Returning to the challenge to which this article attempts an answer it is useful to consider a large body of text that deal with the many aspects of the problem. To restate: What means could be most useful to help the pastor disciple of church members of the parishioners and how may congregational support be organized to work with the pastor’s effort in accomplishing the desired results. For purposes of this examination the text chosen to address these issues are divided into three broad categories: absorption; Church Growth; and Pastoral Leadership. There are significant overlaps in these categories, as may be expected, but they reflect their different thrusts in the nature of their primary themes.

1.      Absorption: A large body of text that is aimed primarily at church leaders, both place and pastoral, that addresses the question: “What programmed steps may or should be taken by the church to improve their rates of member absorption.”

2.      Church Growth: Another large body of text somewhat overlapping that above but which is focused on the overall desire and challenge for church to increase their membership, attendance and incorporation into all aspects of their ministry.

3.      Pastoral Leadership:

That text which deals more specifically with the pastor’s role as it affects both categories above and, more personally, the parishioner at any stage of his prospective or active church membership.

          Before dealing with each of the above stated categories and for the purpose of this examination it is important to consider some of the expectations and difficulties that are faced by pastors in the general setting of the church. The Primary Joy’s of Pastoring, the top three joys, not unexpectedly but significant, was Preaching and teaching, Discipling people and Evangelism. The next task, Pastoral care, reflected a sharp drop followed closely by Worship. The second activity, discipling people, is significant because it is the first that deals more directly with individuals on a personal level. However, notes that discipling ranked higher among younger pastors and those with smaller churches. We should identify pastors of mainline church as particularly less excited about the role. These differentiations may have more to do with time restraints from job responsibilities rather than interest. Unless one can feel free to devote quality effort where the joy may be reciprocated with the disciple it will likely be less valued. This at least suggests that a means to facilitate the discipling process for busy pastors could provide for their greater satisfaction.

          Again not surprising regarding the greatest frustration that pastor’s have in their ministries: Lack of laity commitment the top three factors responsible for this frustration are given as:

        Lack of faith commitment,

        Failure to accept responsibility to the minister,

       Confusion over what it takes to interest people in pursuing faith and the difficulties associated with long-term members.

That a pastor’s source of great joy, making disciples, would be directly connected to the source of his greatest frustration, disinterest in his discipling effort, points further to the great need to encourage the process.

 Another factor affecting the pastors’ challenge is an inequality between the measured gifts that characterize their abilities and the considerations necessary to overcome their frustration.

“The presumption from these numbers is that pastor’s heading churches today are looked upon to communicate and to interact on mass and personal levels with people but not necessarily with strategic considerations in mind. The combined effects of time management constraints and the need for strategic solutions to the described problem emphasize the value of programs that are designed to facilitate pastoral involvement in the discipling and absorption of people in the church.

          Whether seen as a fundamental aspect of the modern Church Growth Movement or separately as a practical study of the dynamics of interpersonal relationships affecting church membership, the topic of absorption has received considerable attention over the last several decades. The pastor duties began a series of efforts to better understand the ways church can best attract and hold the members to their congregations.

          What is the congregational Glue: by examining the “glue” that keeps people active together in a church. These are the forces that can maintain attraction and provide the relational basis for continued membership. In other word there are different kinds of “glue” from nationality or ethnic origin to the possession of the choir director as possible factors affecting survival of fellowship. The concern for which congregational leaders are asked to name their strongest and most consistent forces is what would replace any of them if they were to disappear?  I will say the personality and magnetism of the pastor as the most important single organizing principle in many congregations.

Sometimes members believe the personality of their pastor is what holds the congregation together. Other members say the glue is in the priest’s lectures. And still others cite long term as the reason the priest is such a solid force.

          While pastors might be expected to avoid the negative aspect of his “glue” in the congregation, namely the effect that many other solid forces may have on members, his role in aiding the process of inclusion should not be underestimated. In fact, there is impact of short pastorates as one of the major ways to keep people from joining the church. A significant way for the older pastor and the newer pastor to facilitate overcoming both of these problems may be to see how his discipling efforts can be employed using this evaluation of the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion.  Recognizing that most people think in relational terms rather than functional ones, the pastor’s influence may best be directed along biblical and theological lines while the church’s absorption program places its emphasis functionally. Of course these overlap and should be seen as mutually supportive and reciprocal. The church’s program aims at establishing the bonds of relationships as it offers organization and function in what it does. But the pastor can aim his parallel effort at establishing the basis for the relationships necessary, the “glue” so to speak, for getting new people involved in the congregation’s “business.”  

