Friday Focus...a look at the nominal

I am thankful for Thom Rainer and the Lifeway resources.  Mr. Rainer gives us a blog everyday to think deeper about what we see and experience as pastors.  The focus on his "Rainer on Leadership" reports for Tuesday and today were on the topic of nominal attenders.  The church is experiencing more attenders who were regular attenders becoming nominal attenders.  Being a nominal attender too long could lead to becoming a part of the Christmas and Easter crowd.  Is there anything we can do about this migration?  Mr. Rainer makes us think about these things.

The first definition given for the word nominal is, "existing in name only."  When this relates to the Christian or the church it is never good.  

"Yup, that's my church."  

"When was the last time you attended there for a Sunday service?"
"Let me think,...ah, I think it was...."

The number being thrown around is 15 to 24 times a year.  A nominal attender graces the church structure 2 or less times a month.  They are there so infrequent that they don't know that there are others who are also doing the same.  If you were to ask a nominal Christian if they are active, they would still respond in the affirmative.

What takes someone from being a regular attender to becoming a nominal attender?  Here are the top 3 from Thom and me.

1. Divorce - the breakup of a couple and possibly a family puts church on the back burner many times for a variety of reasons
2. A change in life - from high school to college, from single to married, from kids in the home to no kids in the home, a physical move
3. Kids sports and activities - never before have we seen the schedules of our children trump the Biblical call for us to gather together

The fact is those who are nominal for awhile are more apt to become infrequent rather than regular again.  

One factor of this fact is that the social media has not helped us out.  It is possible to be nominal and know everything that is going on at the church but not really be a part of what is going on.  Maybe there is a redefining of what it means to be involved.  Are you physically involved or just electronically involved?

Another factor is that when you become nominal, you create a new routine.  Your routine has changed and to change it back is really hard.  You have added other things into your schedule and those things are now pulling at you to stay with the "new same."  A couple weeks away from the gathering of Christians leads very quickly to a month because you have been so busy with other things.

How do we reach out to those who have slid into the nominal category?

In some way, the nominal needs to know that he or she has been missed.  In the time we live, it is not a letter, a phone call, or an email but a text to make this touch.  People will read and respond to a text quicker than any of the other modes of communication.  The key here is for someone to send that text.  

"Missed you last Sunday.  Hope all is well."

Something directly related to the text is that someone notices that the nominal is not there.  This usually means that the nominal is connected to a smaller group within the church.  Hopefully in those groupings for fellowship there will have someone who is more aware than others of who is not there.  Thom Rainer put this emphasis on group development as the number one way to reach back into the nominal's life.  The number two way is to involve the nominal in some type of service project.

Let me end with the thought that there is always the need to hear the gospel.  This should be a common part of our weekly gatherings.  Maybe the nominal is not truly saved yet.  He or she has tasted Jesus but not swallowed Him up.  Someone who is so in love with Jesus would be following His example of being in the synagogue on the Sabbath and in the temple in Jerusalem daily to preach and pray.

Thank you Thom Rainer for some more thoughts on what we experience and to make us look deeper how we can reach out to those who are partially here.

Adam