Church bailing

Today I got caught off guard. There I was in the church kitchen talking with a great guy who had just helped play music, plan Sunday School, when he dropped a bomb on me.

"Could you take me off the Sunday School list?" He asked me.

"Sure." I replied. "What is going on? Are you guys moving like you thought might happen?"

As we talked I found out the reason is that the family wants to be down the street where there are more kids showing up for church. The family likes the church and the ministry that is happening. They just want to be at a more active place.

This is what caught me off guard. The thing that keeps perplexing me about the congregation is how people are so critical (especially the families) that no one shows up. These are the same families that do not make it a priority to show up 70% (or more) themselves. The truly frustrating part is how this family will leave and then another will take their place. Given a year they will leave too, after rarely participating.

The issue then becomes two fold. One how do we keep them and help the church family grow. Secondly how to make them see that their own lack of commitment plays directly into the cycle. I wish I could answer these two issues, but unfortunately I have no solution.