I grew up Dutch Reformed.

It’s still my preferred denomination but it’s rare, at least in the U.S.

A friend, and retired Catholic priest, recommended the LCMS, and other than their willingness to obey secular authority I’m happy there.

But, we are disappearing, at least in Miami.

Still lots of churches but only a handful of people and pastors on rotation.

I am a born again, evangelical Christian, and I never heard of the LCMS until the priest suggested it.

I think if we could advertise that there still is a decently wide spread Protestant denomination, with educated pastors, which hasn’t sold itself on abortion and gay marriage, we could grow.

Admittedly, it’s a tough sell for any religion in Miami, other than the church of the like.

quote:

A friend, and retired Catholic priest, recommended the LCMS

This is interesting.
Is there a particular reason he did not suggest the Catholic Church?

As for advertising, I believe it’s referred to as mission work.
Be a light in YOUR community and people will naturally be drawn to you and your church.

Simple community mission work that does work for just the regular folk in the community.

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Originally posted by Black92LX:

This is interesting.
Is there a particular reason he did not suggest the Catholic Church?

I grew up LCMS. It is (not completely jokingly) referred to as "Catholic Lite".

In my experience the best growth is organic growth from personal experiences. From the Pastor/Priest to the new member, the interactions that each person and family have with the community around them is where growth that lasts will come from.

I was an interim pastor at a failed church in a large city for a while. The task of changing mindset became apparent to me as one of my primary purposes there. I need to lead change in the membership and community away from a place that felt like a Sunday "club" towards a place of welcome and healing. Read Andy Stanley's "Deep and Wide", it has excellent points towards grasping how to be Christ's church in your community. There are some really great parts of applicable advice to be pivoted to your situation.

Why not just say exactly that... Come join us for a traditional values church community

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Is there a particular reason he did not suggest the Catholic Church?

. We met at a Trad Catholic hunting camp…. He’s…. Well familiar with my, and the rest of the “Dutch Hard Heads” opinions on the papacy/especially the current pope.

There are three Lutheran groups in the USA - LCMS, WELS, and ELCA. They are listed in order of conservative to modern.

There is a WELS church that is based in DelRay Ranch as well as in Santa Rita Ranch, and West Palm Beach.

As for the "Catholic lite" designation, the original reason for the formation of the Lutheran Church was that they objected to some of the policies at that time. It is called Lutheran due to Martin Luther - he posted his objections on the church.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther

How about “The songs are hard to sing, but we have potluck!”

The church I joined when I moved to Florida twenty something years ago was still using the red hymnals. I still let a “spake by the prophets” or “quick and the dead” come out once in a while reciting the creeds.

The problem is, if you aren’t raised it, then it’s not tradition.

How about having a choir? Sing traditional hymns in place of or in addition to contemporary praise songs?
Also: so many churches now, even small ones, have online service streaming on YT or FB.
A church we were considering recommending checking out their online service FIRST. We did, and decided the church was too “young” for us. We do fine with a multigenerational church—prefer it, actually—-but a really loud contemporary only praise band with a MEGA bass drum set is a huge turnoff for us.

Unfortunately, “traditional” music and liturgy often go with progressive theology, so you really have to choose one or the other in many cases. That’s because the progs have taken over mainline denominations, think people want hymns and robes rather than Biblical preaching.

Is your church part of any Reformed organization like FIRE?

As far as which churches would be closest to your theology it wouldn't be Lutheran, it would be a PCA or Reformed Baptist church or a church that affirms the Canons of Dort, WCF, LBCF, etc.

People often think that because Luther was an early figure in the Reformation that Lutherans are soteriologically Reformed but that's not the case.

You ask how to advertise a traditional church and afterwards mention educated pastors, abortion, and gay marriage.

I’m not being argumentative; I’m just trying to get on the same page as you are. What do you mean by traditional? Do you mean traditional in how you do services as in do you conduct “high mass” or “high service?” Or traditional in terms of fire and brimstone sermons? Or traditional in terms worship service in that you only do hymns and organs and no modern worship songs? Or, since you mentioned abortion and gay marriage, by “traditional,” do you mean historical biblical values? Understanding what you mean by traditional is important to helping you as it’s the internal image of your church.

Secondly, I believe you’re asking how to get more people coming regularly and becoming a part of the church. From where is this desire to grow in numbers coming from? Is it just from you sitting in the pew? (I don’t know what your role in the church is so I mean no insult.) is it coming from the pastor? The leadership group?

