Prior to the pandemic of 2020 more than eighty percent of churches in North America were plateaued or declining. Since then less than one percent are running similar attendance numbers as prior to 2020. It is a worthy concept for every church to assess the reality of her current situation. While attendance is not a tell-all, it can be used as an indicator of health issues within the body.

One of the major areas to begin assessing the reality of your situation is to take a vigorous look at the truth. Most people do not like confrontation. However, confronting is a good term to use because to reverse decline, you must be willing to meet head on the things that may be detrimental and causing decline in your church. A vigorous look at all the truth of the reality of your ministry situation will be essential in reversing or avoiding decline.

I use the term A Vigorous Face to Face Summit with Reality, speaking of a completely open and honest assessment – a vigorous face to face meeting with reality at the results of an intense investigation of who we are and how we arrived where we are today. For this reason, it is my belief that a church cannot conduct this assessment without the assistance of an objective experienced and qualified person from outside the church. If you are serious about turning your church around or even avoiding decline, you should seek a church consultant and coach with experience in assisting churches in growth and reversing declining trends.

You want someone guiding your turn around team who does not have the biases that you and your church members have, yet someone with a passion to see the church thrive in building God’s kingdom. This experienced outsider can bring a perspective that no one in your church can. He/she can aid in approaching difficult topics as well as obstacles unseen by staff and members. In the Reaching the Summit process and book we lead the church in looking at not only historical data, but also at behavior patterns, trends, and character traits found in the church. Some may be good and built upon. Others may be detrimental to the church’s health and kingdom growth.

We also assist the church and members within the church in determining the church’s true core values. Searching the internet and copying someone’s core values does not make them yours. Every action you make and every word you speak are outward manifestations of your core values – as an individual and as a church.

One would believe that an essential core value of a New Testament church would be evangelism. After all this is the theme of the New Testament. Yet, I have contended for several years that evangelism is no longer a core value of most “New Testament” churches in North America. If it were a true core value, would we have eighty plus percent of our churches in decline? No, we would not. Those are opposite ends of the spectrum – leading people into a personal relationship with Christ, and declining attendance and spirituality.

How will you begin today, praying for and assisting your church in a self-assessment and discovering the church’s true core values?

For more on assessing your church and discovering your true core values contact George Yates or your state convention office.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.