Facing Reality: Naming the Challenges Churches Today Can’t Ignore.

Renewal never begins with denial. Renewal begins with telling the truth. And the truth is that churches today are facing daunting challenges.

• It can be tempting to look the other way. Whether it is stalled growth, aging memberships, exhausted leaders, conflict that never ends, or ministries that do not bear fruit like they used to, the gap between our expectations and reality can be painful to see.

Every successful treatment starts with accurate diagnosis. Similarly, every journey starts by honestly evaluating not only where you want to go but also where you are starting. The denomination I am a part of did that recently by gathering together leaders from its churches to discuss the current state of ministry. Do any of the challenges below resonate with you?

Six challenges churches face today

1. Aging congregations

• Churches had hoped their teens would stay engaged after graduation and young adults in their 20s and 30s would begin to take ownership. Instead, many are seeing youth drifting away and young adults disengaging. The aging core of faithful volunteers has ended up carrying more and more of the load.

2. Leadership Gaps

• Leadership pipelines are running dry, with many churches finding it harder each year to find qualified and willing elders and deacons. Pastors and staff are also in short supply, with searches taking longer and longer.

3. Volunteerism decline

• The passion around volunteerism and lay leadership has not returned to pre-pandemic levels at many churches. The smaller number of volunteers who are still serving often end up facing fatigue and burnout rather than joy in ministry.

4. stalled outreach

• A recent survey revealed that only 11 percent of respondents in my denomination believe that it is “definitely true” that their church reflects a hands-on commitment to reaching the unchurched in their community and beyond. While church members say they want to have broader impact, many congregants are reluctant to engage with outsiders or people who are different from them, and they do not see outreach programs leading to discipleship or membership.

5. Blurry vision

• While many pastors, staff members, office bearers, and volunteers are working harder than ever, some are unclear if they are working on the right things. In my denomination, only 24 percent reported thinking that their church’s programs and activities definitely flow from a clear mission and vision.

6. Deep hurt

• Unity feels fragile. Even in churches where all appears to be going well on the surface, many people have unresolved disagreements, relational hurts, quiet resentments, and a deep weariness from years of tension and conflict. Many leaders have struggled to keep the church together, even as people come with increasingly strong views on a variety of topics.

Facing these and other critical issues can be frightening, but it can also be freeing. Naming difficult realities like these is a sign that we are ready to be honest with God and to take a first step toward renewal. Only when we see the present situation clearly can we begin to make room for creativity, collaboration, and experimentation. Has your church council taken the first step of defining reality honestly? Only by doing so can we open ourselves to what comes next.

• In next week’s newsletter, we will look below the surface and see what God may want to do in and through these challenges.