. I try to speak anywhere between 21 and 26 minutes max. That drives church hoppers nuts because they want to “be fed.” I’m not interested in “feeding people” unless they are in the early stages of their spiritual journey. Church hoppers as well as Christians further along their spiritual journey need to be feeding themselves. Anything I provide on Sunday morning should be in addition to their own self-directed spiritual nourishment. One point, one scripture, 21-26 minutes, that’s enough.
#4 Don’t sing 9,345 worship songs
Church hoppers, 9 times out of 10, came from a church background where they were taught they needed 5-6 worship songs to really connect with God. That needs to be re-taught. Where did we get the idea that worship = singing anyway? That’s part of it, but only a small part of it. Every part of the service is worship. Every part of my life is worship. Limiting your worship songs except for occasions when you are led by God to expand the repertoire forces people to recognize this or leave.
Brian lists three more, but you’ll have to read those over at his blog...
QUESTION: How do YOU keep church hoppers from staying?
Pastor Brian Jones recently wrote on his blog: "I call church hoppers “connoisseurs of fine churches” because they’re continually on a quest to find the church that is spiritual enough for them, will endlessly engorge themselves on the “services” of the churches they attend, and always have a critical word to say afterwards whenever “church” doesn’t meet their standards. Here are seven things we try to do to keep church hoppers from wearing out their welcome..."
Comments
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Andy Wood on Sun, April 13, 2008
We don’t. We treat them like anybody else who may be looking for a church home. And that in one of the most religious towns in America. To us, to do otherwise would be similar to that attitude that wishes everybody a Merry Christmas on Easter, “since we probably won’t see you until next year.”
So yes, we’ve seen our share of “shuffling the decks” in the five years we have been a church. We have also made some meaningful, albeit disappointing relationships.
(I can’t help but notice the confirmation code below is “stay 11”. Must be a sign from God.”
Jermayn on Sun, April 13, 2008
Love the article…
Some very good tips there!
I also think preach direct sermons against sin..
Peter Hamm on Mon, April 14, 2008
Use your own failings and foibles as teaching lessons. When some of those folks find out how human you are, they won’t want to be back. That oughtta get ‘em…
Josh Montague on Mon, April 14, 2008
Is there a wrong assumption that church hopper = believer here? Do all church hoppers grasp the gospel? I totally agree with the suggestions of taking membership classes and tithing, but I’ve seen enough people come to our church with a stated belief, but no grasp of the gospel. Religious people aren’t always Christians. I’m not always hyper-quick to move them along. I’ve also done this long enough to know that there are a great deal of church hoppers who are destructive people to a young, growing church.
Derek on Mon, April 14, 2008
When talking to the “we-are-visiting-your-church-because-we-want-something-new” kind of people (the self proclaimed title for most church hoppers), I ask them what they are looking for in a church and then clearly explain our vision, values, and identity. I guess this would be covered in a 101 class, but I find this makes their decision quick.
I think short sermons, song sets, and worship services are really a matter of your context. In our area most services are 1 hour. We normally go 1 hour 45 minutes. I preach 45 minutes and that normally sends church hoppers to the Presbyterian church where the pastor preaches 25 minutes! (The pastor there is a good friend).
You can still preach longer messages and leave them wanting more. It is really a matter of style. I like 10 verse, 12 point messages…ha!
Derek
CS on Mon, April 14, 2008
Andy and Derek hit two of the marks right on the head: treat them like everyone else, and keep up with your own style. Those are wise instructions.
I liked that the article said that when churches reach out to bring people in, it should not be done so as to steal members from other churches. It should be growth through salvation, new people coming to town, and growth within families. But after point 3 in the article, the rest of the points were either stylistic in nature, or just bordering on wrong.
Contextualizing like substituting “Lord” for “Leader?” I don’t think that the angelic host in Heaven praising God all day and night are saying “contextualized” things like, “You are so cool, O Leader, to receive kudos and high fives, and cappuccinos, because you made all this stuff, because it gave you a buzz.” (Rev 4:11?)
Or singing non-Christian songs? Why would I want to sing something that does not glorify the name of God, or something whose message could be counter to the Gospel? I left one church a couple of years ago because their messages were bad, and the songs were the capstone. One interlude was John Lennon’s “Imagine,” which starts with, “Imagine there’s no Heaven…” Um, no thanks. I’d rather not.
—
CS
Peter Hamm on Mon, April 14, 2008
CS,
Using a secular song as an example of something or an illustration is probably what they are referring to. We made a great point about the “wrong” ways people think about religion recently with the Stevie Wonder song “Superstition”. It really drove home the point. Did we use it as worship? No. Did it help get the message across? Most definitely. We do that a lot, but NEVER do we use a non-worship song as worship. NEVER.
And ALL of our Bible translations and ALL of our language is contextualization. In heaven they speak in languages we can’t even imagine, so who knows WHAT words they use!
PT on Mon, April 14, 2008
#8 Emphasize respect for commitments before God to the local church.
When a visitor claims to be a professing believer and is not new to the community, ask where they are currently a member. If nowhere, challenge on why not and where/when they last were somewhere. Suggest/encourage a meeting with current/previous pastor/church leader. Ask how you can help facilitate reconciliation with current/last church.
