Mark Clifton chooses not to use the adjective “small” in describing most Baptist churches, but rather “normal-sized.”
“Forty-six percent of our churches have fewer than 50 on Sunday morning, and 70% have less than 100,” he said. “I often talk about the number of Southern Baptist pastors who preached to more than 1,500 last Sunday. They would fit in an Air France jumbo jet, but the rest of us would fill the Royals’ stadium in Kansas City.”
Clifton is senior director of replanting and rural strategy at the North American Mission Board. He spoke Aug. 13 at “Empowering Church Revitalization,” an event of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions in Prattville.
RELATED: For more stories on Mark Clifton and church revitalization, click here.
Dying churches and new life
Clifton remains especially concerned about churches that are struggling.
“Earlier in my ministry I didn’t know what to do with declining churches other than plant new ones, but now I believe dying churches can find new life,” he said. “What about a dying church brings honor to God?”
Church leaders should stop making excuses and fixing blame, avoid the traps of traditionalism, love the remaining members and “warm their hearts back to the gospel,” he noted.
“The gospel isn’t just our salvation — though we live in a state of constant wonder and gratitude — but the gospel means that we are to bring hope to others in our neighborhoods,” he said.
Reaching Samaria
It’s not accidental that Jesus included Samaria in His marching orders in Acts 1, Clifton said.
“Samaria didn’t make sense when He talked about the concentric geographic circles beginning from Jerusalem to the world,” he said. “Samaria was a place Jews wouldn’t go. Sometimes we say the people in our neighborhoods aren’t like us, and it’s a problem when a church doesn’t reflect its community and love its community.
“Your church address is no accident,” said Clifton. He attributed the statement to Thom Rainer, who leads Church Answers and is the former president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources.
“Every church is called to bless its community,” Clifton added. “One way we do that is to try to make our members more kind, generous, giving, loving and caring and find ways to get them from inside the building to serve the community. This is what I call ‘exegeting the community’ and finding the needs that must be met.”
Clifton suggested pastors must commit to a “pattern of making disciples who make disciples who make a difference in the community.”
A key discipleship focus is young men between 18 and 35.
“I think pastors should seek out young men and train them in ministry,” he said. “Every work of God has begun with men my age but borne by men half my age. Young men are a key to revitalization.”
Many pastors are overwhelmed with the tasks of ministry, Clifton noted, and one tool of Satan is discouragement and depression during what he called “seasons of darkness.”
“I encourage you to find a promise in Scripture and repeat it often, sing a song of faith and find a friend who loves you who you can share your struggles with,” he said.
‘Marathon’
Ray Jones, pastor of Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Dothan, served as co-presenter and said every church is in need of revitalization.
“A pastor must preach doctrinally and evangelistically and provide vision,” he said. “He must also not be shaken by criticism since Kingdom work will always face opposition.”
Jones noted ministry is a “marathon, not a sprint,” and “slow is better than fast.”
‘Avoid the circus syndrome’
“Focus on the health of the church and let God populate it,” Jones said. “I encourage you to avoid the ‘circus syndrome’ with all kinds of hype. You don’t have to duplicate everything that ‘successful’ churches are doing. One size doesn’t fit all. Be authentic and original in your leadership. Be the best you can be where you are.”
Remember that the Church belongs to Christ, he noted.
“We are servants of the Church, to be sure, but we’re not the savior of the Church,” he said. “We seek the leadership of Christ in all we do and try to honor Him.”
Pastors need friends
Jones agreed with Clifton that pastors need friends who care.
“I have mentors whom I still talk with after many years — one in his 80s,” he said. “These men treat our conversations with confidentiality and share the burden. I always get encouraged when we talk.”
Attendees received copies of Clifton’s book, “Reclaiming Glory: Revitalizing Dying Churches,” that relates the story of his first replant in Kansas City.
Host Rob Jackson, director of the office of evangelism and church health for SBOM, said the event was supported by the Myers-Mallory State Missions Offering, and the offering supports other ministries throughout Alabama.
Resources for the 2024 offering are found at myers-mallory.org.
Jackson may be contacted at 800-264-1224, ext. 2343.
Share with others: