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.

I’m happy to share with you what I believe may account for the increases in Sunday attendance.  In a ‘nutshell’, it is Evangelism plain and simple.  Evangelism, as defined by Encarta Dictionary says: Evangelism is “the spreading of Christianity, especially through the activities of Evangelists; crusading zeal…great enthusiasm, fervor, or zeal for a particular cause”.  Who are our Evangelists at St. Paul’s who carry the invitation to come and worship?  They are the men, women and children in our congregation. They have made St. Paul’s a Vanguard Church in the community.  St. Paul’s people let their light shine and hopefully, we pray, that other churches and congregations follow their lead.

Why, you may ask, are they happy to invite others to worship?  Are they all extroverts?  No, they see changes in their lives and in lives around them; knowing that God doesn’t call us to be perfect, just faithful.  Inviting others to come and taste, to see that the Lord is good, happens.

We provide a variety in Worship

There is an 8:45 AM contemporary service and an 11 AM Traditional Service and in addition, there are special services in Advent and Lent.  There are laity led Bible studies as well as Pastor led bible studies and Safe Sanctuaries training for youth workers.  The United Methodist Women’s circles promote ‘shoe box ministry’ to our congregation, angel tree ministries for inmates’ children at Christmas and have an active card ministry in addition to being strong prayer warriors!  Our United Methodist Men have donated their time to do fundraisers like frying oysters and crab cakes in order to help smaller churches in our area meet their budget; giving all their profit to those churches.

We have theme-based Sundays

The Blessing of The Bikes (motorcycles and children’s bicycles) through our motorcycle ministry “The God Squad”, Blessing of The Animals and First Sunday Breakfasts.  We are planning hunting and fishing Sundays as well as Children’s Fun Sundays and other themes.  We have a lay-led special ministry to those who’ve lost children and incorporated into that ministry is a special Sunday Devotion in December where a large Christmas tree is in front of the Church.  It’s adorned with white ribbons bearing the names of those children who’ve died.

We reach out to the community

Well, I think that they believe in what is happening here; that lives are changing and, that under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the folks here are doing something wonderful in the community. The fruits of the Spirit send us, seeking those who are hurting emotionally, financially and spiritually.  They’re really reaching out by providing meals for the homeless at the Cold Weather Shelter, reaching out giving of their time to have a monthly soup day and free soup to anyone that needs it.  They’re giving of their time as they donate to, organize and distribute food and financial assistance in our social services program.   They volunteer at the local hospital and thrift shops and during Christmas provide over 150 complete Christmas dinners packed up and delivered to the needy in the shadow of our steeple and beyond.  St. Paul’s people have annually distributed at least a tractor trailer of food and over Twenty Thousand Dollars in financial help to those in our community.  The youth make an annual mission trip to the poor in Virginia and we have an active ministry “Operation Warm” providing brand new coats to school children in Appalachia at Harlan Kentucky.  This year, we’ve been able to send 56 new coats into Appalachia and another 44 new coats to needy children in our community.  Many of these children have never had a new coat to call theirs, always hand-me-downs, until ‘Operation Warm’ coats arrive.

Rev. Fred Bahr

…by not only having a youth group or children’s church or VBS, but providing block parties a couple times a year for them and their parents with music and free hot dogs, burgers, soft drinks and fellowship.  During the block party just before the beginning of school, St. Paul’s people pack and distribute over 150 backpacks that are full of school supplies for elementary, middle and high school students.

The ministry to the elderly is Laity led…

…with between 7-10 lay people plus the pastor visiting two local nursing homes.  Our people give of themselves to share song and hope with our seniors as they are given the opportunity to participate in word and table (Holy Communion) in fellowship together. In addition, we have an annual health fair with special hearing testing, info on physical and mental health, flu shots offered by our local health department in connection with St. Paul’s nursing outreach ministry.  The police department provides safety info for children and adults. Because of dedicated lay volunteers, we are able have an ongoing basement sale where the funds are used for our helping hands program.

You see, all of these things, these ‘outreach activities’ for want of a better term, make a difference in how St. Paul’s people perceive what it means to be a ‘follower of our Lord Jesus Christ’.

Anyone can say that they’re a Christian but it is the experiential engagement that truly makes a difference in the lives of those at St. Paul’s and to those whom they serve.  How could they not want to follow the pastor’s encouragement to ‘invite, invite and invite’?

And so, they invite and people come.  When the guests arrive, they’re warmly welcomed, engaged in conversation beyond the typical and expected how are you’s? Many of the congregation (including the pastor) wear name tags.  Guests are given welcome packages and encouraged not to feel like they have to put money in the offering, that it doesn’t matter how they’ve arrived as visitors,  because God wants to bless them!  That God wants to give them ‘food for their journey’.  The visitors return, sometimes, they stay and become members; sometimes they do not return but have taken with them the love of St. Paul’s people and the knowledge of the love of God in their hearts.

It’s all Holy Spirit driven actually. God’s word is sung, proclaimed, laity-read and the sermons are consistent with the theme:  ‘OK, that’s a nice scripture, but how does that apply to me today” or “How will hearing that help me in what I’m going through”.   Prayers for forgiveness for self and for others and intercession are offered at every service because St. Paul’s is not just a haven for Saints, as someone once said, St. Paul’s is truly a “Hospital for those hurting and wounded children of God who just happen to be sinners like the rest of us who are forgiven by that wonderful loving kindness of our God and his forgiveness in Jesus Christ”.

Following worship, the reflections shared by those attending have allowed me to realize that they have felt something that makes them feel good about themselves and their relationship with God.  Who could ask for more?  Those that are out and about in the Community readily invite neighbors, co-workers, and even complete strangers to come, because they know where some bread can be found to feed a starving soul.

I’m just very happy to be their pastor and witness the wonderful things that God is doing through them.

Well, I am going to get on my motorcycle and take a ride in the community, maybe I’ll find someone to ask:  “I’m glad that you like my VW trike, I’d sure like to invite you to come to St. Paul’s this Sunday…it’s like being right at home, just come as you are…”

Yours, in Christ,

Rev. Frederick Bahr, OSL

Pastor email:  fbahr@hotmail.com

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