“Reaching the Summit: Avoiding & Reversing Decline in the Church
Straight-forward, honest, practical! This book is a down-to-earth analysis of why so many churches are in decline – and what to do about it. Books like this, written by practitioners who have actually lead churches to healthy growth are far more significant than treatises by armchair experts who only criticize the church. If you are in a declining church, read this book and put its insights into practice. God wants your church to thrive and tools like this will facilitate that process.”

Dr. Jeff Iorg, President, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary

“Is your church truly healthy or would an honest assessment reveal otherwise? Many pastors and leaders, believing their church to be healthy, should read this book as a guide for honestly assessing current reality. George Yates, the author, clearly and practically identifies the phases of church decline and presents them in such fashion that they can be used as evaluation inquiries for church leaders. George also offers clear strategies for addressing critical issues that contribute to church decline based on his years of experience serving and assisting churches coupled with his studies in church health. The readers will be challenged to examine their church in light of the Biblical mandate of reaching the lost and making disciples.”

Larry W. Fillingim, Director of Missions, Noonday Baptist Association, Marietta, GA

“This book is dangerous in the hands of a ministry leader who believes that the church can be more than a weekly religious event. It describes the symptoms of the ailing church and gives sound ministry counsel as to finding the cure. The risk is in revealing the honest congregational answer to the question Jesus posed long ago, “Do you want to get well?” I have personally observed George wisely coaching churches to confront their realities and move toward their dreams. The church has never had a better friend.”

Dr. Michael Stewart, Director of Missions, Central Coast Baptist Association

“Reversing Decline in the Church hits on all pistons. George has given us rock-solid understanding and action plans that flow from his life-long journey into God’s Word, his years in local church ministry and consulting churches, and his passion for Christ’s bride. Even if your church isn’t in decline, you’ll want to read this book. It will keep you from arriving there.”

Rick Howerton, Small Group Specialist, NAV Press

“George Yates who taught us how to practice teaching that would bear fruit has now given us a book that will help turn the declining church around. With 80% of evangelical churches plateaued or declining this is a much needed work.”

Dr. Ken Hemphill, Director of Center for Church Planting and Revitalization, North Greenville University.

For more information or to order your copy visit: http://soncare.net/index_files/Page1193.htm

Don was a member of one church where I served on staff. He truly had a servant’s heart. Don had retired from a local factory and spent much of his time serving God leading Bible studies and services in nursing homes, visiting shut-ins, and the sick in the community. I cannot remember a time when Don was not available and ready to serve in whatever capacity was needed; whether it was visiting, a demolition or refurbishing project, or driving someone to the airport or doctors appointment. Don truly was a servant of God and it humbles me still today when I think of his selfless, faithful service to our Lord.

I begin this article with my perspective of Don Hollingsworth because he taught me a lot and when God called me away from that church, I feel Don gave me one the greatest compliments I have ever received. On our last day of service with this particular church Don stood before the congregation and said, “One thing I learned from George is there are no problems in life, only opportunities.” Don went on to explain what that meant in general and in his personal life.

That may not seem like what you would consider a great compliment. I was not expecting this comment, still I consider it a compliment and a testimony of living day in and day out of how iron sharpens iron. Here was a man twenty plus years my senior, whom God was using to influence and encourage me and sometimes to humble me as well. Following his statement I began reflecting on our four years together in ministry and could recall Don entering my office, riding in the car to a visit, or even sitting at lunch. Though I may not have realized the events when they happened, I could now recall Don entering my office and saying we have a problem, or sitting at lunch, or in the car saying something similar using the word problem. My response was always the same, “Don, we don’t have a problem, we have an opportunity.” Then we would begin to explore the opportunity. What did God have in mind and in store for us through this opportunity?

You may ask what is the difference. The difference, I believe is huge and of cataclysmic proportion. When we look at issues and situations as problems, our efforts and outlook are only focused on the negative. No matter how we try to explain away our attitudes and actions dealing with problems always originate from the negative plane. You cannot put enough spin on your words or actions to remove it from the negative.

On the other hand when you deal only in opportunities you always deal from the positive plane. Where ever there is an opportunity there is the prospect of betterment. When we deal with opportunity our thoughts are on improvement or becoming better. I believe it is nearly (if not always) impossible to view opportunity from a negative plane. Opportunity imparts a positive point of view and positions you for a constructive approach to your situation or issue.

