This single cell may become stretched but it eventually closes and new people do not feel welcome. Visiting many small churches is like attending the family reunion of a friend. Churches must intentionally work at incorporating new individuals. It is not something that happens automatically. A church s commitment to reaching new people is demonstrated in the budget.
Most small churches spend little on evangelism and outreach.
Growing churches recognize that dollars spent on evangelism are investment dollars. Such dollars not only help the church grow, they reap eternal dividends. I would like to encourage churches at a board retreat to take the minutes of your meetings for the last year. List the decisions you have made as leaders and check them against the list provided by McIntosh. If most of the decisions are simply for the benefit of those already attending, it may be why you are having trouble growing.