I was recently having a talk with a leader from another Church about Church growth. He was bemoaning the fact that many of the Church’s programs seem to produce very little results. I simply asked him to identify his purpose in each program. You see, as we were talking he mentioned three different groups their Church was trying to reach. One, they were trying to reach lost people. Two, they were trying to get their old members back. Three, they were hoping to attract some new members who were Christians but did not currently attend anywhere. I asked him an evaluation question for his programming; “Who is this program trying to reach?”
I believe that is takes different programs to accomplish each of those goals. What reaches lost people is different from former Church members and that is different from reaching people of marginal faith. His tendency, and mine, is to create one program and hope to hit everyone. It rarely works that way. You need to have focus in your programs and in the actions that surround them to reach a specific task.
After this conversation I began thinking about a greater application to this truth. Much of what I do everyday really needs to be refocused too. For example: As a husband are my actions leading to a better marriage? As a father, are my actions leading to better parenthood? As a Christ-follower, are my actions leading me into a deeper relationship with Jesus? My tendency is to just go about my business and hope for great results. Honestly, sometimes it works. But also, sometimes it doesn’t.
What would happen if I lived more directed toward specific goals everyday, in every area of my life?
What would happen in yours?