Rev. Renita Green, Columnist
In moments of persistent decline, many congregations find themselves asking a tough question: What’s Next? This question often surfaces after months, years, or even decades of dwindling attendance, financial strain, and a palpable sense of loss in community vitality. While the query is valid, it rarely has a simple answer. The complexity of congregational decline is shaped by numerous factors—cultural shifts, spiritual dryness, generational gaps, leadership challenges, and sometimes, deep-seated internal struggles. Congregations need to ask themselves whether they are clinging to traditions and structures out of comfort or willing to adapt and follow where the Spirit might be leading.
The very act of asking this question can open the door to new possibilities if approached with honesty, openness, and a willingness to make complex changes. It invites congregations to reflect on their purpose, mission, and relationship with God. Decline is often seen as a failure but can also be an invitation to realign with a higher calling.
Too often, churches respond to decline with ideas for quick fixes: new programs that may not align with the congregation’s mission, a revamped worship style that may not address the spiritual needs of the community, improving optics that may not reflect the church’s true identity, or desiring a young, energetic pastor without considering the need for a leader who aligns with the congregation’s values. These surface-level solutions do not get to the heart of the matter. The question must go deeper, challenging the congregation to examine what it truly means to be the church in today’s world. Has the church lost sight of its mission? Is it too inward-focused, failing to engage with the community? Has a fear of change become more potent than the desire for growth?
So, what can congregations do when faced with the painful reality of decline? First, they must resist the temptation to blame external factors or look for a silver-bullet solution. The key to reversing decline often lies within the congregation itself—its openness to change, willingness to face difficult truths, and capacity to embrace a future that might look different from the past. This requires courage, but it is this courage that can lead to empowerment and growth.
One of the first steps a declining congregation must take is to re-examine its “why.” Why does this church exist? What is its mission in the world? What specific needs in the community is it called to address? Often, congregations in decline have lost sight of their mission or have developed mission statements that are too broad or inward-focused. Conducting a mission assessment can help reorient the church toward a clearer, more focused purpose.
Second, congregations must be willing to enter into difficult conversations. The decline can bring up painful emotions—grief, frustration, fear—and these feelings must be acknowledged and processed in healthy ways. Without open and honest dialogue, a congregation will struggle to move forward. This is where a narrative approach to assessment can be particularly powerful. Instead of focusing solely on numerical data, churches can listen to their members’ and community’s stories, uncovering the deeper issues at play.
Asking “What’s Next?” is just the beginning of a deeper discernment process. It is a question that can lead congregations to greater clarity, deeper faith, and a renewed sense of purpose—if they are willing to engage with it honestly. Decline is not the end of the story but an invitation to ask more meaningful questions about what it means to be the church in a changing world. In Hebrews 11:13, we are “from a distance,” knowing that God’s story is still unfolding and our faithfulness matters. Whether a congregation’s future leads to revitalization, rebranding, reimagining, or retirement, the journey will require discernment, courage, and trust in the One who calls us forward. In my new release, “What’s Next?” you can learn more about a discerning process to guide you on this journey.
