My church is small and struggling. Years back in the 60's, 70's and even the 80's---the seats were filled at 700. Now we average about 90. The neighborhood went bad, the highway cut us off and this is the traditional reason for the loss of people. But I found out that in the 80's a pastor with our church was having an affair and no one confronted him and he wasn't fired. He was with the church....10 year! Sordid affairs thoughout the whole time! So people left. I think THAT is the real reason we dwindled. Consequences happen when you allow evil to fester in your church . So we sit in a community filled with poor struggling families. Primarily white, Indian and mixed race community, wracked with drugs and poverty. In this community---its the whites who struggle with the most issues--drugs, neglect, poverty. Interesting that our Indian and mix race families are much more intact. They are poor---but have intact families. We compose of about 20 to 30 youth (6th grade to 18 ), 20 elderly, 20 middle age, 20-25 kids age 5-11 and no parents. All the children and youth come on their own---they get up on their own and come. Sometimes they decide to sleep in and don't show ---but I am shocked how these kids come on their own Wed nights and Sunday morning. With the exception of my own two children---all the youth are kids who came on their own from very young ages. They came because our church was here in their neighborhood. And when they move they ask we pick them up. Its sad when I remind a child to take their project home to show their mom or dad---and I'm told mom and dad is in prison. Three of my kids have a parent or both parents in prison or jail. They have uncles in jail, aunts in jail..... Several have grandmothers raising them because they were basically abandoned by both parents. I remember a set of twins whose parents were put in jail for drug charges. When the mother got out of prison---she abandoned her children. The father died of an over-dose. They used to call us every time they moved to a new foster family---so that we knew where to pick them up. They are in their 20's now and doing fine--going to school and working. I went to a larger, richer more extravagant church for a while---but was left empty and went back to my "home", working with kids. To me--big mega churches in rich neighborhoods are such a waste. True its hard to sustain a church in a community where extra dollars aren't there....but such trials brings true faith in God's ability to provide. These children that continue to come do well---they break from the poverty and don't fall in the trap that held their parents. They are hungry for God. After attending this church for almost 20 years---I've seen children from the most hideous of circumstances make good decisions, and stay on the right path eventually attending college. They have hope in their future. These are the ones that come regularly. I've seen some stop coming---and heard not so positive updates. I feel like we do God's work and though sometimes we don't know where the money will come from to pay the lights or the insurance----it always seems to come.
Churches go through challenges. I have seen some set back on their heels by scandal, but usually a change in the pulpit like bringing in a younger dynamic family helps. Sometimes churches struggling benefit from moving or by merging with others in the same denomination. Just crack on the best you can and maybe things will turn around. If your neighborhood is struggling, there is an opportunity for outreach services that can put people in the pews.
What I wish...is that these mega churches...which frankly I think do good work in different ways---might invest in people and resources within these dilapitated communities. People tend to go to churches for their own satisfaction (is it in a good neighborhood, does it have a bowling alley, does it have a coffee bar), but they miss the true satisfaction of working for God.
There are no mega-churches in my area. Several hundred members is about as mega as it gets in my area.
Sadly this is becomming more the norm, small churches were once seen as a pillar of the community, but now they are falling by the wayside. That is a shame, because the church was there to help those in need, but now I guess it's easier to ask the government.... I really don't understand the attraction to the mega churches, for to me it seems you are just lining the pocket of the "trustees" of the church and/or the pastor.
Mega churches tend to build schools, community organizations and can do excellent outreach past their upscale neighborhoods. But I worry because the pastors and administration have to deal with the extra temptation that comes with money and power.
Thank you for sharing, I am sorry that your community is having such a terrible time and I hope that the work you are doing will help to turn things around. It is wonderful that your church provides a rock for those who need it.