Stop being more concerned about the attendance numbers in our own church than the spiritual relationships of God’s people. Stop being more concerned with our pride in our own ability to be the ones who get the ‘props’, than in preserving existing relationships among believers.
Instead perhaps we should be more concerned about each individual’s relationship with and integrity to commitments before the Lord.
Don’t be so quick to let others ‘off the hook’ of honoring their commitments or doing the hard but necessary work of reconciliation and living together in Christ simply because it will make you/your church look and feel better.
Derek on Mon, April 14, 2008
CS,
I gotta agree with Peter on the issue of contextualization. All translaitons and expositions of Scripture are contextualization. Certainly, I would agree some attempts at contextualization strip the meaning from the text and can reduce a verse, a phrase, or a word from its intended meaning. But the inspired text as far as we know in Rev 4:11 says “kurios “ and not “Lord.”
Substituing “Leader” for “Lord” is not such a bad choice. After all we are not living in medevil England. I really like to use the word “boss” or “master” in place of “Lord.” Espeically when talking about making Jesus the “boss” or “master” of your life.
And in terms of music choices, I concur with Peter. Using a “non-Christian” song for illustration purposes during the Sunday morning service is a good thing.
What makes a song “Chrisitan” or “non-Christian” anyway? The artist? The label? The instrumentation? The rhythm? The singer(s)? The genre? The lyrics? The number of times they say “Jesus”?
I have given up on trying to divide my music that way.
Derek
CS on Mon, April 14, 2008
Peter and Derek:
I think this will be another “agree to disagree” moment. I will share my thoughts on the word “Lord,” though.
The word, “lord,” has a distinct elevation and tone to it that words like, “leader” and “boss” do not. You touched upon this, in part, Derek, by mentioning how we are not in medieval England. This word showed someone who reigned over the country, who had the power in a word to permit or take life from people, who sat on a throne wearing a crown. He could make peace, cause war, and dramatically affect the lives of millions of people. It is a lofty word, of someone who commands great authority and respect. In putting ourselves into the shoes of a peasant who would bow down before such a lord puts us in perspective with who THE LORD really is.
In the modern day vernacular, so much of this is stripped from God’s authority. For example, no one would follow their “boss” onward to death, or prostrate themselves before their manager’s door. We’d simply quit and take another job. Likewise, the word, “leader” is used to describe anyone from a civil president to the person in charge of the 10 people in my division, beneath my boss, at work. Many “leaders” are elected or selected for their posts, as opposed to a “lord,” who was put there by the hand of God Himself. A “leader” can be called into question; a “lord” cannot.
I would not change words core to our faith because of the substance behind them, and the lack caused by contextualization in that aspect. I could use them in analogies to make a point, but I would not ascribe these words to God and our faith proper.
—
CS
Peter Hamm on Mon, April 14, 2008
CS,
sounds to me like the greek word “kyrios” has been “contextualized” into English pretty well for you…
Interesting that in some languages it’s translated into the word for “mister”…
http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/wink.gif
Derek on Mon, April 14, 2008
Whenever Christians in different contexts begin a conversation about contextualization, they normally find themselves in disagreement.
We agree the Greek word kurios implies a certain kind of elevated status of authority. The word “Lord” does imply that IF you have an understanding of the feudal system in medieval Eurpore. However when I use that word where I pastor in South Georgia, people normally think of it in a religious context.
For many people here, making Jesus the “Lord” of your life implies believing the right things to go to heaven when you die. When I use the word “boss” and talk about making Jesus the “boss” of you life then it means something for how they live their lives.
Maybe “King” would be a word we can all agree on.
Derek
Derek on Mon, April 14, 2008
Peter,
My point exactly….
I think it is hard for people to understand that the moment we start talking about the Scriptures using English, we are contextualizing what the Bible says.
Looks like EP likes to use the word “master” for kurios in the “New-Age inspired” <wink wink> Message Bible.
Romans 10:9 Say the welcoming word to God—“Jesus is my Master”—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation.
Revelation 4:11 Worthy, O Master! Yes, our God! Take the glory! the honor! the power! You created it all; It was created because you wanted it.
Peter Hamm on Mon, April 14, 2008
I’m a big fan of EP, but I think the Message is at best an okay paraphrase/commentary on scripture, so I hesitate to use it as an example (Since the NLT I don’t use it at all anymore actually)
but…
I like his use of “Master”. Derek, you NAILED it. Because the word “Lord” is thought of as a “religious” term, people do indeed think of it in terms of lists of things you “need to believe to be saved” which is ridiculous, and not what following Jesus faithfully is all about at all.
Curiously (pun intended) “kurios” can be translated “sir” in certain contexts, too!
Derek on Mon, April 14, 2008
Peter,
Yeah I use the MB sparingly in preaching/teaching. I use it really only to illustrate a point after dong my own work on a certain next.
I love the story of the how he wrote the MB. He talks about it in Eat This Book. He had a real pastoral concern for people to live the Scripture and be formed by the Scripture and not just treat it as a “religious text” for religious purposes only.
EP is a great pastor to pastors.
Derek
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