Have you prepared the current regulars for the growth you are wanting? Are they sold on the desire to grow? Do they understand what growing entails and their part in it? Because they do play a major part. Growing means people who are different from them in looks, personalities, mannerisms will be a part of their church? Growing means your regulars will have to open their cliques and include new people. Growing means regulars will have to be sensitive to recognize new people and be genuinely be sincere in welcoming them, befriending them, and developing relationships with new people. This is assessing whether the soil of your church has been prepared to sustain growth much in the same way a gardener prepares soil before planting.

The next thing is identifying the core leadership team who is motivated and willing to work and help the pastor set up the different plans and programs to grow.

You figure out the above and get it set up then the next thing to do is what every good company does in successfully marketing their products. They know their product, hence my question about what you mean by traditional. They know their strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities, hence the things I covered after the point about “traditional.”

The third leg is visualizing and identifying their target market(s). Why do you need to identify and understand the target markets that you want to reach? Because understanding your target market means you understand their needs, wants, and hot buttons so that you can tailor different propositions to show how your church can meet their needs they may not even know they have, fulfill their desires that may not even have surfaced, and continually push their hot buttons to confirm your church is what they’ve been looking for.

Advertising shares the root word of adversity or adverse. Because that’s what advertising does, it makes you realize you’re uncomfortable because you have a hole that needs to be filled and thankfully, the product or service being advertised can fill that need.

You figure out which target demographics you want, then you’re going to need to have the programs to reach out to them. For example, you find out you have a lot of young families in your area with children? Then you’ll need children’s programs or childcare. You’re in an area with addicts and drunks and those are the people you want to reach? You’re going to need a Christian 12 step program. Your regulars will be wanting people like themselves to come in, so you’ll need to come up with special events or services to which they can invite people like themselves because your regulars will be the best resource for reaching out to people like them. If your regulars aren’t equipped to reach out to strangers like them, then you need a program to teach and train them how to reach out.

I know there’s not much “spiritual talk” in my post like “God is the one who causes growth so you have to do a lot of praying to Him.” But that’s a given. The Book says Jesus commanded his disciples to make disciples of all the nations and to teach them to keep all the commandments He told them. Well, those commandments Jesus told His disciples is that they were to go and make disciples. So every disciple through the centuries are likewise supposed to make disciples. And every disciple has a part. Some plant, some water, and some reap. And we should strive to be like Paul who became all things to everyone so that some might be saved.

Thank you, Rey HRH, for a comprehensive response.

Aglifter, with your care and concern for the souls of people, please ask the Lord how you and your family might best bring people to Him. A church is often thought to be a place for people to find Christ, but it is, by design, for believers. Your continuing evangelism will be outside the church.

The restoration of a particular church to one of strength and effectiveness does require increasing awareness of its core values and activities. Having a response to people who are curious about your church is best when your feelings are expressed with love.

If I were responding about your present church, and someone asked "why do you attend...?" I would likely say "Worship is so important to me. I couldn't manage life today without an anchor for my soul. At my church, I feel at peace knowing that I am in a place that allows me to express my love for Christ in worship, that joins me with caring families, that allows me to serve others, that reaches out to everyone, ..."

Focusing on how this church meets the common needs of all avoids needless controversy, which often comes when we speak of issues that divide our nation and the world.

If a person asks "what about issue X?" you can respond with "how do you see this?" Immediately responding with "The Bible says..." presumes that the person is aware of the Bible, believes it to be inspired, and is authoritative. Often an inquiry is from a person who has not yet reached this awareness.

Most often, a person who questions these divisive issues is not sure about God, His eternal nature, His holiness, and how much He loves us. Be the evangelist who seeks to meet the individual there, first.

You can do this. You can be that "advertisement" that brings people to your new church home. Trust God to bring you in contact with people who need your guidance, and the words to say.

Two very good comments, thanks both.

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Originally posted by SigSAC:
There are three Lutheran groups in the USA - LCMS, WELS, and ELCA. They are listed in order of conservative to modern.

Actually there is at least one more - the LCA (Lutheran Church in America). It was formed a decade or so ago from churches that left the ELCA over the ELCA's policy to allow gay marriage and ordination of gays.

The same thing is happening to the United Methodist Church right now. I believe 12/31 is the deadline for congregations to leave and keep their church property with no questions asked.