Devotional Thoughts
Why should anyone be interested in expanding the teaching ministry of the church?
Consider this, every year most congregations have several people drop out for one or more reasons: A few die. A couple becomes disenchanted with the new pastor. A husband drops out following the death of his wife. Several marry into another church.
In smaller congregations this is about 3-5 percent of the reported membership. In medium sized churches the annual member loss rate is 6 to 9 percent. In large churches the rate is 10 to 25 percent. The teaching ministry ranks second only to excellent preaching as a means of attracting new people to join a church.
Thus an expansion of the teaching ministry of your church is probably the most effective means of reaching, attracting, and serving the new generations of younger members who represent a broad range of values, needs and desires.
However, there is an easier alternate to expanding the teaching ministry of the church. It is to grow smaller in size as the members grow old together.
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