When we view our situation as a problem we almost always push the reasoning to someone or some event outside of our control. “It was the economy.” “Our people are not doing their job.” This is human nature because we cannot possibly view ourselves as the problem.
However, when we deal with opportunities we always probe how we can improve our organization, ourselves, and the productivity of our employees or volunteers. Dealing with opportunities in this manner becomes a winning situation for everyone.

Even in personal life those who deal in problems will always operate out of the negative plane. “I really messed that up. I don’t know what I am doing.” That is certainly dealing from a negative, problematic point of view. There was certainly something gone wrong here. I did mess up, the opportunity is, now how can I learn from this and take action steps to improve and demonstrate that I can do this and greater things than this.

Hopefully, by now you can see this is much more than semantics or a play on words. There is an enormous difference in attitude and action toward the issue, the people involved and the desired improved outcome.

In life you are given opportunities to help yourself and others. As long as you view people or situations as problems you will never rise above a negative perspective on life. And you will never be all that God created you to be. However, once you begin to view life as a series of opportunities, not only will your life improve. You will assist in the improvement of life for many. That my friends is the purpose God has for you in life.

Remember, there are no problems in life, only opportunities. Let’s improve something today!

(East) Right – Will this path bring the spectacular sunrises and new dawning for which we are seeking? You might initially think that turning right or East is similar to turning West. But East and West are complete opposites. You can travel North and eventually you will be travelling South. The world is round and North eventually becomes South. However, you can travel East and never reach a point where you will be travelling West. The two never meet. The two are opposites.

Turning left or west will lead your organization on a venture where few or no one has traveled before. Traveling East on the other hand may be new territory for your organization, but if it is based on proven principles and your organizations core values, it can lead to beautiful vistas and fruitful ministry.

When we think of East we think of beautiful sunrises and the dawning of new days. This may sound good for your organization. After all, who does not like the idea of the dawning of a new day and a beautiful sunrise? However, not all days come with beautiful sunrise vistas, do they? As I am writing this I am looking out my window at a cold, dreary, misty, gray day. The sun may have come up this morning, but it was not within my view. The question we must ask of turning East, “Will this path bring the spectacular sunrises and new dawning for which we are seeking?”

If you want to kill the morale of any organization, take that organization in a direction that ends in peril. Even if the organization survives the directional change, it most likely will not survive the plunge in morale. Many leaders have led the charge to directional change by promising beautiful vistas and spectacular sunrises that they were not able to supply. Most of those leaders have led a short tenure. Choose wisely.

(South) U-turn – Should we return to what we know is safe? Turn around, go back and live in the past (familiar territory). People are most comfortable within the confines of what is familiar. Facing the unknown brings apprehension, anxiety, and nervousness. The apparent safest directional change at any intersection is to turn around and return on the same path you have been traveling. It appears to be the safest because it is the only route that we know something of. It is the only path we have traveled, so we may know where the bumps and curves are. Any of the other directional changes lead us to unfamiliar territory.

The impediment here is the path we have traveled has led us to this crossroad. The question becomes, Has it produced the outcomes we anticipated on the journey? If we are at this particular crossroad because we have not realized perceived outcomes or achieved our objectives, then what will turning around and traveling back the same route produce?

Every living thing God created, He created to grow, to progress, and reproduce. Turning around, traveling where we have already been as an organization never advances the organization. God crated us to make forward progress.

Stop -There is one other option that can be made at any crossroad; Shut the engine off, place the shifter in park, and do nothing. Caution – Anything standing still is not making progress. I am told the worst thing you can do for a house is leave it empty. A house will deteriorate much quicker when it is empty, not occupied or being used. The same is true with a car. Mechanics and car enthusiasts tell us that if you leave a car sitting without being started or driven, it only takes a few months before the car will need major repair work to run smoothly again – to perform as it was designed.

Shutting the engine off at an intersection usually means the organization has run its course and the leaders and members are ready to close the doors and dissolve the organization. You cannot remain at the intersection. Progress cannot be made standing still and the highway must remain open for those who will come behind you.

For progress to be made you must be moving – in one direction. Which direction is right for your organization?
Is it continuing in the current direction (north)? Is this bringing the desired results of our organization?
Does your organization have what it takes to be pioneers? (west)
Is the best direction for your organization East, putting the proven principles others have proven into practice within your organizations abilities?

Is turning around and traveling the same path of your past going to bring better outcomes than those that brought you to this crossroads.

Which direction is going to give you kingdom results?

Determine which direction is right for your church or organization. Then each of the functions of the organization will need a “Crossroads” examination followed by a similar examination for each ministry of the church or arm of the organization.