A pastoral strategy should focuses on this need and provides the new member a discipled approach for gaining access into those activities that support contemporary goals, especially what the congregation “is doing in ministry and mission now” would seem instrumental in their absorption.

          Considering the broader picture of why people become inactive and drop out of the church. While this may be encouraging that all is not lost, perhaps it also implies a weakness in the discipling process. It is on the quality of care in which church members feel that their needs are not being met, not just by the pastor but also by the congregation and its leadership. One of my concerns is that as pastors come and go in a congregation they may be insensitive to the past and future responsibilities of parishioners involved in membership care. The value of pastors matching their congregations in abilities, interests and perceptions and in carefully choosing new methods or modifications to existing programs in which to train and utilize the laity is recognized. This also might suggest that a pastor working together with the care leaders and programs of the church, whether pre-existing or developed under his leadership, could greatly improve overall effectiveness through his independent follow-up shepherding of parish members. Indeed, there is a suggestion a reemphasis on the shepherding role of the pastor in the congregation in contrast with an emphasis on the prophetic role that occurred in the old days.

          There are preventative measures to limit the number of dropouts in the church, these are as follows:

        Christian Concern about Inactivity

        Retention through Careful Initial absorption

        Retention through Emphasis on Positive Forces

        Retention through Improved Worship Experiences

        Retention Through Improved Preaching

        Retention through Effective Pastoral Care

        Retention through Christian Education

        Retention through Ministry to Young and Adults

        Retention through Positive Interpersonal Relationships

        Retention through Significant Experiences and Personal Investment

        Retention through Conflict Resolution

        Retention through Encouragement of Volunteers

        Retention through Increased Congregational Warmth

        Retention through Responsible Social Action

To this well thought-out list we might dare to add:

        Retention through Pastoral Discipling of parish Members

One of the major concerns in the absorption of parish members is how to resolve the conflict between the expectations of the prospect and the pastoral goal of a biblically discipled active church member. There is six factors that most influence a member’s decision to return after he/she drop out the church:

1.      The Friendliness and Warmth of the Church

2.      The Character of the Worship Service

3.      A Family Place for Children

4.      The Adult and youth Program

5.      The Church Building

6.      The Church’s Image

          These are characteristically not the best reasons for which the pastor or mature Christian would be expected to endorse a given church does not eliminate their value. And one might wish to assume that a more theologically based examination preceded these factors. This is not likely, though doctrine and style of worship undoubtedly are criteria for many in pre-selecting their initial stopover. But given that the listed issues have been adequately addressed the pastor’s goal is to move the new additions to his group beyond them into more spiritually rewarding considerations.

          Again, the material is focused on programs and activities of the congregation affecting the absorption process with little discussion of the pastor’s role. However, several points on the time factor for absorption bear noting.  Given that the church’s absorption committee or efforts should match these constraints they would seem equally important for the pastor to enable a parallel discipling approach of his own.

          An easy way to follow this guidance for church leaders is to evaluate their own strategies for evangelism and absorption in their local church. Let’s categorized the five absorption Strategies:

Absorption Strategy 1:       Help People Develop Friendships

Absorption Strategy 2:       Help People Become Involved

Absorption Strategy 3:       Help People Belong

Absorption Strategy 4:       Help People Work Together

Absorption Strategy 5:       Help People Grow in Their Faith

These are all key points for the guidance of the pastor in his own direct and indirect contact with members in the congregation. If the pastor is the primary instructor of the member then, of course, he will try to influence their interest to these areas of assistance through all the efforts of the church. But his influence will likely have greater force if he continues his encouragement both with the members of his parish and those in charge of the church’s absorption program.

          Another good summary of principles and practical suggestions is provided again the emphasis is on congregational programs and activities and with specific plans for utilizing under shepherds in the caring of small groups of households. A number of practical methodologies for acknowledging the importance are those people have to the congregation in which they have been adopted. Among them are several references to the pastor’s unique role in assisting the incorporation of people and their continued growth in the congregation. Ten ways can be offered to enhance the feeling that parish members are special are given as:

1.      Anniversary letter or follow-up from the pastor.

2.      Parish member breakfast or luncheon.

3.      An annual member banquet.

4.      Recognition of special days and honors.

5.      Involve members in outreach.

6.      Use systematic record keeping as a way of caring.

7.      Visiting parish members.

8.      Recognition of service within the church and the community.

9.      Include parish members in special fellowship activities.

10.  Have a meaningful reception at the altar for parish members.

The importance of the pastor’s role may be seen especially at the first two drop-out points. It is he who must develop and frequently initiates the evangelistic process. Here the pastor can supplement the information transmission with a personal approach and also seek opportunity to engage in dialogue more privately with those in apparent need. The emphasis is discipleship rather than mere information or forced decision. Here the pastor might strategically employ means to gain positive answers by demonstrating the importance to the people and ministry of the church.

