Albert O. Aina

“Research shows that a church must keep about 16 percent of its first time guests to experience a minimal growth rate of 5 percent a year. Rapidly growing churches keep between 25 and 30 percent of their first time guests. Declining churches keep only about 5 to 8 percent of their first time guests. By using the average of 16 percent, we can calculate the number of guests our church needs to grow. For example, a church that wants to add fifty new members this year will need to have a minimum of three hundred guests attend its worship services during the year. The same research revealed the crucial importance of getting guests to return for a second visit. A church keeps about 60 percent of its guests who come back for a second visit in the week after their first visit. This points out the importance of being gracious hosts the first time, so that our guests will feel encouraged to return. Research also indicates that new comers who remain in a church more than six months have an average of seven friends in their church, while people who drop out of a church average only two friends. 90 percent of new members who do not find a group to join and a job to do will be inactive at the end of the year. Less than 10 percent of first timers will ever return after their first time visit. 10-12 percent of those that come back will join the church within one year. 45-60 percent of second time guests will join the church if graciously received at the first visit. 75 percent of third time visitors will join the church if there is friendliness among church people and towards guests.”
― Albert O. Aina, 10 Healthy System for Healthy Church Growth

“Church growth is 60% prayers and 40% methods and principles, according to Dr. Yonggi Cho - the Pastor of the world largest church. There must be deliberate, systematic prayer warfare strategy. We are dealing with well organized, structured enemy with levels and layers of satanic authorities. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph 6:12). The Guerilla Warfare structure headed by Satan is comprised of the following levels - Principalities, Powers, Rulers of Darkness, Spiritual Wickedness in High Places. CITY-TAKING PRAYER STRATEGIES To effectively check mate, confront, preempt and demobilize this satanic structure, the following prayer strategies are recommended. The aim of the strategy outlined below is to uproot the gates of the enemy from every stratum of our community and households and to actually take the battle to the gates of the enemy.”
― Albert O. Aina, 10 Healthy System for Healthy Church Growth