The back door

Pastors and other church leaders will know what I mean when I refer to the "back door." That's the way some folks slip out of regular church participation. It doesn't matter how conscientiously we strive to invite new friends through the "front door," unless we do a good job of watching the back door, the congregation will not have the benefit of the gifts and suggestions and dedication of those who leave.

One key factor in keeping the back door closed is to be sure to involve newer participants in a small group or service ministry they enjoy. Unless new members quickly make several good friends and find a meaningful expression of their faith and relationship to the church, they will tend to move toward the back door. Long term members, also, can ease their way out, almost sliding off the congregational radar screen. If suddenly they are absent from worship or other church activities for a couple of weeks, and no one has noticed sufficiently to check in with them, chances are they have one foot out the door, at least. Experts say that a month or so of this unnoticed absenteeism spells the virtual end of a person's relationship with that church.

Burn-out is another pretty wide back door for those who have been heavily invested in the church's program and ministries. As family and job responsibilities change, the time needed for church activities may seem an imposition, and they begin to re-assess its importance to them. So it's essential to provide hard-working volunteers an opportunity to step back from time to time, or else the back door may be too inviting.

Folks participate in church life on the basis of their sense of spiritual fulfillment and dedication. Congregational leaders who take for granted the participation of folks do so at their own risk. Instead, it's critical to to be as sensitive as possible to the individual spiritual needs of members, along with caring for the collective needs of the church.