Low Sundays Suck... But That’s Part of the Rhythm.

Hey, Pastors,

Let’s not pretend they don’t!

There’s always that one person who over-spiritualizes the situation, saying things like:

“I like it when there are fewer people in the room because it’s more intimate.”

Or, “It’s not about the numbers!”

First of all, intimate? Seriously? It’s a church service, not a first date! 😄 And honestly, I believe those who obsess over only attending a small church are more obsessed with themselves. Why? Fewer people around them means more attention on them.

Secondly, we have to be careful when we say it’s not about the numbers.

There’s a growing conversation in church circles about keeping things small—some even believe we should ditch churches altogether and just meet in homes.

Sure, God doesn’t care about numbers in the way the world does, but I disagree with dismissing them entirely for two reasons.

First, I believe Jesus wants heaven to be full. The more people attending our church services and connecting with the presence of Jesus, the more people will be in heaven.

Second, when did more people in church become a bad thing?

Some churches use the “numbers don’t matter” line as an excuse for not giving their best or working hard when attendance is low. But if you’re working with excellence and preaching the gospel of Jesus, people will show up.

That’s a promise Jesus made in the Scriptures: “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself.” Everywhere Jesus went, large crowds followed because people liked Jesus, and Jesus liked people.

And by the way, if you’re one of those who say, “It’s not about the numbers,” how about stopping the offering altogether in your services—because numbers don’t matter, right?

Ask any business owner if numbers matter!

Imagine someone in your church who owns a business telling you they no longer want more customers—they just want to keep their customer base small.

That business wouldn’t last long because, at the end of the day, numbers do matter.

A growing church IS a healthy church, and a stagnant church is a dying one.

SO LET’S BE HONEST!

The Sundays where people fly the coop…DO suck!

But that’s part of the rhythm all of us deal with.

Whether it’s Labor Day weekend, the Sunday after Christmas, or post-Easter, these days often bring fewer faces in the pews, and it can be discouraging.

But let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture—these moments aren’t about our shortcomings; they’re just a natural part of church life.

Research from Barna Group shows that the Sunday after Easter is often the least attended of the year, and similar patterns follow other major holidays.

The Sunday after Christmas is one of the lowest-attended Sundays too!

The truth is, families are out making the most of their long weekends, traveling, and spending time together...AND that is not necessarily a BAD thing!

Here’s my point… Just because attendance is down, or you completely BOMBED your sermon, doesn’t mean you are failing!

Sure, it’s tough not to feel like you’ve missed the mark when attendance dips.

But here’s the reality: as long as you keep moving forward, you’re not failing.

Proverbs 24:16 says it best: “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…”

Every setback is a stepping stone to something greater.

Just think about Elon Musk and SpaceX. (THAT guy needs to be tithing!)

They faced three failed rocket launches before they finally succeeded.

Had their fourth rocket launch attempt failed, they would have lost everything.

But they didn’t let those failures stop them.

They learned from the first three failed attempts, persisted, and ultimately achieved what many thought was impossible.

How can we pivot around these Sundays where no one shows up?

Focus on Those Who Show Up!

Invest in those relationships and pour into your core congregation.

ALWAYS encourage them to bring someone with them next Sunday.

This often means you need to be prepared with an exciting service that they’ll want to bring their friends to.

Around low Sundays—like after Christmas or Easter—we always try to do something a little more exciting.

We might kick off a new sermon series, especially one that grabs attention, like topics on relationships, dating, or family.--Or we might do a giveaway!

The more engaging the service, the better the chance they’ll actually come back.

I firmly believe Sunday services should be exciting.

When I was a youth pastor, I’d often hear youth leaders get frustrated because the teenagers were on their phones during the sermon.

Some even tried to take the phones away, which is never a good idea—trust me.

But here’s the reality: everything we do as a church competes for peoples attention.

We’re competing with ball games, extracurricular activities, and even the latest season of The Voice.

So, what do we do when they’re texting or playing video games during the message?

We have to be more exciting than what’s happening on their phone.

Our services should be so engaging that they have to put their phones away because they don’t want to miss what’s happening.

The goal is to create an environment that keeps them on the edge of their seat, so immersed in the moment that they can’t help but focus on what Jesus is doing in the service. By the way...THATS HARD WORK!

Philippians 3:13-14 reminds us: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on…”

Stay focused on the mission God has given you, and make sure your services are something your congregation is excited to share with others.

These low Sundays aren’t a sign of failure; one hard sermon doesn't mean you're done with ministry! It's all a reminder that ministry is a marathon, not a sprint.

It’s about being faithful, even when the numbers don’t reflect the impact. (At least three times a year, it's gonna happen.)

So as we head into this Labor Day weekend, remember that your work matters.

Keep pushing forward, and trust that God is using you in ways you might not yet see.

You’re doing incredible work, and your perseverance will lead to meaningful impact.

—PZ