Burden

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My burden

For the past few years God has placed a reorcurring question in my mind and heart, “Why are so many protestant churches in America closing their doors each year?”

This website and my ministry is dedicated not only to answering this question, but also to point individuals and churches to the solution. Recent research indicates that about 3,700 churches in America dissolve every year. Research also indicates that there are about 300,000 other churches struggling with declining attendance, few or no new converts, and aging membership and inadequate resources to continue.

I am no expert, but a burdened servant willing to be a tool to help identify problem areas and encourage local congregations to focus on this issue. Before I became a pastor, I was moved a large number of times by the company where I worked and therefore was an active member of both small and mega churches. After being called into the ministry 25 years ago I have been exposed to even more churches through associations of churches and association with pastors. For the past 14 years I have tested many of the ideas on church revitalization in my local church with success.

During this time period we have dropped the average age of our membership by almost 20 years while greatly increasing our attendance and building a new family life center. Not only has our membership and attendance increased drastically also ministries and offerings.

This personal experience and extensive research is discussed or linked too from this website

Church revitalization is a Biblical burden. Jesus made this a priority in Jesus’ comments to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus sought to set right what was broken and give new life to what was dying. Addressing each church, He placed the spotlight on the particular reasons for their failing community testimony: lackluster love (Ephesus—2:2-7), false teaching (Pergamum and Thyatira—2:13–17; 20–23), lukewarm devotion (Laodicia—3:15–19). To the church at Sardis, Jesus said, “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God” (3:1–3, ESV).

Some see Revelation 3:2 as a proof text for church revitalization: “Strengthen what remains and is about to die” (ESV). Shouldn’t we be as concerned for congregations today with little or no gospel witness as Christ was for Sardis?

Jesus solution to the seven churches was REPENT!

The resources on this website are FREE resources to help a church identify if they are in need of revitalization. I am a FREE resource to be a coach, accountability, and encourager. I am also available to lead a seminar or revival service to help shine Biblical light on the subject.

Pastoral Leadership

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The pastor has to have a vision and a commitment to seeking new life for the church.

Everyone agrees that healthy churches grow, but it is true that a church cannot be healthy if the leader is spiritually unhealthy. If the leader is discouraged, the church will inevitably be discouraged. The most important aspect of a strong, healthy church is the quality and commitment of leadership. It has been said, “everything rises or falls on leadership” and this is especially true for the local church. No church will be any stronger than its leadership. A growing, vibrant church must have a growing, vibrant pastor. If the pastor is discouraged or despondent, the church will almost always take on that same characteristic.

As I have conducted numerous church revitalizations, it quickly becomes evident that to be successful the pastor has to have a vision and a commitment to seeking new life for the church.

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Effective Church Planning

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Four Elements of Effective Church Planning

Any time we make plans that impact a group of people—whether it’s our church, ministry, business or even our family—we have the opportunity to deepen and enrich our relationships, both with God and the people around us.

But this takes discipline and deliberate effort, because every human interaction—including planning for the future—is tainted to some degree by sin.

Read Article

 

07 Community Focus

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Many churches alow the local community to become a neglected mission field. The church needs to desire to be the heart and soul of the community. How does your church rate in the following areas:

1. Church regularly prays for community?
2. Church regularly has community focused events?
3. Church membership has large number from local community?
4. Community leaders are members of church?
5. Church ministers to young people of the community?
6. Church has a website and uses social media to inform the community?
7. Church provides financial support to needy in the community?
8. Church members are involved in service activities for the community?
9. Church provides family activities for the community?
10. Community sees the church in a positive manner?

Meditate on each of the ten questions, give each question a value between 1-10, add up the numbers and if the total is less than 70 then your church possibly needs to put additional prayer and focus on the local community.

If you have questions are would like to leave a comment see menu above.

If you test below 70% on a category, it may indicate that you need to focus some time and resources on that category. If you test below 70% on more than three categories, your church needs to be concerned and take immediate action. Based upon the scores you might need to seek outside intervention, because many times the local church leaders are a key portion of the problem.

Free On Line Coaching

30 Second Test

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“How to Spot a Healthy Church in 30 Seconds” is a quick test that allows for simple church health evaluation. Below is just a few items to evaluate taken from the article mentioned above.

Quick 30 Second Test of Church Health

  • people are friendly and speak to me.
  • I see signs of mission involvement and evangelism.
  • there’s an air of expectancy.
  • the church has children.
  • people are carrying their Bibles.
  • warmth.
  • a variety of age groups.
  • in the parking lot and at the front door, servants are showing me Jesus in their very actions.

If your church seems to fail this quick test, we recommend that you use our more detailed test that is found from menu above under “Health Check”.

Also we encourage you to submit your questions and comments, either for a private conversation or public posting to encourage others to participate in the discussion.

Click to submit a comment or question.

The above summary of the article referenced is to build your awareness of the need for revitalization of unhealthy churches and expose you to a number of free resources to aid a church in its commitment to return to a healthy state.

Characteristics Of A Healthy Church

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What is the Health of Your Church?

It is important for every church to have a regular spiritual evaluation much like and individual has a regular health checkup. The goal of the annual physical is to catch a health issue before it becomes a major problem, the same is true for a church’s spiritual checkup. Is your church healthy?

When we look at our church, what do we see?

Do we see people…

  1. with a Common Vision?
  2. praying together?
  3. coming to Christ?
  4. growing in Christ?
  5. a hunger for God?
  6. studing God’s Word?
  7. loving and caring for each other?
  8. working together?
  9. serving with their gifts?
  10. handling conflict constructively?
  11. living and giving generously and sacrificially?
  12. helping hurting people?
  13. people trusting the leaders?
  14. new leaders being trained?
  15. engaging God in worship?
  16. Do we see God working in the lives of our church members?
  17. Are we making a difference in our community?

