The Pew-Filling Formula

Chesapeake Conference, Andre Hastick, The Pew-Filling Formula, Seventh-day Adventist church

October 29, 2024 ∙ by Web Administrator ∙ in Chesapeake Conference, Editorials, This Month's Issue

Editorial by Andre Hastick

As a father of three, I have had my fair share of visits to urgent care. The check-in process is always systematic and predictable. “What brings you in today?” they ask. The patient shares their symptoms, and the doctor eventually provides a diagnosis.

We, as the Seventh-day Adventist Church, have acknowledged we are suffering from the ailment of decreased attendance in many of our congregations across the North American Division and beyond. According to a 2023 report shared by the Archives, Statistics, and Research Department at the Seventh-day Adventist World Church Headquarters, “Since 1965, 43,652,857 people have been members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Of those, 18,555,581 have chosen to leave. Our net loss rate is 42.5%. In effect, 4 out of every 10 members are slipping away.”*

While these statistics may be startling, the data itself falls short of prescribing actions that lead to positive change. Focusing on the physical ailments that bring you to urgent care won’t make you well, just as focusing on the symptoms of ill church health will not improve our retention or growth.

We often look at the Great Commission through the lens of evangelism, but what if it also contains the key to retaining members and healing fractured relationships in the church? Here are three life-transforming instructions from the Master Physician found in Matthew’s gospel.

Firstly, Jesus says in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples” (ESV). For us to retain members, we must engage them. We cannot afford to sit idly by, waiting for our estranged church family members to return. The work of discipleship is seeking and engaging others as valued members of the body of Christ.

Secondly, Jesus implores that we teach disciples to obey everything He has commanded. The way to live a kingdom life is not through head-knowledge alone, but through practical life applications from Scripture. We may focus on filling our pews, but Jesus’ focus is on filling His people. Filled people fill pews. Therefore, we are called to be spiritual ambassadors, building bridges to meet missing members at their point of need, and encouraging them to continue to pursue an abundant life in Christ within the context of community. May our reclamation efforts be anchored in grace and become living testimonies where faith flourishes in mutually supportive communities of hope.

Lastly, Jesus assures us that we are not alone in this sacred work. “And behold, I am with you always, even until the end of the age” (verse 20). The work of reaching and retaining missing members, emerging generations and the greater community can leave us feeling inadequate. The good news is, He is more than enough! Therefore, let us earnestly pray and seek to co-labor with the Lord to reach and retain more souls for Christ until His soon return.

Andre Hastick serves as the executive secretary of the Chesapeake Conference.

https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Statistics/Other/SDAWorldChurchStatsSummary2023.pdf

Read the November/December 2024 Visitor here!

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