Stop the Church’s Revolving Door
Building Relationships With Church Members
by
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Church members cease active church participation for many reasons. This can be viewed as an epidemic within mainline denominations, including the United Methodist Church (UMC). Some have described the local church as having a revolving door where members come in to join the church and disgruntled members walk away from the church. First-time and regular visitors also use this revolving door when the church’s members do not reach out to them in an effort to begin the relationship-building process.
The implementation of this project was stimulating. The volunteers served as God’s instruments of caring love through their visits, calls, and prayers. The inactive members were able to experience authentic relationships based on God’s love and human concern in which the door to return to active church participation was opened for them. They experienced the power of prayer that was being offered on their behalf in spite of their lack of church participation. Those inactive members who have returned to active church participation have the opportunity to enjoy the continuation of their spiritual growth and pursuit of holiness. The pastor gained confidence in lay people as he saw them sharing God’s love with others in a caring and compassionate manner.
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About the Book
Does your church have a revolving door? Most churches do not have a ministry to establish and maintain authentic personal relationships with inactive members, visitors, or prospective members. Before implementing this ministry, one church failed to stay relationally connected to its members. Is your church suffering from the same dilemma?
This new ministry empowered churches toward improving its church health, increasing service opportunities for laypeople, and establishing stronger personal relationships. It is possible in your church, too! This book provides a guide toward implementing this crucial ministry in your church. It is time to stop your church’s revolving door!
About the Author
Dr. Richard Wright is a parish pastor in the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He has served in small rural churches up to large metropolitan churches. He earned a master of divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He also earned a doctor of ministry degree in evangelism and missions from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas.
Prior to becoming a pastor, Richard served as an Airborne Ranger Infantryman in the US Army’s rapid deployment units, where he was a combat veteran earning a Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. After his military service and while working for an international logistics corporation, he attended Discover God’s Call, where he discovered his spiritual gifts while learning that God was guiding him toward ordained ministry. Since then, his endeavors have been to preach and teach about how we can experience the saving power of God through Jesus Christ.
Richard and his wife, Ruth, currently reside in Hinesville, Georgia, where he is the senior pastor of Hinesville First United Methodist Church.