I was once asked to help a church process how to get younger people to attend. After we discussed some recommendations for change, a man pulled me aside and said, "Son, we don't need no fancy ideas around here. We like being a small church."

I soon learned he represented the feelings of the church as a whole. They thought they wanted to reach younger people, but the truth was—when faced with change—they were really satisfied with the church as it had been for many years.

There's nothing wrong with being a small church. Let me say that again. There is nothing wrong with being a small church. In fact, in some communities, what is considered small is actually large by comparison to churches in larger cities. I'm not opposed to small churches, but I do have a problem with some small-church mentalities.

I think there is a difference.

As long as there are lost people nearby, I believe the church has much work to do. And any organization, Christian or secular, that refuses to accept some changes will stop growing and eventually die.

The fact is that growing a church is hard work. It's relatively easy to keep things small or stop growth. In fact, I've seen lots of things that keep a church from growing.

Here are a 21 of those:

• Make the entry to serving in the church lengthy or complicated
• Develop followers not leaders
• Squelch any dream except the pastor's own
• Refuse new people a voice at the table
• Make sure everyone knows who is in charge—and it's not Jesus
• Cast your vision—but only once
• Only do "church" inside the building
• Demand that it be done the way it's always been done
• Give up when change is resisted
• Make excuses when things go wrong
• Quit dreaming
• Resist any organized system, strategy or plans to grow the church
• Stop praying
• Insist you have all the answers before you "walk by faith"
• Never challenge people
• Treat new people as outsiders
• Always refer to the past as the good times
• Put more energy into structure than serving
• Allow gossip to fester
• The ministerial staff does everything
• Be stingy investing in the next generation

Whenever I do a post like this, I get a common—and expected—question: If these are ways not to grow a church, then what are some ways to grow a church? That is one of the main topics I write about in other posts. But for simplicity's sake, try doing the opposite of some of these things I've listed and see how they help the church to grow.

What am I missing? What else will keep a church from growing?

Ron Edmondson is the senior pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. For the original article, visit ronedmondson.com.

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