When you find yourself or your organization at one of the crossroads of life, what will be your decision?

In part one of this series we observed that in life’s journey as individuals and as a church or other organization, along all journeys we are confronted with crossroads. At every crossroad there are directional options – choices to be made. In this post we will look at two of those options.

(North) Straight – Will the path we currently are on lead us to where we want to go? We are driving north as we approach this intersection, this crossroad. So our first option is to continue on the same path traveling north. Should we go straight through this crossroad? To answer this question we must first ask ourselves another question. Will the path we currently are on lead us to where we want to go?

As an organization we have been traveling this direction up to this point.
1. Is this bringing the desired results of our organization?
2. Are we closer to reaching our objective?
If your organization has seen positive results and you have seen viable encouraging outcomes, then you may want to continue on this path. However, the fact that you are reading this material means 1) you are not completely satisfied with the path you are on, or 2) you are at least willing to look at the alternatives.

If, like many churches, you are not totally satisfied with the progress your organization is making the good news is at every crossroad there are options. Let’s look at three other directional options. One more in this entry and two in the next blog post.

(West) Left – Do we have what it takes to be pioneers? Turning left leads to new horizons. Are we pioneers heading off into the sunset? When you are facing north, west is always to your left. The sun sets in the west and man has for centuries moved west for exploration and the adventure of what lay over the next horizon. Whether it was setting out to prove the world was round, or traveling west to prove there was something worth seeing beyond Kaintuck (Kentucky), pioneers have always accepted the challenge of forging ahead and establishing new territory. The question we must ask is, Do we have what it takes to be pioneers?

With every pioneer effort there are new challenges, some life-threatening. Therefore we as leaders must ask, “Are the people of our organization up to the possible challenges of this westward venture?” Once again to answer this question we must first ask three other questions.

1. If this is the right direction for our organization, what is the absolute best outcome we can expect?
2. If this turns out to be the wrong direction for our organization, what is the absolute worst scenario that this directional change could lead to?
3. Can our organization continue to exist if number two turns out to be our scenario, and are we as leaders ready to live with that outcome?

Taking a long soulful look at these three questions can assist any organization in directional moves at any and every crossroad. With the westward directional change, you are accepting the call of Lewis and Clark, of Christopher Columbus, and Daniel Boone. Are you willing to be risk takers with the life of your organization at stake?

Be certain to read part three for two other directional options at all crossroads.

In our personal lives and the life of the church we come to many crossroads. At each crossroad or intersection a decision must be made. Namely, “Which direction will we take?” Each of the intersecting highways leads not only in a different direction, each leads us distinctly away from the intersection, the crossroad, our point of decision. For some this means a move away from the familiar and into unknown territory.

Unknown territory for most people brings caution. For some, unknown or unfamiliar territory is a forbidden chasm – a deep, dark hole that should not be explored. To leave the comfortable and the familiar would be like leaving a warm bed on a cold morning for a barefoot walk in the snow.

However, the unknown and unfamiliar can yield some of life’s greatest treasures. Had Columbus not wanted to satisfy his curiosities, when would the “new world” have been discovered? He came to a crossroad in his life; to sail off to the west or to live the rest of his life forever wondering. When Columbus came to his crossroad he chose to go west.

If a group of believers not had opposition with the Church of England would they have come to the crossroads of setting out to find a place to practice freedom of religion? We all come to crossroads in our lives. At each crossroad we find avenues that lead us away from our point of decision, our crossroad. At each crossroad we must make a choice. The decision we make at this crossroad will influence every crossroad we encounter hereafter.

For the visual example of this scenario let’s imagine that we are traveling north on the highway of life. We are driving north on our journey as we approach a crossroad. A crossroad is where two or more roadways intersect.

As we approach each crossroad in life the decision to be made takes into consideration several variables. The first of these variables is directional. Over the next few entries we will look at where each of these directional variables may take us. Each one will have its challenges and victories. Be certain to read each entry in this series of blog posts.

Teacher, associate teacher, and class secretary, here are three essential positions for every Small Group Bible study class or group that meets regularly. As your class grows ( or if your class has more than three people in it) you should have a plan of additional positions of responsibility for members. Other positions of leadership include:

• Outreach leader – one who assists the class in continual contact of individuals outside the church. This person should also work with your class Ministry/Missions leader to provide opportunities for class members to be involved in mission projects sponsored by the class or the church designed to make contact and share the gospel with the community outside the church.

