The Engaged Church: 3 Keys to Mission is the first in a 4-part series on why churches should engage with their communities, and how to do so.

1. THE ENGAGED
CHURCH:
3 KEYS TO OUR MISSION

2. 1. WHAT HAS
CHANGED?
… A L O T M O R E T H A N Y O U T H I N K !

4. PRE-COVID US CONGREGATIONS
7% are over 400.
93% are under 400.
350,000+ congregations in the US.

5. BGAV:
1400+
CHURCHES
90% under 200
attendance
7% -- 200 to 450
3% -- 450+

6. 6 CONGREGATIONAL TRENDS
Small churches are getting smaller.
Denominational connections weaker.
Worship is more informal.

7. 6 CONGREGATIONAL TRENDS
Members are older.
More diversity and inclusion.
More people in large churches.

8. PRE-COVID
CHURCH ATTENDANCE
Median attendance = 70.
Median adult attendance = 50.

9. USA: OLDER, MORE DIVERSE

12. RELIGIOUS DECLINE IN US
•“American religiosity has declined in
recent decades.”
•“The trend is toward less religion.”
•Since 1955, belief in God has declined
by 1% per decade.
– American Religion: Contemporary Trends, Second Edition, 2017, Mark Chaves

19. WHAT HASN’T
CHANGED?
… M O R E T H A N Y O U M I G H T T H I N K !

20. God -
Father, Son and Holy
Spirit

21. THE GOOD NEWS
• 16 For God so loved the
world that he gave his
one and only Son, that
whoever believes in
shall not perish but
eternal life. –John 3:16
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

23. WHAT’S NEXT?
H O W C A N W E R E I M A G I N E O U R C H U R C H I N
T H I S N E W W O R L D ?

24. RESILIENCE

26. Mission is not how we get others to do
something that benefits our church.
Mission is what we do intentionally and
consistently to bless our community.

27. “SPIRITUALLY VITAL
CONGREGATIONS…
…come together for a divine common
purpose in ways that are transformative
to the people within them and to
their communities.”
-- American Congregations 2018, Hartford Seminary

29. MISSION: LIMITS AND FOCUS

30. A NEW APPROACH…
“Small churches need to pivot from
ENTERTAINMENT
to
ENGAGEMENT.”
- Will Willimon

32. Small businesses and
organizations in your
community are thriving.

33. ENGAGEMENT
MISCONCEPTIONS
•A Million More in ‘54
•Survival isn’t mission.
•The end does not
justify the means.

35. YOU’RE NOT ENGAGED UNLESS
YOUR COMMUNITY NOTICES

36. CHURCHES
THRIVE WHEN…
• They give themselves away
to their community…
• In collaborative ministry…
• So that the community
values the church as a vital
partner.

37. FRAMEWORK FOR ENGAGEMENT
•Meaning
•Hospitality
•Place

39. NEXT WEEK:
MEANING
… A N D W H Y I T ’ S I M P O R TA N T !