          Whereas discipleship should probably not be controlled to matters of worship attendance alone or organizational activity within the congregation, these do become objective factors that lend themselves to comparison and analysis. There is a study of church member salience conducted by sociologists, provides some interesting and useful data. Salience was defined for the study as membership in religious organizations, whether within or outside the church. Based on data from us will note the following patterns:

1.      When religion is relevant, respondents report attendance approximately once a week. When not significant, attendance drops two to 12 times a year.

2.      The difference due to salience is much larger than that due to gender.

In conclusion the following issues could be analyzed:

1.      Two distinct populations exist among church attendees: those for whom religion is salient, and those for whom it is not.

2.      Little variation in attendance is observed among the salient. They are the “predictable attendees,” and form the “core” of a typical congregation on any given holy day.

3.      The not prominent are those individuals who swell the size of the congregation at the time of major festivals.

4.      Base attendance is composed primarily of those for whom religion is salient.

5.      Our findings support this central contention that strict churches are strong because they have a larger percentage of committed members than do less strict churches.

          In general one might just simply conclude that the most productive way to increase attendance is to increase saliency. This, of course, lays at the heart of most Church absorption Programs and the text on the subject. From a pastoral point of view one might question further the basis for “saliency” among his members. Strictness in the study seems to be characterized by Fundamentalist churches, which may be interpreted as “Law” oriented. However Moderate or Liberal churches are not and should not be necessarily classified as being “Gospel” oriented except in a loosely interpreted sense of the word. Nevertheless it is the pastor’s challenge to seek a balanced discipleship as he strives to increase the saliency within his congregation. But the study does indicate that rather than only emphasize relational factors to encourage absorption a corresponding emphasis on discipleship factors is more important to long term and effective relevant spiritual growth that affects worship levels within the congregation.

          A study of factors and experiences that seem to affect growth in a person’s spiritual life might also provide an underlying rationale for a pastor’s discipling strategy. Of particular interest to this study is the report’s address to the question: “How do changes in faith relate to religious involvement and commitment?” Based on a survey conducted faith Development is described as: “The dynamics by which a person finds and makes meaning of life’s significant questions and issues, remains to this meaning, and acts it out in his or her life span.” To the hypothesis that faith development is positively related to one’s involvement in organized religion, the data supported the following:

−        Those who attended religious services at least once a month are more likely than non-attendees to distinguish their faith as greater now than at age 16.

−        Similarly, church members and those who see themselves as more active in a religious group may be characterized as having more faith than at age 16.

It was also found that:

        giving a great deal of thought to various dimensions of one’s faith is also positively related to participation and activity within one’s church or religious group.

 Adding further interest to this finding were that:

        Adults experiencing a change in faith are about evenly divided between those who see it coming about as a result of thought and discussion vs. those who see it as coming about through a strong emotional experience.

        Six in 10 report their change in faith came at a time when life was stable or normal.

          These results would seem to support a strategy that encourages thought and discussion through interpersonal communication as a means to further the faith development of new members. The study further indicates that such communication, for most positive results, should serve to answer some basic faith related questions:

        Those who report they are more active in their church or religious group than they were in the past are more likely than others to give a lot of thought to their relation to God, the basic meaning and value of their life, and developing their faith.

Whereas the survey finds that involvement in a Bible class or study group are assets to faith development the value of pastoral encouragement to stimulate the kind of thought and discussion leading to these and other resources for faith development can be assumed. The subject of one’s faith was found to be a salient issue to the general public: “Nine in 10 of those interviewed said they had thought about developing their faith sometime during the past two years; about half said they had thought ‘a lot’ about this. Further the survey suggests that faith is strengthened if it is challenged and that such challenges should not only encourage a search for their life’s meaning but also remind them of the benefits to living an active faith. The particular influence that pastor’s can bring to this need is identified in the survey’s findings that though people in crisis generally turn to other than religious sources they are still willing and eager to talk about their spiritual needs. Pastor’s must make an effort to enter this dome to help people understand their spiritual experiences and to build their faith.  

