Analysis...continued

When I started writing on this topic, the title was "Analysis of a Stagnant Church". But after giving it some thought, I chose to use a more positive, glass-half-full heading. Hence, I titled this series "Analysis of a Church with Opportunity for Growth". And it's true, isn't it? A stagnant church, or one that is not growing, has an opportunity. It's an opportunity to grow and move on to greater things.

As I try and wrap this up, I'm going to share a few observations and then a conclusion. Because of time constraints, this post contains only one observation. Feedback is encouraged and welcome!

Hey, where is everyone?

Our Sunday morning service begins at 10:30. It is very common for there to be only 6-10 people in attendance at 10:25. There is a bit of a rush with folks (including members of the praise and worship team) streaming in within that five minute span and then a good bunch between 10:30 and 11:00. It is unpleasant because there is a sort of nervous, unsettled energy as people rush in. As one who has had to own up to lateness and deal with it in my own life, I believe it is often a symptom of underlying issues. Lateness can signify waning enthusiasm, boredom and lack of interest. It also conveys to others that it's not important to be on time. I think that's the wrong message to be giving each other, visitors- and the Lord. Whatever the causes, I believe this is an issue we need to come to terms with. We need to understand why it is occurring and then it needs to be remedied. Without a doubt, chronic lateness is a stumbling block to growth.