As another approach to strengthening and growing local churches, we have assembled a list of Focus Churches for our in-house use. These are churches under 100 in attendance. I have asked that the District Staff front-load the ministry focus for these churches. We are here to see churches grow. Testimonies you will hear during this Council will validate our belief that even communities under 1000 in population size can have a growing, self-governing church.
New churches can grow to autonomy much sooner than has been the case.
A final concern surfacing in the mission statement is the matter of planting and reproducing churches. The Illinois District Council has been flat line for 15 years. Attrition has eroded virtually all new church growth. We must open more than we close. Most churches in our Fellowship do not have in their dream stage, let alone their active planning, to reproduce their church in another neighborhood or neighboring community.