Biblical Preaching is number one to me. They need to preach from the Bible and not just "Im saying this so believe me"

I dont like churches that are always feel good messages. I want my toes stepped on sometimes so I can grow as a Christian.

But for me if I dont feel like there are people who actually like us at the church and its a sunday thing only I dont like to go. I want to go to church with people Id hang out with during the week also. Its a huge social arena because I want my kids friends to believe like she believes and not have certain pressures or things by having a ton of friends who dont believe what we do or do things that we do not allow our kids to do.

Our lives are centered around the church. CHurch functions, services, gatherings for fellowship (game nights, ladies care package night -seinding packages to college students and military, sunday school class activities, etc.)

 

about spiritually feeding your church,

our church has discipleship classes where a couple teaches the other couple and once they have been taught they go through and teach new couples.

We do practical things every few months like how to lead someone to the Lord messages.
How to pray and read your Bible effectively

stuff like that.
Dont know if that helps. Sorry

supergrover wrote:

---

huh, the more I've thought about it, the more you should totally ignore me, lol.  I think my NorthEast roots have given me a very different church experience.  Not better, not worse, just different- so how I see attendance is probably skewed. 

 

So, yeah, carry on. 

---

 nope, no ignoring going on

everyone's opinion matters

Re: my brother (R) and his wife (K) leaving our church. I haven't actually asked them outright (yet) but here is my speculation.

First R&K moved away for a few years when R was in the military. So he had a taste of other places/churches. K wasn't from here originally and grew up in a small Southern Baptist church. They moved back here and came back to our home church but it's always difficult to come back after being away like that. Most of their friends had moved away. R has always been a big help whenever needed at church. He's one of those people who doesn't know how to say no, and I think he got taken advantage of a bit. K started and led several women's Bible studies and was on a bunch of committees. Through the years, they've visited other churches. I think my brother was looking for a place where more people stepped up to help out. Both R&K wanted a more "rock&roll"-type of service but with a Biblical message still. They were double-churching for a long time--going to our church on Sunday mornings and a different church on Sunday evenings. Then they started going to our church for Sunday school only, then driving across town to the other church for their traditional service and still going on Sunday evenings. R found a niche at the other church--he's into sound systems and stuff--where he was needed, and he enjoyed doing that. Both R&K talk about how the preacher/s at this other church always has a message that they need to hear.

So at the beginning of this year, they made the decision to join the new church.

It's another denomination as well so they went through classes to learn about the specifics of what they believe.

My church is large-ish but the church they are going to now is one of those humongous super churches.

-- Edited by Robin on Wednesday 25th of January 2012 01:00:10 PM

robin - your youth program sounds nearly identical to ours - so I think you are doing a ton to reach/feed the youth (which for me, in turn, feeds me b/c it is a huge priority to me).

I know you have worked a daycare/mdo program before . . . are those at your church?  does your church have anything like that?

I guess my reason for asking that is along the lines of what Jenn said . . .. focus on those without a home church.

but I know you are wanting to light the fire of those you already have in your church.

Do you have a communication card that everyone turns into the offering plate every sunday?     We do and on it you just put your name and you can list any prayer requests on it.   It lets the church know who was there and its a way to communicate with the church if you have any needs or how they can better minister to you.

I know our church at one point (when I wasn't much paying attention) maybe included in the Sunday bulletin a questionnaire about interests.   They now have a bike club that takes bicycle tours around different parts of town, just last week a book club started up.  It was an effort to connect church members to other church members with similar interests.

Do you have a women's bible study in the evenings, through the week to cater to working moms?  Do you provide childcare?  This is something I wish our church had . . . I would love to get into a bible study weekly but with John's work schedule I cannot rely on to be home at a certain time with the kids so I need childcare provided.

kris wrote:

---

robin - your youth program sounds nearly identical to ours - so I think you are doing a ton to reach/feed the youth (which for me, in turn, feeds me b/c it is a huge priority to me).

I know you have worked a daycare/mdo program before . . . are those at your church?  does your church have anything like that?

I guess my reason for asking that is along the lines of what Jenn said . . .. focus on those without a home church.

but I know you are wanting to light the fire of those you already have in your church.

Do you have a communication card that everyone turns into the offering plate every sunday?     We do and on it you just put your name and you can list any prayer requests on it.   It lets the church know who was there and its a way to communicate with the church if you have any needs or how they can better minister to you.

I know our church at one point (when I wasn't much paying attention) maybe included in the Sunday bulletin a questionnaire about interests.   They now have a bike club that takes bicycle tours around different parts of town, just last week a book club started up.  It was an effort to connect church members to other church members with similar interests.

Do you have a women's bible study in the evenings, through the week to cater to working moms?  Do you provide childcare?  This is something I wish our church had . . . I would love to get into a bible study weekly but with John's work schedule I cannot rely on to be home at a certain time with the kids so I need childcare provided.

---

 Everyone signs an attendance pad during the church service. I don't know that it has a place for prayer requests but it has check-boxes at the bottom for "Would Like a Call" or "Would Like a Visit". I've been going so long that I just sign my family's names and check the Member box. I'll have to look at it more closely.

I don't think my church has done a questionnaire about interests but I think we provide a pretty wide array of activities. We have fellowship dinners on Wednesday evenings, open volleyball on Wednesday evenings, there's an ongoing boot camp fitness club, we have an annual 5K--with training, women's groups that meet both in the daytime and in the evenings, a knitting/quilting group, a group for people who have lost their jobs or are looking for jobs, a financial peace class, and I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff.

We do have women's (and coed) Bible studies. There is ALWAYS a nursery available if requested. I'm taking a Disciple class right now on Monday evenings at 7. There is no nursery/childcare right now because Glen is home before I leave but if I ever needed it, they would have one.

happylib wrote:

---

Robin, I think feeding spiritual needs is kind of like the love languages. I think there are various ways that people need to experience it. Perhaps examining how you do and do not do it may give you more insight. FWIW, one thing that our church did, which I think is good was they had a marriage workshop which also started something called the Great Date Night. We went to the workshop and it has been helpful to us. It helped our relationship grow with each other and with God.

---

 I like the way you compare it to the love languages. Many groups in my church have studied that book and concept. It would be nice to figure out a way to implement for everyone.

Thanks!

Kris - I forgot to answer you about MDO.

Yes, I work at MDO at my church. It serves babies from 6 months old to kids turning 3 before the school cut-off date. Our church has a separate preschool for 3 - 5-year-olds. MDO is offered 1 or 2 days a week (9 - 2:30), and preschool is offered on a MWF, TTh, or 5-day basis. 9 - 12 each day with optional stay-and-play hours until 2:30.

Both of these programs are suffering lately. I believe that's due to the economy. Either sahm can't afford the luxury of putting their babies in an MDO program OR they're working and need a full-time daycare instead.

Robin, not sure, but maybe are the demographics changing in your area? I know here we have a heavy Catholic population, but are seeing more protestants now. I think this generation is also very different from our parents. People use to just continue the religion they were raised in, but this generation is more into self awareness if you will. They are searching for good fits and maybe not just carrying on what their family history was or is.

Are there a lot of other churches in the area to compete with? Here a lot of the churches are hurting and combining forces in terms of sharing same priests, office personal, etc. So, that tells me # are down on a whole. Plus, with the economy, people feel pressure all over and I know are not giving like normal.

Are you ignoring the question question of why your brother left or did I just miss it also.