A few years ago, I read a news article that proclaimed that 9,000 churches in Canada would close in the coming decade (LINK). It gripped my heart as I asked myself, “Why are churches unable to stay open and grow?” In an age where the Canadian population is growing, churches nationwide seem to be shrinking. The media is calling it “the age of secularism,” but I call it a “wake-up call for the churches in Canada.”
You see, I still believe that the gospel is the power of Christ unto Salvation for everyone that believes (Romans 1:16). I don’t think that power has diminished, and I believe it hasn’t left this nation. I simply believe that the churches in Canada have made what they do more about them than about what Jesus asked them to do: “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 29:19-20). When will the church stop worrying about liturgy, dogma, and moral rights and start worrying about the state of the souls of their neighbours? When will we get over ourselves and serve others, considering them above ourselves?
When the church becomes relentlessly outbound and more about those yet to come than those in the building, that is when the church starts to take back lost ground.
And this is what we’re seeing across our nation in the last five years. Churches that are growing by reaching lost Canadians despite all the stats that say “the church is in decline.” Churches in Brandon, Manitoba, Edmonton, Alberta, Southport, Ontario, Montreal, Quebec, Halifax, Nova Scotia report salvations, baptisms and life change every month. In spite of the news reports, Jesus still saves.
Churches that were once declining are now seeing growth. Churches that hadn’t had a baptism in 15 years are baptizing people every month. Churches that hadn’t seen any salvations are seeing people submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
This is the turnaround church movement in our nation. Churches that are going from plateaued or declining to growing by reaching lost people.
This is not an easy thing to do. It takes courage, honesty, humility, prayer, sacrifice, risk, and a lot of shedding of personal preferences. Congregations have difficulty adjusting to being more about others than about themselves. Our tendency is always to become inward-focused. But, we can see turn around in our churches if we take simple steps and learn from others. It is possible for your church to grow by reaching lost people in your community.
Church Vitalization Canada is hosting a free two-day webinar (August 29 & 30), which will equip churches to turn around and reach lost people, as well as feature some of the churches that are a part of the turnaround movement. You can register for free here www.churchvitalization.ca.
Jeremiah works as an Effectiveness Coach with the ABNWT District of the PAOC. He is a passionate and creative leader who believes that the church is the hope of the world. He uses collaboration, innovation, and inspiration to challenge churches and their leadership to engage in the only mission Jesus ever sent his church on: making disciples.