Why Your Current Attendance Is the New Normal

Many church leaders and church members share with me that they are looking forward to the day when everyone is back attending church like they were before the pandemic. Sadly, for most churches, that is simply not going to be a reality. I understand there will be differences according to contexts, but it is largely true.

My thesis is not meant to be fatalistic. I am hopeful that you will take your current attendance as your base, or new normal, and seek God’s power to grow the church from there. I see this new normal as an opportunity rather than a defeat.

So, why is your current attendance a new normal? Here are the five most common reasons we found.

1. The habit of attendance has been broken. 

Gathering with fellow believers is a spiritual discipline, not that different from prayer or reading the Bible. Once you get out of the habit, it is difficult to return.

2. If someone has not returned by this point, they are not likely to return. 

Simply stated, these persons are out of the habit. In most areas, they have had plenty of time to return. They are now part of the growing de-churched movement.

3. Many who say they are now digital attendees have really dropped out. 

I was speaking to a friend recently who said she now “attends” church digitally. She really likes being able to attend the services in her casual clothes or pajamas. I then asked her how long it had been since she viewed a service. She sheepishly admitted it had been about three months. She is representative of a new and growing group I call “the inactive digitals.”

4. If someone was not connected in a small group, they are likely not returning. 

Take note of those who are currently attending. Look at your record to see who has not returned. I bet you will find a strong correlation between small group involvement before the pandemic and in-person worship attendance today. We are certainly seeing that reality in the thousands of churches that connect with Church Answers.

5. Many of the dropouts were already on the fringes. 

The pandemic accelerated the pace for them to become a dropout. It likely would have happened anyway.

While we certainly would not advocate abandoning all contact with these recently de-churched people, we would encourage you to look where the harvest fields are ripe, to use Jesus’ metaphor. Yes, it can be discouraging to see members drop out, but the opportunities are great.

Jesus said to his disciples and, thus, to us today, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Matt. 9:37–38). The past two years have been a challenge in many ways. But Jesus promises a bright future to those who are obedient to his Great Commission.

Read more from Thom Rainer »

This article originally appeared on ChurchAnswers.com and is reposted here by permission.

Thom Rainer
Thom Rainerhttp://ThomRainer.com

Thom S. Rainer serves as president and CEO of Church Answers and executive director of Revitalize Network. He served for 12 years as dean at Southern Seminary and for 13 years as the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Also a respected researcher and former pastor, he has written more than 25 books, including many best sellers, such as I Am a Church Member. Rainer and his wife, Nellie Jo, have three grown sons, several grandchildren and live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Unbroken Faithfulness

As we face challenge and opposition in our contexts, let’s be encouraged to keep going with consistency, moral courage and confidence in the Scriptures as God’s Word for all time—including our time.

Derwin Gray: 4 Ways to Refill

If we attempt to provide for others without first being nourished ourselves, we burn out. We wound ourselves and others.

4 Foundations for Successful Church Planting

Fueled by the passion of a calling, having committed themselves in prayer, and by playing a long game of patience and persistence, successful church planters establish effective churches by walking in a manner worthy of the purpose to which they’ve been called.