 Pastor is expected to do much, to call on everyone, and is depended upon for absorption. Not afraid of rapid growth, of not knowing everyone, and be ignorant.

          Having suffered some criticism, as probably most caring pastors have in this regard, the characterizations are not without cause for self-reflection. Certainly the warnings, if applicable, “to delegate authority, assign responsibility, and recognize the achievements of others” are valid to any pastorate. Further, team leadership among the persons appointed to oversee any and all members of the church is a solid concept for any size congregation. The effective leader ship of the pastor within the range at least of 50-350 active members by eliminating him from the follow-up process seems excessively harsh and, perhaps, not consistent with the biblical shepherd’s role.

          The principles of the Scriptures never change; however, the way they are expressed in situations will vary widely. The basic dynamics of We Build People can operate in any situation. This is possible because the model provides flexibility.

Perhaps the most dramatic difference between us Build People and "business as usual" is the role of the pastor. While his usual duties of preaching/teaching, pastoral care, etc. all stay in place, leadership takes on a new meaning. In We Build People the pastoral leader is:

        A Servant Leader.

        A Humble leader.

        A creative to the Congregation.

        A Coach to the Staff.

        A True Shepherd to the group.

 The idea is again oriented to the passing off of newly absorbed members to mentors trained by the pastor or the pastor’s trained mentors in a pyramid style. However, recognized is the importance of discipling all members with a pastoral approach? This key fits well with the “pastor as shepherd” approach even if not as organizationally polished.

          In 2000 century we should promote and develop on the principles and methods of “church growth.  Drawing largely from missionary experience and applying analytical methods to gain the understanding, there are challenges in the church leaders at all levels, pastors and missionaries, to examine carefully the factors that influence growth or decline in their respective areas of the church. “Every pastor and missionary is both promoter and diagnostician,” “Were the pastor or missionary to spend adequate time in each chair and never be in doubt which one he occupies when he speaks, much of today’s fog would evaporate.” The fog of which he speaks is that blanketing the mystery of what makes some churches grow and some die. His aim is to remove the fog and thus resolve the mysteries, without removing the need and usefulness for analytical evaluation, the thrust of the church growth movement toward sociologically. The pastor’s role seems to gain majority as he is urged to “have clear, accurate knowledge of the growth patterns of his church” and “sets about gathering up The Facts needed. Again, not contempt the value of analysis for evaluating ministry effectiveness and indicating where problems may need pastoral attention, it is the heavy emphasis that this is the essential requirement that must be given primary attention for faithfulness to the Great Commission that warrants caution.

          Basic to the promotions offered by Church Growth advocates are certain definitions and viewpoints that influence their thought. The term “discipling,” for example, is used not to describe the spiritual growth and process of gaining Christian maturity, but the initial process of evangelizing new converts. The discipling responsibility of the pastor in the evangelistic phase is to train member for the task, whereas the pastor’s lecture is his work to “perfect” those who are already Christians. The implication is that the pastor, having done the initial training, is nearly not essential with regard to the church’s further growth seeking activity. On the other hand, some however seem to advocate the strength and authority of pastoral leadership as essential to church growth.  The importance of the pastor’s desire and belief in numerical growth is, while recognizing that not all pastors are equipped psychologically for the task. His description of dynamic pastoral leadership may be both intimidating and prescriptive.

          The direct personal attention of the pastor to follow-up the teaching of parish members following their initial reception using a strategic and planned approach for its accomplishment would be a particular means to assure compliance with these responsibilities.

In accomplishing of this task what we should do, as an advocate for defining the pastor’s primary role in terms of equipping people in the church to function according to their identified call and giftedness. Use Jesus method as a multiplication principle, defines discipling as “the process of intentional modeling whereby God uses us to correct, and build up a disciple(s) in love, in order to produce maturity in Christ. This includes equipping the disciples to do the same unto a third generation.

          The text of this review offers many challenging and even hot ideas and conclusions regarding the pastoral role in digesting of his parish members, from his church’s organizational beliefs to his own leadership capabilities. Although there are many ways, which may be formulated or enlisted, to accomplishing the task and all the resources conditional contain practical and useful elements for any programmed solution, the one common denominator is that the pastor’s shepherding role remains intact. The call for pastors to recognize is that their primary work is making saints.

To continue to call indefinitely and keep calling on the same persons unless there is sickness or emergencies, but he can keep his heartstrings attached to the hearts of his members and lead them to know that he has an enduring interest in them.

Paul Caldani/ Los Angeles  
USA March 2006