Our churches are aging. Quickly! School kids, once gone, seldom return. Young families attending church regularly are few and far between. Burdened grandparents bring their grandchildren to a building and program that is senior friendly and child adverse. More churches are building ramps for wheelchairs and elevators than are expanding the nursery and kids areas. It’s time for a change. It’s time for leaders to lead.
If you have ever invited someone to church, printed a promotional flyer or put up a church sign, then you’re in. That means you believe you have a level on responsibility to get folks to church. I believe that too. I am a leader and I am going to figure out how to get people to church. Church is good. Here are four ways to help you get more young families into church.
- Think young- Parents of young children were born in and around the 80s. They have never not know, TV, internet, email, cell phones etc… Philosophies were different also. read and study the 80s. More on this in another blog post.
- Think Safe– The number one objective of the managers at the Disney Theme Parks is not making money or getting the lines shorter at the roller coaster. It is safety. Every church volunteer and staff person needs to know that safety is numero uno! We cover this is great detail in a podcast called, What Parents Look For in a Church. http://reachkeep.com/?p=39
- Fish Well- Not only does a good fisherman use the right bait, but he goes to the right place. Throw your fishing line for young families in to the “digital pond”. Social media, Google search, and websites are all great place to be. Elementary schools, little league and neighborhood birthday parties are all leveraging these items. You should too.
- Carry their Cares– What do young moms and dads think about more than anything else in the world? The same thing we do,—our kids. As a leader your cares need to be more in align with their cares. Quality friendships, good heroes, and effective instruction are all things that have biblical roots. Preaching and teaching on these topics make good sense AND is part of our obligation to teach the Word.
There is an old axiom that says, What gets measured is what gets done. So step back and see just how much of these four items you are doing. Have you doing the right activities? Are you taking the measurable steps that will help make your church young again?