Was 2023 the rock bottom year for the attendance for the Church of the Nazarene in USA/Canada? The worship attendance numbers for 2024 have not been released but the rumor is that for the first time in nearly 20 years, the USA/Canada region experienced worship attendance growth. It true, praise the Lord!
Following the massive attendance cliff following Covid, the church is starting to rebound. No doubt, this is happening in part because of the “cycle of resurgence” initiative started under regional director, Dr. Stan Reeder. The plan was bathed in prayer (always a good place to start). This year churches were to bless their community. Leading people to Jesus is next year’s focus. Finally it’s discipling people in the ways of Christ who will, in turn, bless their communities and the resurgent cycle begins. Some churches have stepped up their efforts to get into their communities and have already been leading people to Jesus and discipling them. Progress is happening. The church where I am privileged to pastor saw modest growth in 2024. Again, Praise the Lord!
“Butts in seats” (sorry for my crassness) is not synonymous with spiritual renewal. Taylor Swift can fill a stadium at 200 bucks a pop (or more), yet no one confuses the gathering with revival. Still, increased worship attendance is a sign of something (usually) good. When the Holy Spirit is moving in a church, it encourages those on the inside to invite outsiders so they too might experience what God is doing. In other words, the slight attendance growth should not be seen as the end (See: the 80s Church Growth Movement) but the beginning of a call to do the hard work of disciple-making.
“Counting people because people count” is not a compelling reason for filling a church. This isn’t Church Growth Movement 2.0. Jesus’ “church growth method” was not very effective. He went from 5,000+ at a free fish and bread event to John and a few women at Golgotha. Even after rising from the dead, there were only 120 in the meeting place on Pentecost. Not exactly, a booming, write-all-about-it, sign-a-book-contract evangelism explosion.
Jesus didn’t call us to fill a church. He called his followers to make disciples. That’s it. That’s the plan. Make disciples. Some will follow. Some will not. In fact, most will not (See Jesus statement on the “narrow road and only a few find it”). Even Jesus couldn’t convince some folks to follow Him (see Luke 9). Honestly, He didn’t seemed to obsessed about those who walked away. He didn’t chase after them. He didn’t beg them to reconsider. He simply invited someone else to follow. There’s always someone else who needs to hear the Good News. There is always someone else that is lonely and tired. Continuing to offer invitations and discipling the willing ones is the Jesus strategy. It seems to be working now too.
Was 2023 the rock bottom year for attendance? I hope so. If USA/Canada continues to repeat the cycle: bless our communities; tell folks about Jesus and make disciples, then continued growth could happen. Fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) is the ticket out of the attendance basement.
My Two Cent Offering 
Good article. However, I would take it further. Isn’t the focus on ‘methods’ an arrogant thing–as seen in the swagger of the church growth movement?
For some years we had a whole division at headquarters devoted to church growth. Ugh.
I call on the Church of the Nazarene to abandon all numerical reporting. Then we would have less temptation to pride at increased church growth numbers, less discouragement if we didn’t see growth, and less unhealthy competition all around. It would be wonderful, healthy and mature. But will we do it?
Instead we would be motivated by the Holy Spirit and the Word to do what is right in every situation, whether it be easy or hard–with less temptation to pride or discouragement.