There is much debate these days about church planting versus
church revitalization. It seems that we
have come to the conclusion that we have far too much square footage currently
under the roofs of churches to ignore.
Thus, revitalization is going to have to be part of the long term plan
as we consider how to reach a progressively secular society.
By the grace of God, I have been privileged to be a part of
several successful revitalization projects.
There are a number of keys to a successful revitalization project that I
have observed. However, before I share
these, let me say that it is assumed that we recognize that prayer and outreach
are a major part of the equation. These
are things that ought to be daily practices as well as an aspect of everything
we do.
The Heart of the
People
If the people who currently make up the church have no
desire to see the church move forward, then the effort is doomed from the
start. Any successful revitalization project
will require that the people share the heart of God for reaching others. Such a heart will manifest itself in several
ways. First of all, the people will be
willing to work and volunteer. They will
be willing to do what it takes to make the church successful. Second, the people will need to reach out to
their family, friends, and neighbors. In
spite of all the great outreach programs at our disposal, nothing beats the
personal invitation of someone close to us.
And finally, the people must put priority above preference. They must be willing to make the adjustments
that need to be made.
Programming
The church will need to develop the programs necessary to
reach the various age groups that are represented in the community. This might mean starting or revamping a
children’s ministry, asking the church to step out in faith and hire a youth
minister, and yes, this may even mean asking someone to divide up their Sunday
School class to start a much needed new unit.
The list of potential needs in this area are as numerous as the churches
who desperately need to experience revitalization. The man, called of God to lead that church,
must discern what the greatest needs in this area are.
Grace-Filled
Leadership
Leadership is a delicate art. There are many today who ascribe to a very
authoritarian model of leadership. As
time has served as the judge, it is clear that such a leadership style is
rarely effective. Sadly, it still seems
to be the leadership style that is encouraged by a number of books and
speakers. While such a style may be
helpful in a church planting circumstance, it rarely helpful in revitalization. Make no mistake about it, strong leadership
will be needed, but it will take a more “grace-filled” leadership style.
In revitalization, you are working with people who are
already at the church. In fact, it is
their church and you are just pastoring it (at least that’s how they see
it). In order to lead successfully, you
are going to have to be patient, earn their respect, and move forward slowly
but steadily. It is helpful if you can
discern between what are necessary moves and which moves can wait. Clearly, some moves have to be made
immediately. However, if the offering is
in the middle of the service and you want it at the end, let it wait for a year
or so. Build credibility and earn their
trust, then such moves can be made.
A Strong Pulpit
This is important for a couple of reasons. Number one, it is vital for the congregation’s
spiritual health. People need to hear what
the word of God says and how it applies to their life. The word of God can do much of the work of teaching,
correcting, rebuking, and training (2 Timothy 3:16). It is possible that a church can have a
strong pulpit and be unhealthy, but it is doubtful that a church can have a
weak pulpit and be healthy.
The second reason that a strong pulpit is helpful is that it
gains the pastor leadership credibility.
Many of the churches that are in desperate need of revitalization are
actually made up of people who have been in church for years and know what the
word of God says. When the preacher
stands and proclaims the word of God with authority, the congregation will
respond. It is possible that people will
respond to strong preaching when they will not respond to anything else.
Pick Low Hanging
Fruit First
In every church there are things that need to be addressed. Everyone knows they need to be dealt with and
wants to see it done. In my current
church, those things included revamping the Children’s Ministry and Youth
Ministry, providing some administrative oversight, and paying off a debt on our
Worship Center. Focus on such things
first. They give the church momentum and
they let the people see you lead. Such
common goals give you and the congregation time to become a team and to begin
to work together. Once the low hanging
fruit is picked, then the more difficult issues can be dealt with. By this time, you know the people and they
trust you.
Concluding Thoughts
Clearly my opinion is based on personal experience
alone. I did not study 100 churches that
have been successfully revitalized, but this is my assessment of what God has
allowed me to be a part of. I hope and
pray that if you find yourself in the midst of a revitalization project that
God will bless and lead. Trust Him,
follow Him, have courage, and trust your God given instincts. Do not listen to the crowd. God has called you to your church and no one
knows them better than you do. Know
this, if the people have a heart for God and His calling and you will lead as
God directs, the church’s best days are ahead.
Enjoy the journey!
