Approaching the end of the school year in June of 1968, we at Circle Church were almost a year and a half old and our attendance hovered constantly around the 200 mark. With the remarkable enthusiasm present, we projected that it was quite feasible we would pass 300 by the end of September, which was alarming because we had a “number hang-up.”
Now most church staffs want to lift off the roof, shoot for the sky, and break last year’s attendance record. But, we had committed ourselves to a small church philosophy because it seemed more adequately to facilitate intense interaction. Two hundred was the magic number beyond which we predicted the bond of person-to-person fellowship would be stretched unbearably. In anticipation of this, we had decided previously that we would either begin a. branch work or split off part of the group to infuse new life into a dying city congregation.
Seeing that the determined point had been reached, we began making overtures in various directions. Several possibilities were explored.
- Maybe there were leftover buildings vacated by extinct congregations. We found, however, that none were free for the asking.
- We investigated establishing a branch work, but the undertaking of financing even a minimal staff seemed prohibitive.
- We contacted the District Superintendent to inquire whether any churches within our own denomination, the Evangelical Free Church, would welcome our assistance. There were three. Two exist to this day without our help. The last died with our help!
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
