Supposedly poor participation in church by most members is due to apathy, a lack of concern, a lack of caring! This sweeping charge (albeit appropriately humble, as Hadassah includes herself), is that church attendees are in it only for self serving needs, and that in practical actions are only paying lip service to serving God.
Well, ok, I think *some* people may be that way inclined, but surely you can't tar and feather everyone with the same brush?
I agree there is a problem in church: 10% drive 90% of the activities, the majority are not engaged and seem merely to be passive recipients. But to make a sweeping statement of selfishness as the primary cause, is evidence of naivety. The problem is surely more nuanced than that.
What about insecurity, feelings of inferiority, being intimidated by the competence of the leaders, unsure in strange circumstances, fear of ridicule, peer pressure, waiting to be invited, inadequate delegation, authority to act not being given, etc., etc. I could come up with a number of reasons why someone does not engage.
So what then? Well, for a start, the leaders could consider each of these and ask if this is a particular problem. Perhaps they could start by establishing mentorships within a particular role. Especially, what we could do with more of is encouragement to risk! And security to fail.
Churches so often fall into the trap of instruction, forgetting that "“Correction does much, but encouragement does more.” [von Goeth]
But encouragement is not about making people feel good; encouragement is helping people to be and do -- do, be, do, be ...
As one man encouraged a somewhat dim fellow:
“Right!"
"Right!"
"You can get there!"
"I can get there!"
"You're a natural at counting to two!"
"I'm a nat'ral at counting to two!"
"If you can count to two, you can count to anything!"
"If I can count to two, I can count to anything!"
"And then the world is your mollusc!"
"My mollusc! ... what's a mollusc?”
[Pratchett]