It’s not without its challenges, Pastor Chris Crain said, but God is using South Roebuck Baptist Church, Birmingham, to carry out the Great Commission.
And it’s “because our church decided to do something,” he said.
Several years ago, South Roebuck Baptist faced the challenge of being an aging congregation in a changing neighborhood.
But they decided not to sit still.
“We wanted to respond to our changing neighborhood and context,” Crain said.
So they began looking for help in modifying the way they did church to be more effective in the community.
They found that help at the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), he said.
“When South Roebuck Baptist Church began this process of church revitalization, it was a very difficult task for us,” Crain said. “We looked everywhere for resources — we tried to find models and ways we could re-envision our congregation. And I’m so grateful the State Board of Missions is focusing on helping churches who may be in difficult contexts to re-dream the dream of sharing the gospel.”
Church revitalization is part of a statewide “quest for healthier churches,” said Rick Lance, SBOM executive director.
“Pastors and other key leaders can seize the opportunity to check the spiritual vital signs of the health of their church families,” Lance said. “We pledge our support to you as you determine how best to lead your church through a revitalization process.”
That support begins with consulting and encouragement, said Mike Jackson, director of the SBOM office of leadership and church health.
First pastors do a self-analysis based on questions provided by the SBOM at www.alsbom.org/ministries/church-revitalization.
Then after making contact with Dale Huff, director of the SBOM office of LeaderCare and church administration, a church revitalization coach will meet with the pastor to “begin the process of encouragement,” Jackson said.
The coaches “connect the church with individuals who can give resources in the areas where the church feels it may need strengthening — for example evangelism, prayer ministry, stewardship or Sunday School,” he said.
It’s a service offered to churches at no charge, thanks to funding through the Cooperative Program, Jackson said.
And it’s a service Tim Cox, pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, Chelsea, said his congregation benefited greatly from.
“As a staff team, we determined at Liberty that we had about a five-year plateau, which was an awakening for us that led to those familiar yet deep questions” of identity and purpose, Cox said.
They questioned how well they were achieving their purpose as followers of Christ and disciple makers and determined that, as a whole, they were “not as effective as we could be,” he said.
“We called a partner consultant to come in and help us identify needs, identify challenge areas and help walk us through a plan of action toward a healthier ministry today,” Cox said. “And we have seen the impact of revitalization — new life, new energy, new strengths — with more people attending, increase in giving, a vibrancy in the congregation celebrating the things that God is doing.”
For First Baptist Church, Theodore, that new vibrancy has come from a whole new mindset, Pastor David Gill said.
“We were not perfect and if we focused on ourselves we would magnify our imperfections,” he said.
The new challenge, Gill said, was to look at the needs outside the church.
A SBOM coach encouraged First, Theodore, to host some evangelistic activities as a kick start, and they decided to hold a horse whisperer event, Vacation Bible School and revival services.
“From there as people began to identify needs outside the church and started meeting needs, the Holy Spirit started blessing,” Gill said. “Throughout the past few years, there’s been an excitement that’s been created by the Holy Spirit. People are excited about helping one another. It’s revived the church.”
For more information, contact Huff at 1-800-264-1225, ext. 263.
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