How to Keep Church Members in the Stands

This week offers more opportunities to watch football than any other week of the year. The NFL has teams fighting for position in the playoffs and the college bowl games are in full swing. Hundreds of thousands of fans will sit in the stands of stadiums around the country pulling for their favorite teams.

It's great to be a fan in the stands but it's even more fun to be a participant on the field.

Unfortunately, a lot of church members would rather be spectators rather than participants. God didn't design you to sit and watch. He created you for a purpose and He wants you on the playing field.

It reminds me of something I read a long time ago.

How to Keep Church Members in the Stands (and off the playing field)

1. Keep People in Large Groups

People get lost in a crowd so never encourage them to meet in small groups or classes. Pretty soon they will stop coming or be in trouble and no one will even notice.

2. Let a Few People Do it All

If you let a few people do all the ministry in your church, others won't feel needed and may stop coming altogether.

3. Make the Vision of the Church a Mystery

The Bible says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." If you don't let people know the vision and purpose of the Church, they won't have a cause that keeps them involved.

4. Don't Require much of your Members

The Bible teaches that every member of the Body of Christ has a function. That means members that don't serve keep God's Church handicapped. If you do away with all expectations for involvement, the lack of commitment will keep more people on the membership roll than in ministry.

5. Create Boring and Irrelevant Worship Services

People will want to attend a church that has exciting worship and teaching that speaks to everyday life. The better you bore folks, the more inactive they become.

6. Stifle Spiritual Growth

Healthy Christians are usually active church members. Don't encourage people to grow spiritually. Don't endorse spiritual disciplines like daily Bible reading/study, prayer, tithing, etc.