Church revitalization strategy launched in state, ‘coaches’ ready

Church revitalization strategy launched in state, ‘coaches’ ready

What if the more than 2,000 plateaued Alabama Baptist churches decided to change? 

“What if they cried out and said, ‘Would you come help us?’” asked Sammy Gilbreath, director of the office of evangelism for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). “What if a coach could come alongside them to assist them? What if they began to impact the lost in their community?”

Research indicates 72 percent of Southern Baptist churches in North America are plateaued, which equals roughly 2,330 of the more than 3,200 Alabama Baptist churches.

SBOM leaders believe revitalization is vital for effective ministry in Alabama and necessary before church planting efforts will be successful.

“Church revitalization and church planting are two wings of the same plane,” said SBOM Executive Director Rick Lance. “We are not going to be successful in launching a successful church planting effort in America if our churches are not renewed and revitalized. We are taking baby steps toward that … with a new church revitalization strategy as a way to resource and assist churches in the effort.” 

Unveiled during the SBOM meeting May 17 in Montgomery, the strategy was officially launched during the May 21 Send North America Church Growth and Revitalization Conference sponsored by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in conjunction with the SBOM. The conference took place at Taylor Road Baptist Church, Montgomery, with more than 250 in attendance and featured Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga. 

Hunt has become the face for NAMB’s effort “to bring awareness” to the church revitalization effort, said Michael Lewis, executive director for pastoral relations and church revitalization at NAMB. 

Hunt believes revitalization starts with the leader. “There is no leading for change until there is first a change in the leader,” Hunt said. “Grow the leader first, then you can change the church.”

But Lewis and Hunt both emphasized their role is strictly to highlight the issue and motivate people to action. The state conventions and local associations are the main resources for churches needing assistance, Lewis noted. In fact, Lewis said NAMB sends all requests for church revitalization helps to their respective state convention officials even if the church is seeking to be “taken over” and become a satellite campus of another church, such as what First, Woodstock, does as a way to save dying churches.

Hunt explained that every church he has led as pastor was one that needed revitalizing when he came. 

“Thirty-five, 37, 90 and 200 (First, Woodstock) are the numbers we had when I came on board the four churches I’ve pastored in 37 years of ministry,” he said, noting he grew each church’s membership including the now 10,000-member congregation at First, Woodstock, since coming 27 years ago.

Hunt — along with executive pastor Jim Law — also has led the effort for their church to buy the property of three dying churches (including one in Florida) and make them satellite campuses of First, Woodstock. They are working with a fourth church to help it get back on its feet.

The “take overs” are working in some isolated situations, but they are not the norm, said Chris Emery, team leader for church revitalization at NAMB. The goal is to connect churches needing help with their state convention and for the state convention to assist the church in determining the best course of action, he said.

Alabama leaders prefer reviving the existing church, but there are options such as merger when there are two churches in the right situation.

“I’m not going to be … coaching [the churches] myself,” Emery explained. “Churches need to understand they have options and that there is help out there. They need someone to help them walk through the steps and this hinges on leadership. … Alabama has a great state executive with a great team … and [the state convention] has always been strong in what [it’s done].

“My dad (who was a pastor) said the best thing associations can do is connect churches who have resources with those who don’t,” Emery said. “The state convention also helps connect those churches together. … We are not reinventing the wheel … I’m trying to connect churches in need with our state partners. Several state conventions have a process they work through for church revitalization.”

It is a process, Lance said. 

“We like microwave, instanteous kinds of results, but it is not going to be that easy,” he said. “However, we are in partnership with [churches] … to help [them] be as healthy as possible to advance the cause of Christ.”

Dale Huff, director of the SBOM office of LeaderCare and church administration and point person for the strategy, said the Alabama approach will provide a trained “coach” to partner with the church needing assistance for a year. Assessments, experts and various resources will be provided as necessary. The effort is “pastor focused and church strengthening,” he said, noting the strategy also supports the work of the association. “This is a work in progress and will always be under construction,” Huff noted. “Our goal is to strengthen churches and see every church be at its most and best for Jesus’ sake and His kingdom’s causes.”

 For information, contact Huff at 1-800-264-1225.

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Is your church a candidate for Church Revitalization?

 

Are your church’s vital signs indicating room for improvement? The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM) wants to assist you as a pastor with your desire to lead your church from where it is to where it should be. Take this SBOM quiz by answering “yes” or “no” to the following questions and find out if your church could be a candidate for a church revitalization process.

1. In the past five years, have baptisms increased?

 

2. Did your church engage in three or more outreach events this past year?

3. Is your Sunday School attendance growing?

4. As pastor, is your vision for the church expanding?

5. Is your worship attendance increasing?

6. Is your missions giving increasing?

7. Are a majority of your deacons under 60 years of age?

8. Does your church have active missions organizations?

9. Would you describe your church as an Acts 1:8 congregation, committed to reaching your community and the world?

10. Does your church have an effective process of discovering, training and involving leaders?

If you answered “no” to four or more questions, you may be a candidate for church revitalization. For more information or to begin the process, call 1-800-264-1225, ext. 263, or email Dale Huff, director of the SBOM’s office of LeaderCare and church administration, at dhuff@alsbom.org.

(SBOM, TAB)