Anatonmy of a dying church

For all of my Christian life I've been a member of a mainline church which is one of - if not the #1 - fastest declining and oldest denomination in Australia.

As such, I've seen and heard about a lot of dying churches.

Generally, they contain a few common traits.

• They love Jesus (even dying churches are full of people who love Jesus).

BUT

• They don't have a refreshment of people for those who are dying (this doesn't necessarily need to be younger people, just any fresh bodies!).
• They are stuck in their style of doing things.
• They have an unhealthy church budget. This means that more than a third is used for staffing, their budget is dependant on external tenancy & offerings are declining.
• The majority of budget, worship, energy and creativity are directed inwardly.
• They have, and are often proud, of older communication and offertory strategies.
• They have a worn out facility.
• They have no family/children's ministry strategy.
• There's reduced human resources, resulting in the majority of activities done by the minister.
• They have quick minister/staff turnover.

No church sets out to be fatally declining, but a lot of churches, when you look at them are at their deaths door.

The challenge is to spot these markers, hear the alarm-bells and do all you can to try and reverse the tide.