church health & revitalization

In A Church Called Tov, Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer respond to the proliferation of high-profile church scandals by examining the factors which steer church cultures toward toxicity or health. Built upon the assumption that the Church is intended to be an agent for tov, the Hebrew word for “good!”, they first consider some of the warning signs that a church is heading in the wrong direction and then outline the seven foundational elements of a tov culture.

Although it has been four decades since the book was first published, Lyle Shaller’s Growing Plans: Strategies to Increase Your Church’s Membership remains a supremely practical resource for pastors and church leaders seeking to spur their churches to growth. With a chapter dedicated to each of small, middle-sized, large, and new churches, the strategies Schaller prescribes are insightful, and because he focused on timeless principles rather than the latest trend or theory, these strategies are just as relevant today as they were when the first copy came off the press.

In his book, Wrecked & Redeemed: Finding Hope, Freedom, and Acceptance in Christ, Benji Kelley uses his own story of redemption as a springboard to call the church to be and do the things that will be necessary to reach this generation with the Gospel. The major recurring theme is that churches must offer both grace and truth to people who often have no experience with church and lives which are in ruins, and much of the book is given to helping leaders find the balance between these two.

Today, there are many churches like Valley West Mall. Once upon a time, they were bustling hives of ministry, but things have changed. There are all sorts of other activities vying for attendance on Sunday mornings. The new megachurch up the road offers better services with less commitment. The congregation lost its mainstays when a couple of key saints moved or passed away. Suddenly, the church is a shadow of what it once was. Fortunately, it need not end this way.

Demographics such as median household income, home ownership, median age, household size, number of children, single householder, etc. can be invaluable in identifying unmet needs and developing ministries to address them. Would the community benefit more from free daycare or a senior center? Could it benefit from a Habitat for Humanity-like ministry, a tutoring program, English-language lessons, or even a citizenship class? Should we worship with a pop, country, hip-hop, or mariachi style of music? Demographics can suggest answers to these questions and more.

Will your congregation choose stagnation and so fall into decline or even death? Or will you embrace regular assessments, evaluations, and reviews to ensure that you continue to make more and better disciples for years to come?

Revitalizing leaders will commit themselves unswervingly to the essentials of being and making more and better followers of Jesus. They will refuse to make excuses for anything else. And they will expect God to show up and change things. They may not see instantaneous results, but if they persevere in these things, they will see results.

The story of Gideon bears many lessons for those who would lead revitalization. Some of them are positive, and some are negative. As we seek to recruit and be leaders for the wave of revitalization that must happen in the North American Church, we must heed these lessons.

Leading revitalization is neither easy nor safe. Like Joshua, we will face formidable challenges and very real risks. There will be obstacles and deficiencies to overcome, change and resistance – both earthly and spiritual – to face. These things are unavoidable, and quite frankly, there is only so much we can to mitigate them. At some point, the only option is to confront them directly.

It is imperative that revitalizing churches and leaders conduct regular reviews of their biblical mission and specific vision, stepping back to consider the state of the church from a relatively objective viewpoint despite the emotional cost or the responsibility we may discover that we bear. If we fail to do this, it will destroy the church.