Table of Contents
Volume 41, Number 4
July - August 2010

Church Growth Limitations, Part I
Dr. Charles Shoemaker

– Church Growth Limitations, Part I –

Many well-meaning congregations never seem to grow. Year after year the machinery of the program rolls on, with little or no lasting visible results. The consequences are to be expected: constant pastoral changes, discouragement among dedicated lay leaders, and a ministry that is seldom strategic in focus.

What is it that hinders church growth? Why is it that some churches never seem to accomplish their God-given mission? Who, if anyone, is to blame?

Use this brief article as a checklist for church growth. Examine your church in light of each section. Read with an open heart and an open mind…

Spiritual Limitations

If a church is not growing, the first place to check for problems is in its spiritual life. I am not now talking about lack of dynamic programs or adequate facilities. Pure and simple, I am referring to the godliness of its leaders and members!

If God is going to bless His church, He demands spiritual vessels: Men and women of God’s Word, men and women of prayer, men and women who are godly, men and women who are filled with His precious Holy Spirit, men and women of faith and vision.

In a practical sense, ask yourself these questions:  Are your deacons spiritual men? Is your staff of one accord? Do your Sunday school teachers and workers have a burden for lost souls? Does your congregation have a heart for God and a mind to serve Christ? Are your members willing to live clean lives? Does your church have a passion for world evangelism?

God can use Christians with limited experience and little talent, but He will not pour His power into dirty vessels! If your church’s spiritual life is not in order, do not look elsewhere and do not expect to grow. God is interested in building a healthy church, not simply a large crowd!

Physical Limitations

When speaking of “physical” limitations, I am referring to the church’s physical plant. This would include its buildings, acreage, and parking facilities.

Church growth leaders speak about the “80 percent” rule. Simply stated, this means that when any portion of the facility is 80 percent filled, the church will struggle with growth. This applies to the parking lot, auditorium, any one classroom, or the entire educational facility.

If this is your growth problem, two obvious suggestions come to mind. The first is to build or obtain additional space. Another suggestion is to conduct multiple services. By staggering your service schedule, additional growth is possible, apart from the time and expense of construction. As a general rule, a Sunday school needs 45-50 square feet of space for each person it plans for in attendance. This figure includes restrooms, storage and utility areas, stairways, and hallways, but does not include the auditorium or recreational facilities. Do not limit the size of the “plant” by the size of its container!

Equally important is your acreage. A good rule of thumb is that each acre will accommodate about 100 people. In today’s world, parking space is a prime concern. I would suggest an average ratio of parking spaces to people is 1 to 1.75; that is, each car brings in an average of 1.75 people. Obviously, the ratio may be higher or lower depending on several factors including the high use of public transportation as is the case in many inner city churches. The availability of plentiful on-street parking is also a factor in determining a church’s parking needs.

The one acre per 100 people rule may prove inadequate if the church operates a large Christian school. Space for the school’s − or church’s − outdoor recreational activities will move the ratio by increasing land usage for playgrounds and ball fields.

In our next article we will focus on congregational, financial, and leadership limitations.

[Contact me at cshoemaker@tbc.edu or visit www.churchplantingamerica.org.]