People want to serve

I was walking the neighborhood this afternoon. The GracePlace restart has its first service tomorrow, and I needed to be among the future congregation.

Traditionally, I'd be stuffing a flyer in every door. I'd be posting notices on every bulletin board I can find. But today, God said to walk the neighborhood and pass out flyers to people. Most people will take a flyer and look at it. A couple talked with me. One lady had moved here from N Carolina, and had been having trouble finding a church. The big church was too big and full of cliques. Lots of very small, dying churches. Not many mid-sized, active congregations. She said it would be exciting helping create the right kind of churches.

What I have found is that most people want at least to be listened to. The church I was in when I began this research was systematically excluding anyone who wasn't in the inner circle. The deacons are the ruling body. They choose who gets to join their body. They choose all the committee members, including the committee that chooses teachers. And despite all the tricks and gimmicks they've tried, attendance is flat. In fact, it takes constant effort to STAY flat.

Research shows that most people would volunteer more if asked, and given meaningful jobs that matter. Our job as leaders is to listen, and to find places to use them.