Solving the Missing Member Puzzle

Something is wrong. People are going missing, right in front of your eyes! One minute they are staring back at you from their favorite pew, the next Sunday you are looking at an empty spot in that pew. Is there a way to determine ahead of time which members are the likely "religious dropouts"? Often the clues are clearly visible -- but can you recognize them? What's more, do you know what you can do now to keep your "missing members" from drifting away? The secret lies in knowing and understanding the attitudes and belief systems that people hold, because certain sets of attitudes are linked to inactivity.

A detailed examination of this distressingly common experience, Solving The Missing Member Puzzle can help you spot potential dropouts in advance, learn the reasons why they become inactive, and counteract the process with a proactive strategy for reaching them while they are still within your grasp. Based on "blind" interviews with individuals from ten different congregations, it reveals the underlying attitudes and belief systems that encourage or discourage dropping out of church.

Solving The Missing Member Puzzle is a valuable tool for leaders of any church or organization -- it shows how you can develop more faithful members, and assists in their growth, participation, and retention. Don't wait until people drop out before you take action. Learn ways to anticipate which members of your congregation might become inactive and the preventive measures that you can take to help keep them in the pews.

Arlon K. Stubbe is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Sharon, Pennsylvania. He previously served parishes in Michigan. He is also the author of Shaping the Word (LPTC Publishing). He is a graduate of Carthage College and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.