If you have a number of these where you answered NO instead of YES, you need to do the more detailed assessment of your church using the categories under “Health Check” from the Main Menu above.

 

 

01 Prayer Test

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Corporate Prayer is a critical element in the health of a church.After much study and prayer, we believe that prayer is the most important element for good church health.

Rate your church on the following statements 1-10:

1. Church encourages members to spend time in God’s presence and speak with God in prayer.
2. Church encourage a time of corporate prayer
3. Church teaches that God cares about me and listens to all my concerns.
4. Church testifies that prayer has changed how they view and interact with the world.
5. Church encourages to begin and end services with prayer.
6. Church encourages to pray the Lord’s Prayer frequently while meditating on the words.
7. Church encourages us pray with one another.
8. Church encourages us to pray for others more than self
9. Church encourages a daily quiet time of prayer and meditation
10. Church encourages that we meet the enemy’s attract with prayer and God’s Word.

Meditate on each of the ten questions, give each question a value between 1-10, add up the numbers and if the total is less than 70 then this represents an area for church to focus on improvement.

We suggest that you do a more detailed church health evaluation by using the list of simple teats on the “Church Health” page from menu above.

If you have questions are would like to leave a comment see menu above.

If you test below 70% on a category, it may indicate that you need to focus some time and resources on that category. If you test below 70% on more than three categories, your church needs to be concerned and take immediate action. Based upon the scores you might need to seek outside intervention, because many times the local church leaders are a key portion of the problem.

Free On Line Coaching

02 Vision Mission Test

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The success of a local church depends on our focus and dependence upon God. Yet God’s plan has always depended upon faithful obedience. Although we recommend that a church develop both a vision and mission statement we are treating them as one in this testing process.

Rate each from 1-10

1. Does our church have a simple vision statement?
2. Is our vision understood by most of the membership?
3. Does our church have a mission statement?
4. Is our mission statement understood by the membership?
5. Does our church have a strategic plan (how to accomplish our mission)?
6. How well are our vision, mission, and strategic plan coordinated (agreement)?
7. Is it understood by the church membership?
8. Is our church organized in a manner to accomplish our mission?
9. How well does our church acknowledge God through corporate prayer?
10. How well does our church emphasize the importance of God’s Word?

Meditate on each of the ten questions, give each question a value between 1-10, add up the numbers and if the total is less than 70 then this represents an area for church to focus on improvement.

If your church seems to fail this quick test, we recommend that you use our more detailed test that is found from menu above under “Health Check”.

If you have questions are would like to leave a comment see menu above.

If you test below 70% on a category, it may indicate that you need to focus some time and resources on that category. If you test below 70% on more than three categories, your church needs to be concerned and take immediate action. Based upon the scores you might need to seek outside intervention, because many times the local church leaders are a key portion of the problem.

Free On Line Coaching

06 Fellowship Test

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Church Fellowship is a very important element to church health.

Rate Your Church 1-10 on each of the following:

1. Church is careful not to overburden staff members and volunteers so that there is no time for relationships.
2. Church has developed strategies for extending fellowship to those who are not part of the church.
3. There are regular sermons focusing on the significance of fellowship in the life of the church.
4. Church provides opportunities to build relationships by praying together.
5. Church maintains contact with members/prospects who are away from home & those in leadership in age groups other than their own.
6. Church provides opportunities to build fellowship through ongoing outreach, evangelism, and ministry.
7. Church provides opportunities to build relationships through fellowship activities beyond Sunday.
8. Church has created an environment of grace, acceptance, support, and encouragement.
9. Church encourages new believers to unite with the church through baptism.
10. Church members provide an environment that encourages a sense of belonging and acceptance for everyone.

Meditate on each of the ten questions, give each question a value between 1-10, add up the numbers and if the total is less than 70 then this represents an area for church to focus on improvement.

If your church seems to fail this quick test, we recommend that you use our more detailed test that is found from menu above under “Health Check”.

If you have questions are would like to leave a comment see menu above.

If you test below 70% on a category, it may indicate that you need to focus some time and resources on that category. If you test below 70% on more than three categories, your church needs to be concerned and take immediate action. Based upon the scores you might need to seek outside intervention, because many times the local church leaders are a key portion of the problem.

Free On Line Coaching

03 Ministry Test

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Rate Your Church 1-10 on each of the following:

1. Our church consistently teaches/preaches that the Holy Spirit has given gifts to each believer that must be used in the body.
2. Our church has an ongoing strategy and method for helping people discover and use their spiritual gifts.
3. Spiritual giftedness is the primary consideration before enlisting a believer to be involved in a ministry.
4. Help members understand their spiritual gifts given by the Lord.
5. Helps members serve in areas that match for my spiritual gifts.
6. Our church confirms and evaluates my spiritual gifts regularly.
7. Church provides biblical teaching on matching spiritual gifts with needs.
8. Church matches the spiritual gifts needed to fulfil that ministry.
9. Sense of freedom to serve in my gifted area even if it means saying “no” to other opportunities.
10. Believers in my church feel fruitful and fulfilled in ministry that match their giftedness.

Meditate on each of the ten questions, give each question a value between 1-10, add up the numbers and if the total is less than 70 then this represents an area for church to focus on improvement.

If you have questions are would like to leave a comment see menu above.

If you test below 70% on a category, it may indicate that you need to focus some time and resources on that category. If you test below 70% on more than three categories, your church needs to be concerned and take immediate action. Based upon the scores you might need to seek outside intervention, because many times the local church leaders are a key portion of the problem.

Free On Line Coaching