In Part I of this brief series -we took a hard statistical look at where we have been going as a denomination in Canada these last twenty -four years. The overview was not encouraging. We have been declining at an average rate of about 1% per year over the entire twenty-four year period.

In Part 11 we considered some of the factors which may have been reasons for this decline. These reasons do not, however, justify a continuation of the decline.

In Part III, I would like us to consider some of the steps which we must be willing to take in order to reverse the decline and become effective in ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our great nation.

Some will point out that the Reformed Church in Canada is not alone: other mainline denominations have also lost many of their people during these last twenty-five years. That is so.

As I write I am preparing for a meeting of the Caribbean and North American Area Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. The ten North American denominations who are a part of this alliance with the R.C.A. compositely have lost members at approximately the same rate: 23% between 1960 and 1985 - approximately 1,850,000 members while the nations' population has grown by approximately +35% during that same period. The reasons for this decline in other reformed denominations are not entirely the same as the reasons for our decline in Canada but they must be addressed just as urgently.

Some mainline denominations have begun to address their decline. Bishop Richard B. Wilke of the United Methodist Church in the USA has written a most helpful book entitled are We Yet Alive? (Abingdon) addressing the decline and suggesting positive steps forward in a most direct manner. I recommend his work and vision to anyone serious about reversing this painful situation.

Our own secretary for Evangelism, Rev. Robert Bast, has initiated 'On the Way', a program seeking to help reverse our trend of decline and reach a goal of 250,000 members by the end of the century.

All these are commendable steps and I encourage their full support. Yet, what more can and must we do - right here and now?

Allow me to make a few suggestions: first those which might be considered by our larger bodies; Classis and the Council of Reformed Churches in Canada, and secondly those which might be acted upon by local churches.

Our Council and Classis

I . Our official bodies in Canada should write philosophies of ministry and statements of purpose which give priority to church growth.

2. As a long term goal, our Classis and the Council of the Reformed Church in Canada should challenge and train local churches to grow at an ongoing rate of 5 to IO% annually.

3. Our official bodies should provide, through 'in house' or 'pre-packaged' seminars, at least annual in-service leadership training experience for pastors, in the areas of church growth theory and principles, methods and Organizational structures, planning and programming, preaching and education, prayer and worship.

4. Our official bodies should set and implement a goal of new church planting at a rate of I to 2% or more, of the number of existing organized churches. A one percent church planting rate is required to stop the decline, a higher rate is required to gain new ground among the Canadian population.

5. The job description of our Executive Secretary and Classis Church Planning and Development committees need to reflect these goals.

Local Churches

Steps which can and need to be taken at the local level are many and cannot be listed exhaustively. I will list some and encourage a review of this column since October 1983, as well as use the list of resources to be printed in this column next month.

I . Pastors: You are the leaders. You must accept full responsibility before God for this position. Your leadership without any questions or doubt is the key to the growth of your church. Therefore:

(a) Pray. Pray seriously and consistently for the renewal and the growth of the church for which God holds you responsible. Be single minded.

(b) Train. Discover how churches grow. You can learn the principles and apply them successfully in your setting. Minimum training should involve reading 1,000 pages a year from the annotated bibliography to be shared next month in this column and attending one seminar on cassette tapes a year for a three year minimum.

(c) Develop a plan based on what you have learned. This plan will probably begin with only a few goals and grow in number as you gain confidence. Remember to include in your plan for each objective towards your growth goal: what, specifically and measurably it is you believe God wants you to do; the steps involved; a time table for gathering resources; training the leaders who will help you in the accomplishment of each step towards the objective; and the criteria by which you will evaluate the results of your plan.

(d) Begin to maintain accurate weekly records of the number of persons served by your church in various age groups at minimum: total worship attendance, S.S. attendance and nursery attendance. These figures will not begin to mean anything due to seasonal fluctuation until you are beginning your second year and have a basis of comparison. Remember you are not counting noses, you are counting people of which the Bible says God is not willing that any should perish.

(e) Begin to meet regularly with your key lay leaders. Teach them what you are learning. Share your hopes and plans. Help them discover their gifts and train them to play the key roles required in any growing congregation such as: department heads, sub-group leaders, laypastors, and trainers of the laity.

2. Church Boards: You can be a help or a hindrance to the growth of your church. Decide to follow your pastor as he learns to lead in this direction. If he is learning he will propose new ideas. Do not be a board that withholds permission but instead encourage and offer to help your pastor in any way you can.

(a) Pray daily for your church and its growth in reaching and assimilating the unchurched.

(b) Decide to grow. Most churches which decide to grow can grow. Read, to begin with, Jensen and Steven's Dynamics of Church Growth (Baker) and Wagner's Leading Your Church to Growth (Regal).

(c) Be future oriented. Evidence of a board which looks ahead rather than back includes:

i. openness to younger leaders. if the average age of your board approaches 50 years of age, take steps to recruit younger leaders and especially younger leaders who have been in your church less than six years.

ii. ensure that the majority of the items on your agenda deal with the future, and a smaller percentage with present or past problems.

iii. make sure your agenda is goal-oriented. Be sure each of your goals moves you toward renewal and growth. Do not be afraid to take a few reasonable risks. Faith is spelled r-i-s-k and is developed that way.

iv. be a church board that is inclined to say yes rather than one that is inclined to say no. Be a board which does not prefer discussion to decision.

v. be sure that every annual budget contains provision that 10 to 33% be spent on mission advertising, evangelistic programs and other future oriented expenditures.

(d) When changes begin to take place (and all growth requires change) encourage your people to move with it and support their pastor and pull along with their leadership team.

(e) Be willing to do the extra work. Decline takes the least effort, maintaining a plateau requires some work, growth demands the full effort of all team members.

Every Member: The mobilization of the entire congregation is essential to the growth of the body. There are many ways in which you can help.

(a) Pray daily for your church, its leaders and the lost.

(b) Be sure you are always actively involved in one major ministry in your church. Only in this ongoing commitment can you really discover and develop your spiritual gift for ministry. if you have no idea where to begin, go to your pastor and volunteer for any ministry he suggests.

(c) Give your first tithe to the ministry of your local church. Being serious about growth means being serious about giving. Growing staff, facilities and need meeting programs require the full tithe to come into the storehouse.

(d) Develop and enjoy your relationships with unchurched persons. Exercise hospitality on a weekly basis towards your unchurched friends. Talk to them and help them with their problems. Really care. Invite them to events where they will meet your Christian friends. These events will not necessarily include an invitation to worship at first. Remember that 75% of those who become a part of any church do so because they had been invited by a friend.

(e) Maintain a positive climate in your church. Do what you can to encourage faith, expectancy, love a future orientation.

Much more needs to be said but this is the time for you to begin praying and planning. The task is great, but He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world!