Mauldin UMC

This is part of a series of interviews with pastors of churches whose attendance has grown 20% or more in 5 years. We hope this series will be a resource of ideas to help increase worship attendance at your church.

Over the past decade, Mauldin UMC experienced significant growth in membership and in attendance at the worship services.  Several factors have contributed to this growth: location, pastoral leadership, outward focus, and programs that are varied in terms of length and focus.

While the location of a church is usually not something that can be changed, it does play a large role in the potential for growth.  The area that Mauldin UMC is situated in has been one of the large residential growth areas of the county.  That fact alone gave potential for the growth, but it was the response to the community that brought the people to the church and kept them here. Now, the area close to the facility has been built out and we are still experiencing growth as we give reasons for new people in the area to drive past other churches to attend Mauldin UMC.

Another factor that was crucial to the growth was the appointment of a pastor who was very focused on the local church and how the church could interact with the community.  This, coupled with a relatively long term (11 years) of leadership by the same pastor, gave us the leadership to grow.  The worship services and especially the sermons are key for visitors to get to know the “flavor” of the church.  Rev. Temple’s sermons were simple and direct, and were consistently calling for a response.  However, the follow-up by the congregation in identifying visitors and inviting them to be engaged with some aspect of the church program was the way that visitors transitioned from visitor to member to being involved. This sense of being a welcoming and warm church has continued under the new pastor (who previously served a start-up congregation that showed great growth for 15 years).  Long term effective service by pastors seems to be a crucial element to continuing growth.

Rev. Smoke Kanipe

Outward focus is another element of growth. In the decade of growth, our mission concerns shifted from monetary support to actual mission trips.  Ranging from week-long mission activities for teens and adults in Salkehatchee programs to longer term mission trips to Peru and Tanzania for groups, and mission trips by individuals working with other mission groups to Central America and Uganda give us a personal contact with the world beyond our comfort zone.  Also, small groups such as individual or combinations of Sunday school classes regularly provide meals and help serve at a local “soup kitchen” and others serve with various agencies such as United Ministries.  This keeps us from turning inward and collapsing under our own weight.

Finally, a varied program of educational and small group activities provide a way for people to connect in a way that allows them to express their own gifts and graces. In addition to regular Sunday School and Bible studies, we have knitting and crocheting groups that make prayer shawls, a wood working shop that has provided the cabinetry and other projects for our new Spirit Center.  Of course we have UMW, Methodist Men, and Boy Scouts.  Our women’s ministry embraces a wide spectrum of younger women with our “Growing in Grace” ministry for the spiritual growth of women.  Youth ministry includes small group sessions for boys and girls of various age groups during the week as well as the Sunday night gathering.  During the school year, we have a children’s program called POP – Pumping Out Praise – that includes singing, movement, crafts, and Bible lessons.  This is in conjunction with a catered meal every Wednesday that gives us yet another reason to be at Mauldin UMC.

There is no single factor that is more important than any other, but all have worked together to allow Mauldin UMC to grow and to continue to grow.  The main thing for congregational growth is to emphasize an outward looking congregation and a place where people are welcomed and nurtured so that they are excited about being in a faith community that is active and alive in expressing our faith in Jesus Christ.

George Scott, former Associate Pastor

Shortly after writing this, Rev. George Scott went on to a new church and became Pastor of Travelers Rest UMC in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.

C. E. Kanipe, Jr., Senior Pastor: cekanipe@mauldinmethodist.com

Mauldin United Methodist Church, Mauldin, South Carolina

Church website:  http://www.mauldinmethodist.com