Size of churches

[dms1972]

A church I attended many years ago, had on its members role several thousand families. It was an average sized church building, hard to say what it would hold numerically - perhaps a thousand people at most. But I don't recall it having a lot more than maybe a few hundred out at the services I attended. I was kind of stunned to learn how many families were connected to that congregation. But my quetion is doesn't this make each service potentially very changable fellowship-wise in terms of whose attending each week. Clearly not everyone on the members role came to church every Sunday, how often some attended I don't know, but they were still connected to that congregation I suppose even if they hadn't been there in months or years.

Also some I suspect might have been going to a house / home group and not attending the weekly services regularly.

By contrast my early childhood was going to a mission hall, where perhaps there was 50 - 100 at most at a service (the hall would not have held more than 100 people) So it was mostly regulars, with occasional new faces.

What I am getting at is - in churches that have that many families connected, can one end up feeling at times, is this same church I attended last week, because there is a sudden change in who is there?

 

[chevyontheriver]

A church I attended many years ago, had on its members role several thousand families. It was an average sized church building, hard to say what it would hold numerically - perhaps a thousand people at most. But I don't recall it having a lot more than maybe a few hundred out at the services I attended. I was kind of stunned to learn how many families were connected to that congregation. But my quetion is doesn't this make each service potentially very changable fellowship wise in terms of whose attending each week. Clearly not everyone on the members role came to church every Sunday, how often some attended I don't know, but they were still connected to that congregation I suppose even if they hadn't been there in months or years.

Also some I suspect might have been going to a house / home group and not attending the weekly services regularly.

By contrast my early childhood was going to a mission hall, where perhaps there was 50 - 100 at most at a service (the hall would not have held more than 100 people) So it was mostly regulars, with occasional new faces.

What I am getting at is - in churches that have that many families connected, can one end up feeling at times, is this same church I attended last week, because there is a sudden change in who is there.

My church is not huge but it has more people than will fit in the building at any one time. And so they have five different services on a weekend. I could go to any of them. And I guess I have over the years. But most of us are creatures of habit and stick mostly with the same time. So I see a lot of the same people at my normal time. When I go at a different time I see few that I know.

 

[seeking.IAM]

There is no uniform way churches count membership, nor is there a uniform way churches purge inactive members from their roles. Attendance figures or pledging units are better measures in my opinion.

 

[dms1972]

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[timf]

Churches can have problems with doctrine, personalities, and structure. Many do not appreciate the impact church structure can have Many churches are run as organizational systems that process people almost like components on a conveyor belt. This can be desirable for some in that if can avoid the difficulties one finds with actual relationships with people.

Christianity was intended to be about relationships (us with God and each others). Large churches can function well in today's society because they minimize the demands of relationships. Small churches area almost forced to have to deal with relationships. Christians are told to love one another so often perhaps because we are so unlovable.

 

[ChubbyCherub]

Um, I wouldn't like to think of myself as unlovable!! Wow!

 

[Shane R]

I consider Average Sunday Attendance the most significant number. Most mainline churches count scores or hundreds of people who haven't attended in ages. Some may not even live locally anymore (some might not be alive!).

On the other end of the spectrum, the official membership of mega churches tends to be a fraction of those who attend.

 

[seeking.IAM]

Funny but true story. I had a long transition into The Episcopal Church. I was a regular visitor for about six years before I decided I really was leaving my former church and really was an Anglican who wanted to get confirmed. About 3 years into that journey someone asked me why I didn't pick up my voter material at the annual meeting. I said, "I am not a member." They said, "Yes, you are." Apparently, they made me a member without telling me based upon my regular attendance or giving - not sure which. It was news to me. As a former UMC person being a member meant you had attended a membership class and stood in front of the congregation to be received as a new member. My TEC sneaked new members in through the back door.

 

[RileyG]

There is no uniform way churches count membership, nor is there a uniform way churches purge inactive members from their roles. Attendance figures or pledging units are better measures in my opinion.

I agree.

People often church hop around. That’s also not uncommon, imo.