• Inreach leader – This person coordinates ministry efforts to the attending members, prospects, and potential members of the class. As the class grows the inreach leader will coordinate the care groups and regular contact of members, prospects, and potential members.

• Prayer coordinator – is responsible to keeping the class informed of prayer needs, requests, and praise reports. This person will also coordinate the prayer time in class.

• Activities coordinator – The right person for this position will enjoy seeking out, calendaring, and planning group activities (monthly preferably) for the class to partake in. These will include 1) social gatherings i.e. picnic in the park or at a member’s home, trips to ball games, game nights, movie outings, and other gatherings members will enjoy, 2) local mission/ministry projects i.e. raking leaves, yard clean up, feeding the homeless, working at food pantry, clothing closet, etc.

• Discipleship coordinator – Small Open Group Bible studies provide an entry level for discipleship. This person will key in on topics of interest briefly discussed in class and research resources for the class to study at a separate gathering or on their own for deeper study in God’s word.

This is only a beginning for areas of responsibility for the small group. I believe everyone in your small group should have an area of responsibility within the group. This builds in ownership and friendly accountability within the group as well as fills a basic human need to feel needed and of value. Everyone, you ask? Yes everyone. I have a list (somewhere) of an area of responsibility for each letter of the alphabet for the small group Bible study unit. That’s 26 in Kentucky and it should be the same for other in the USA at least. I also believe every leader should be apprenticing a future leader as well. That is fifty-two areas of responsibility so you should not run out. If you have that many people in your Bible study, it is no longer a small group. It is a church that needs to implement a small group strategy for Bible study.

Other areas of responsibility can include: greeters, care group leaders, research specialists (ex. people who love music can be asked to bring lyrics or recordings of upcoming topics like grace, faith, etc.), set up and clean up, and my favorite, “The keeper of the Doughnut list.” Who’s bringing doughnuts next week?

An organized class is an effective functioning small group meeting needs and growing in Christ, no matter what day or time of the week they meet.

The title of this article may seem a little awkward but bear with me. Many churches have some type of small group Bible study classes for members and others interested in attending such a class. For many this is called Sunday School. Other names and variations are known as Small Groups, Life Groups, Home groups, etc. Since you are reading this, in all probability, you are a leader in one of these or at least you are an attending member of a small group Bible study.

Healthy, growing churches utilize the smaller group Bible study approach, but not only for Bible study. Small group Bible study classes or units in my opinion can and should be the lifeline of the church. Small group Bible study classes are ideal for fostering relationships, carrying out ministry to one another, doing ministry/mission work together (locally and abroad) to the community outside the church, as well as growing spiritually together.

One of my firm beliefs and recurring statements to church leaders around the nation is, “Anything a church wants to do, it can and should do through the Sunday School” (or small group). I say this not only because I believe it, I say it because I have lived it. Whether your church is embarking on a stewardship campaign, desiring to recruit more choir members, or anything in between, it can and should be done through the Sunday School.

To do this effectively you need a well organized, functioning Small Group Bible study. Not only a general organization for the size of your church, each unit (class) needs to be organized for effectiveness.

What should the organization look like? The organization of classes will look somewhat different for various age groups. However, I believe all classes for all ages should have a teacher and an associate teacher. The teacher is the primary leader in the class and has the responsibility of preparing and delivering an age appropriate (for class members) lesson each week.

I use the term associate teacher because I believe every leader should be mentoring, apprenticing someone for his/her leadership role. And the class teacher should be apprenticing the associate teacher to become the primary teacher of a similar class. Some churches use substitute teachers in their classes. How often does a substitute teach? Only when the teacher is out – maybe once or twice a year. On the other hand an associate teacher is expected to teach at least once a month or one in four sessions. How else will he/she and the teacher know the associate is ready to take on a class as the primary teacher?

Churches should have two adults in every class with participants 18 and under. Why not recruit associate teachers for the second person in each class? Adult classes have their entire ministry list (class roll) from which to find an associate teacher.

I also believe every class needs a recording secretary. This person is responsible for taking attendance, but this is only a small portion of his/her work. The class secretary holds the key to effective ministry for the class. The class organization should be established so that the secretary informs the class inreach leader and/or care leaders of absentees so contacts can be made and possible ministry needs can be explored. If the class does not have an inreach leader or care groups, time should be set aside in class each week to allow the secretary to share this information with the class at large.

