Country Club
Pro: Many members = much in the collection plate, therefore funding the work of the church
Con: Those members involved are not really carrying out “The Great Commission” therefore not engaging any deeper discipleship.

Covienience Store
Pro: Usually a very emotional and powerful place to worship with gifts of the spirit being seen and felt.
Con: Again, it is nice to “get fed” at worship and that is important, but now that the little light is shining, let’s let others see it.

Foreign Missions
Pro: These Christians provide the “Treasure” portion of the “Time, Talent, and Treasure” trio of serving. Some may be physically unable to do the hands -on work and this is how they contribute, Make no mistake, we need these types of congregations.
Con: They are not really able to fully celebrate the good work that the Holy Spirit has done with their gifts since they are not there to see the benefits to those served.

Missional
Pro: a healthy mix of all of the other types in that everyone is working for the good of the body of Christ. A true sense of ownership of the ministry.
Con: What’s not to like? This is the aspirational congregation!

In my current setting we have a nice stream of involved members. Members ranging from little kids to our most elder member, he is 96 and volunteers to cook dinner with the youth for our monthly youth service project at the local battered women’s shelter. Because of our location and weather we get many different elements coming thru our narthax and it is our goal to make everyone feel welcome.
We also have a School ministry with most families calling our church their home church, however we rarely see them, but more on that in my ministry plan.

One church is mostly foreign missions congregations. For a small congregations they actually give a very large amount to missions via the synod, prison, and local ministries. Such a giving church and it is great to be a part of but the con is that there is lack of involvement in the church to do hands on mission or to get involved personally with the ministries. And it is the personal involvement that tends to change lives over check writing. But I see that through our youth group and now currently building up families we are providing the tools and resources for that to hopefully change. So YAY!

The other two churches, I honestly find it hard to pick a category . I want to say country club and convenience store mix. They are a country club in the fact they have very close knit groups in the church but they are also very welcoming towards new people. Convenience store because they come on Sundays as they are “supposed” to but I don’t see it applied outside of the buildings or applied to their heart to get them involved in building the church body.

I think the reasons we don’t have the missional congregations yet it because a lack of vision and leadership to lead our bodies into that type of congregations. I don’t think there would be much resistance just no has pointed out the need to be one or how to become one. But little changes are happening, which are way exciting. One church started an adult Bible study going through the whole Bible and people who signed up are hungry for the word. Another man is looking and gathering resources to start a men’s group in a church where there is none! And the small group leaders for our youth group are growing SO MUCH! So God is definitely working.

I would agree with Summer’s pros and cons. I think you did a great job with that Summer! So I just pray for a vision, mission and leadership for a congregation change to be the church Jesus designed it to be!

Pro of a country club: numbers increase when our “clicks” join together on Sunday morning. Con: they walk away without the mission of the church being carried out. Pro of the convenience store: they hear the Word! Con: It didn’t relate enough for them to take it home or practice their faith. Pro of foreign mission: donations are keeping the current financial books running and we can fund our programming most of the time. Con: We don’t have enough volunteers to back the financial support given to run the programs needed. Pro of the missional church: we serve all members and give opportunities to carry out the mission of the church by empowing them to grow in faith regardless of age. Con: those looking for just the convenience store, country club, or foreign affairs situtations will be turned off initially because change is difficult.

We celebrate new members, we fellowship between services every week, and we continue to look for new ways to grow and improve our relationships among members!

We need to build relationships outside of the “clicks” (yes this feels like elementary school sometimes) and encourage the entire congregation to feel as though they are part of our one family.