Nine months ago I became the lead pastor of a congregation in the foothills of north Georgia that was coming out of some pretty difficult circumstances. To be honest, the church was dangerously close to death. Attendance was down. Giving was down. And morale was even lower.
The congregation had been through a lot, but it hadn't given up. It wasn't just going to assume that death was inevitable. Since then we've been doing what we can to position ourselves as a congregation to get healthier so that we can again be a congregation that advances the Gospel & makes disciples.
My story & our congregation's story isn't unique. In fact, it's unfortunately normal. Depending on which stats you cite, somewhere between 70% & 85% of evangelical churches in America are plateaued or declining, & just so we're clear "plateaued" is just a nice way of saying stagnant. The bottom line is that the majority of churches in America are not fulfilling their mission. There are lots of reason & more than enough blame to go around. That's not the issue. It is what it is. The question is what are we going to do about it.
Last week I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days with about 40 other ministry leaders who are in over their head in this ministry that people have labeled "church revitalization" or "church replanting". The truth is that days like the ones we had last week are desperately needed because most of us who lead churches are leading churches that need revitalization. Revitalization isn't a new ministry. There have always been congregations that needed to get back on track & become the people they're called to be. However, this is the first time that I know of where there is an intentional effort to connect, resource, & encourage the people who are pouring themselves out to reduce the death rate in the American church.
After spending a couple of days with several other guys who are doing what I'm doing, here are a few observations:
1) It Could Always Be Worse
It's easy for us to think our situations are unique & that no one knows how difficult we have it. Believe me, the work of revitalization is difficult, & there are lots of issues you have to wade through. However, there are people who are facing things far more dire than I am. Stop assuming God can't work through your situation & remind yourself He will build His church.
2) Stop Thinking In Terms Of Big & Small
Mega-churches are great. They have done some great things for God's glory, but they aren't normal. What is normal? Normal is a church of 150 or less. Simply in my denomination there are tens of thousands of "normative" churches, yet there are only a few hundred mega-churches. The potential of what God could do through the normative, neighborhood church is unimaginable. So stop thinking that your congregation is somehow inferior simply because it's a smaller crowd than the mega-church in your area. Both have a place in God's Kingdom & mission. Stop assuming you're too small & simply dive into the mission.
3) Satan Doesn't Easily Give Up A Place Where He's Had Dominion
This is an uncomfortable truth, but if a congregation is on the downhill slide or near death, it's not because Jesus has been King. Bad doctrine, internal unresolved conflict, & structural/traditional idolatry are all symptoms that the enemy is doing his business. Don't think that just because you showed up, he's going to run away. Instead, get ready. He will plan a counter attack.
4) Revitalization Begins With God's Glory
Programs, new structures, or changing your church governance can only bring about limited change. However, turning the congregation's eyes toward God's glory & toward the Gospel can initiate limitless change. It's only the Gospel that changes hearts. So start there. Start with scripture, elevate God's glory, proclaim the Gospel. After all, the Gospel doesn't merely save us; it transforms us, & that's exactly what we're going for as we do the ministry of church revitalization: life transformation.
5) Know Your Context & Congregation
This is absolutely essential. There are no cookie cutters here. Sometimes you'll need to move really slowly. However, there are times when you can & should move quickly. In my particular context, we really needed to move more quickly than expected & even more quickly than I was comfortable with. However, our situation dictated that we be open to moving forward sooner rather than later. If you don't know your context & your congregation, you're almost sure to mess this up. Know as much of the back story as you can & listen not only to what people say but what they're not saying. Then PRAY. When God gives you clear direction, seek wise, godly counsel. Then don't be afraid to move if God is telling you & your team to move.
There's way more that I could talk about, but these are some basics that are non-negotiable insights that you have to understand if you're leading in a revitalization or replant context or if you're a part of a congregation that's seeking revitalization.
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