In preschool classes and younger children’s classes, the teacher or associate teacher would, in most cases, take on the role of secretary. In older children’s classes, youth classes and all adult classes I encourage teachers to recruit class members to fill this and other organizational roles to improve the effectiveness of the class. Giving ownership of the class to members is one approach in building organization and desire for building the class.

This is only the beginning for structuring classes for effectiveness. And if every one of your classes established even this much organization, what a difference you would see in your Small Group Bible study effectively carrying out the Great Commission. 

Have you ever watched one of those TV fishing shows? Here is the scenario. Usually two to three men fishing in a boat and they are really intrigued with the idea of “the catch” – reeling in the next fish of prey, the next “big one.”

When that fish is being hauled in everyone is excited, voices are raised in anticipation of landing this catch. After all, this is why they fish. When the fish is finally landed it is held up and paraded in front of the camera.

Everyone gives praise for the fine specimen. Then they drop the fish in a holding tank, possibly with others caught previously that day. Then with the blink of an eye everyone’s attention turns to the anticipation of the next one to be caught not really knowing when or where that might be. Little or no attention is given to the fish in the holding tank until the end of the day.

I see the same thing in many churches today. We do a good job of courting people, but once they join the church, once we have landed them in our boat, churches have a tendency to allow people to drift and sway at will. Now we don’t intend for this to happen, but often times our focus is on the intrigue of making the catch, not on what is already in the boat.

In other words like the fishermen, we are excited to have this prospect and we do all we can to show our enthusiasm to have him/her join us (reeling them in). Once they do join our church, we may have have him/her stand in front of the church and parade by them expressing our gratefulness, and maybe put his/her name in the monthly newsletter. Then we place the new member in the holding tank and turn our attention to where the next catch might come from.

In many churches the new member is now on his own. We don’t actually have a holding tank. We may tell the new member about a Bible study class they can join, but much like the fish, we do not give much attention to someone once they join our church. It is as if we expect all newcomers to know everything about Christianity and our church and how it functions as soon as they join. In reality it does not happen this way.

Unfortunately churches that operate this way have a hole in their holding tank. It doesn’t take long for a fish swimming around in a faulty tank to find out where the hole is. Their natural inclination is to swim right through the hole back into open water and away from the fishermen. Like the fish, people in uncomfortable and unfamiliar surroundings will find the hole or the back door so to speak and walk right through it.

So, how do we keep them? Two important things to remember. First, people need relationships, they need friends. Newcomers need to begin building at least one new relationship within the church (classroom) immediately. If one new relationship has not begun to form within four weeks the newcomer will walk through that back door or swim right through the hole in the holding tank. They will leave the church—many times unnoticed.

The second thing newcomers need is an area of responsibility. People need expectations and we like responsibility. Responsibility gives pride of ownership. Now this does not mean that newcomers need to be given a teachers job, or deacon or elder position right away. However, there are many areas they can fill in the Sunday School organization and in the church. Positions like Greeters, refreshments, organizers, singing, playing an instrument, etc.

If newcomers do not have an area of responsibility within three months, they will leave the church before his/her six month anniversary. Think back on your church. You have seen this happen, people coming in who you think are going to be a good asset to the church. Then six months later they are gone. We have a tendency to believe their commitment was not genuine. Rarely do we reflect on what we could have done as a church to help them feel accepted.

People need relationships. God built within each one of us an innate desire to have relationships with Him and with other people. Think about it, why did God create man? To have someone to walk through the garden with in the cool of the evening. Then, He created what for man? A woman, a companion. As God created everything He stated, “It is good.” That is everything until He created man. Then He said it is not good…that man should live alone. And with that statement God created our help-meet, someone to have a relationship with.

People also need responsibility. Everyone in your class and your church needs an area of responsibility. Find out what each person likes to do, what they enjoy and are good at. Then find an area of responsibility to exercise his/her skills and abilities. It is possible. Start with the letter “A” and list an area of responsibility for each letter of the alphabet. If you name one for each letter you’ll have a reserve of at least twenty-six areas of responsibility. Here are a few letters to get you started. A – apprentice, G – greeter, I – inreach leader, O – outreach leader, R – researcher, X – xerox person. Doing this exercise I listed fifty-two areas of responsibility for each adult & youth Bible study class. Just think if you did it for your church!

Here’s the test. Do your guests and new members feel truly accepted or do they struggle to squeeze in past the historical barriers you and your church have set up? Investigate it. Then work diligently with your class members or church leaders to change the way you practice fishing.
This is Teaching That Bears Fruit.