Counting the cost of change

What does it cost for the rural church to grow? Just as there is a cost to following Christ, there is a cost to expanding the ministry of our congregations.

At Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Sidney, Neb., attendance at weekly worship is 253, which includes a Wednesday service and two Sunday services. Two years ago we launched a contemporary worship service.

Before, there had been one traditional liturgical service only. Today, the contemporary service accounts for two-thirds of our Sunday worshipers. In the last two years we received 82 new members--95 percent of them through the contemporary service.