If a church is not growing, it is dying.

For churches there are several ways to exist financially:

• Bankrupt - Income is less than expenses. Outcome: Church closes.

• Status Quo - Income is just above expenses. Outcome: Church continues with current capacity for ministry, outreach and programming.

• Increasing margins - Income is greater than expenses. Outcome: church is able to grow and expand capacity for ministry, outreach and programming.

The status quo is not a viable option for healthy congregations. This applies for finances, worship attendance, professions of faith and nearly any other metric that one would care to measure in the church.

In other words, if the church isn't growing, it is dying.