RAISED TO NEW LIFE
(A Church’s Story of a Re-Birth)
A CALL FOR HELP
THE HISTORY
A DEEP EVALUATION
No theological or moral failure
THE LOSS OF HOPE
Attempts were made to build the core
Pastoral search was without results
Attendance was dropping off
A core leader leaves
LIFE SUPPORT
Some ready to pull the plug
REASON NOT TO DIE
Location
Need in community for a witness
Usable building
No debt and small amount in the bank
FACING THE REALITY OF CHANGE
Without change there would be no future
The only non-negotiable is Biblical truth
The name cannot be a sacred cow
Help form outside was essential
A PARTNERSHIP
NEW HOPE
NEW CHALLENGE (COVID)
DETERMINATION AND SACRIFICE
A NEW DAY
RAISED TO NEW LIFE
(A Story of a Church Resurrection)
Part I
Gary Becker, Director of BBM)
[This series of posts are based on actual church consulting experiences with some additional insights gained from similar church consultations. Thus, I am not using church names.]
SEEING THE REALITY
The pastor resigned after a relatively short term. Unfortunately this has been the history of the church for the past few pastors over about a twenty year history. Pastoral turnover often leaves a church discouraged and without the ability to effectively lead a pastoral transition. Short term pastoral ministry is a primary factor in churches facing closure or continued ineffectiveness.
Someone recommended to one of the remaining leaders our ministry with BBM. A call was made and a preliminary meeting was setup. An agreement was made to begin a first step consultation. In this step a basic evaluation was made and it was determined that the church was not ready for a simple pastoral search. The basic evaluation revealed no theological issues and no significant conflicts in the church. It also revealed the church was at a critical point in a struggle to survive.
Th next step led to me being called as a Consulting Interim Pastor (CIP). Serving in this position was not to simply “hold the fort” till a new pastor was found. The position of a CIP is to identify past issues leading to the short term ministries, address the current needs, and help build a plan/vision for future ministry. The CIP needs to be very objective, look at the potential and even confront things that will limit the future of the ministry.
Step 3 was a deep evaluation and attempts to build a core from the existing members. A pastoral search was not producing a good possibility. During this time the church continued to lose hope and some members including a key leader left. There seemed to be no hope. The church was now on “life support” and some were ready to “Pull the plug.”
SEEING A REASON TO LIVE
However, there were reasons not to let it die.
There was no other church in the immediate area that was Biblically solid.
The building was usable and in a key location.
Financially the church had no debt and small financial reserve.
Multiple options for the church were considered to “maintain” the church. The realities needed to be faced.
The only non-negotiable was Biblical truth. This church was committed to the teaching of the Word of God.
Without change there was likely no future.
The name of the church was a “sacred cow” that may need to be sacrificed.
Help from outside was an essential.
These an other issues were addressed in both meetings and from the pulpit by the CIP. Using scripture and practical teaching people began to accept that the future of the church may not look like the past. A key principle taught was that growth often only comes from dying. The truth of John 12:24 reminds us “unless a grain of wheat fall into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Some of the remaining members struggled with some of the teaching and the picture painted by the CIP but became increasingly ready to sacrifice all in order to be raised to life.
The simple lesson to this point is that until a dying church is ready to sacrifice all there may be no hope. But remembering God is able to raise the dead is where hope begins.
[Part II of the Post is coming soon]
A CHRUCH RAISED TO NEW LIFE
(A Story of a Church that was Re-Born)
Part II
Gary Becker, Director of BBM)
In our last post we left a church at point of near death but recognizing the need for help. There was little hope. As the Consulting Interim Pastor I had a key passage for this church,
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.(Ephesians 3:2-21)
This became the prayer and key to building hope for the church facing closure.
Now as Paul Harvey would say, “now for the rest of the story.” Visiting the church after a time of rebirth in the church I was introduced to some new people as “the one who would let the church die.” Seeing the reasons to live in the first part of this two part story there was an increased effort to find the resources to bring new life into the church.
DISCOVERING THE RESOURCES FOR A FUTURE
The church needed help and did not have the resources to rebuild. We knew the need was for outside help. We pursued several options including being totally taken over by another church. Another option was to become a satellite of a larger church. The result was that we could find the right church for these options.
A search for options led us to a unique partnership. The partnership became formed with BBM, The Baptist Resource Network of PA/Southern NJ, and a larger local church nearby but outside the immediate area. A leadership team was established to oversee the church until elders could be discovered, trained, and installed.
The pastor of the partnering church offered to help in any way he could. His selfless willingness to help became a vital part of the future. He was not looking for any gain for himself or his church but simply seeking the kingdom good. Through the partnership with the partner church one couple came over to support the ministry. They became a crucial part of the restart.
The first objective of the team was to search for a restart pastor. This pastor would need to have experience in a restart ministry. He would, also, need to be open to being bi-vocational for a season. God showed up and gave us a man which had a very special gift set, willingness to sacrifice, and desire for a restart ministry. He was called by the church as the lead pastor serving with the leadership team.
New hope was growing. Then a new challenge.
A NEW CHALLENGE
On the Sunday for the installation of the new pastor COVID was shutting down services. This challenge could have led to a church closure. “But God,” as throughout biblical history showed up. The pastor’s unique gift set enabled him to establish several things.
One of the keys was that the church was able to develop an online presence. During COVID people were looking for services online. The church was able to make new contacts and had time to develop the steps toward a restart.
When services were opened up the Lord continued to bring new people to the church. The above support provided new opportunities for the development of needed ministries.
A NEW DAY
Opening the church with a small dedicated group of people they were able to do a face-lift on the grounds and building. A new name was given to the church.
The new ministry developments were:
An expanded worship team
Online presence and technical improvements
Community involvement
Children's ministries
Small group ministries
THE NEW NUMBERS
Before considering closing the church attendance was about 25. After almost three years it is now running between 125 and 150 weekly. The worship center comfortably holds about 75 to 100 (max). So, the church has gone to two services and increased children’s ministries.
Several baptisms have demonstrated the conversion growth. God is truly doing what only He could do and “abundantly above all” we could ask.
KEY LESSONS:
Never underestimate what God can do with a few “small fish” (people).
Outside support and counsel can be a vital part of rebuilding.
Partnerships can provide support often needed in church revitalization.
The pastoral leadership needs to be uniquely gifted to lead.
Changing or updating your image can have positive effects for growth.
Calling for help in times of church transitions is a great resource for renewed hope.
[This series of posts are based on actual church consulting experiences with some additional insights gained from similar church consultations. Thus, I am not using church names.]