The Renewal Lab
Introduction…Keith Doornbos
• Lead Pastor Providence CRC, Holland, MI
• Coordinator of the Renewal Lab through CTS
Providence Church
Holland, MI
• The Providence Experience
• Five Things We Kept Alive
• Kept hope alive
• Kept vision alive
• Kept renewal alive
• Kept discipleship alive
• Kept worship alive
The importance of
revitalization in
North American churches
North American Statistics
Of the 350,000 churches in America
•80% have plateaued or are in decline
•15% are growing by transfer
•Only 5% are growing by conversion
Each year...
•Between 3500 & 4000 churches close in U.S.
•Only 1,100 to 1,500 are started
•Lose 72 churches each week & gain 24
(The Barna Group)
Importance of renewal in the CRCNA
• Of 845 churches in CRCNA that existed a decade ago
• 533 are plateaued or in decline (63%)
• The average rate of decline has been 25.4%.
• Membership in CRCNA is lowest since 1963 (248,000)
• Article 17s (separations) have increased 580% from the
‘90s to the ‘00s (from 25 to 146) and Article 14s
(resignations) have tripled (from 11 to 30)
Source: THE CHRISTIAN COURIER
Feb. 24, 2014
Peter Schuurman
A Constant Need for Renewal
1st missionary journey (Acts 13)
•Church planting
2nd missionary journey (Acts 15)
•Church planting & revitalization
•Acts 15:36 (return) & Acts 15:41(strengthening)
3rd missionary journey (Acts 18)
• Returned to many of the same churches
“strengthening all the disciples”
A Simple Reality…
Either a church is
on a constant path of renewal
or
it is on a sure path of decline.
The Renewal Lab
The Church Renewal Learning Laboratory of
the Institute for Global Church Planting and
Renewal at Calvin Theological Seminary
The Renewal Lab’s Focus
The Renewal Lab comes along side
congregations that have plateaued or are
in decline along with any congregation
seeking to regain a focus on their Missional
calling.
The Renewal Lab’s Purpose
The Renewal Lab seeks to develop
intentional congregations that make
more and better disciples who join Christ
on mission to the world he loves.
The Renewal Lab’s Desired Outcomes
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Help identify the mission & unique vision
Give tools for making more and better disciples
Establish the priorities of the early church
Gain insight into mission-oriented ministry
Nurture a passion for global church planting
Regularly “add those who are being saved”
The “Why” of Renewal
• A deep desire for God’s glory
The “Why” of Renewal
• A deep desire for God’s glory
• A deep desire to unleash the Gospel’s
power (saving souls/transforming lives)
The “Why” of Renewal
• A deep desire for God’s glory
• A deep desire to unleash the Gospel’s power
(saving souls/transforming lives)
• A deep desire for a church to reach its full
redemptive potential
The “Why” of Renewal
• A deep desire for God’s glory
• A deep desire to unleash the Gospel’s power
(saving souls/transforming lives)
• A deep desire for a church to reach its full
redemptive potential
• A deep desire to be on the mission of God
God’s Mission…
To redeem &
restore the world
(everyone and everything)
The Renewal Lab is a
Missional Move
The Renewal Lab seeks to create vibrant
mission-focused faith communities that are
pulsating epicenters of God’s redemptive
love.
The Renewal Lab continues
with a “how”
“Change the Atmosphere…Journey to Mission”
(Culture + Strategy)
3 central questions of the Renewal Lab:
• Who are we?
• Where are we headed?
• How will be get there?
The importance of…
working backwards from our future
We tend to work forward from our past
past
future
Disadvantages
• Slow incremental growth
• Repeating the past with minor modifications
• Cannot keep up with change in culture
• Leads to “we’ve always done it this way
• Church of the ‘50’s in ‘10’s
The importance of…
working backwards from our future
New: working backward from our future
present
future
Advantages
• Driven by vision not just by history
• Creates real and significant change
• Keeps pace with culture
• Leads to “whatever is best”
The Heart of the Renewal Lab
1
GOAL
Missional
Brief definition of “Missional”
Missional means
living for the glory of God and
for the sake of others
so they experience God’s new creation and
join with his worshipping community.
The Heart of the Renewal Lab
1
GOAL
Missional
4 ESSENTIALS
Abiding
Vision
Leadership
Health
The Heart of the Renewal Lab
1
GOAL
Missional
4 ESSENTIALS
Abiding
Vision
Leadership
Health
SEVERAL KEY ACTIVITIES
Listen…Imagine…Do
Listening for Renewal
from ABOVE
(What is God saying in his Word
about our mission and calling?)
from OUTSIDE
(What are our neighbors saying
about needs & opportunities)
LISTEN
from AMONG
(What is our congregation
saying about gifts & passions )
from WITHIN
(What is the Holy Spirit saying
about what we are to uniquely do?)
FOUR DIRECTIONAL LISTENING
Listen
Do
{First six months}
{Final year}
Imagine
{Second six months}
The
great
pivot point
THE VISION PYRAMID
Annual
SMART goals
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Specific
Measurable
Assignable
Realistic
Time-bound
Our OBJECTIVES
Our VALUES
God’s VISION for our church
God’s MISSION in the world
The Renewal Lab’s Structure
• Two-year renewal journey
• Cohorts of 10-12 churches
• 8 quarterly learning labs
• Coaching
• Peer learning
• Congregational involvement
• Accountability
• Interns & Jubilee Fellows (optional)
Change the Atmosphere
Journey to Mission
One Goal
“Missional”
Living for the glory of God
and for the sake of others
so they experience
God’s new creation
and join with His
Worshipping
Community
Key
Activities
Listen
Characteristics of
Missional
Church  Kingdom  Church
Centrifugal and Centripetal
A Light to the Nations
A church the unchurched
love to attend
Four
Essentials
Abiding
6 months
S.W.O.T.
John 15
Imagine
Acts 26:19
6 months
S.M.A.R.T.
Do
12 months
R.E.A.C.H.
Vision
Leadership
Nehemiah 2
Health
Acts 15:28-29
Why the Olive Tree Symbol?
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Olive trees still bear fruit in old age
Olive trees can be cut to a stump and still create
new shoots
Olives produce oil that represent the anointing of
the Holy Spirit
Olive trees are often symbolic of God’s redemptive
work among his people
The gift of the
renewal journey =
Hope + Purpose
Testimonials:
West Olive
“What a difference a year makes…” (Matt Stob…Classical Visitor)
Immanuel
“God is using the Renewal Lab as the single most influential
planning process in our church’s history.”
(Bob Huiseman…pastor)
Fairway
“The Renewal Lab is an invitation to return to God’s vision for
the church and see the glorious things he does in the lives of
those who don’t know him.” (David Den Haan…pastor)
Three Rivers
“Seeing the Lord use the Renewal Lab to transform lives has
been amazing.” (Tim Raakman…pastor)
“Behold, I make all things new”
Revelations 21:5
Next Step:
Possibility #1: Participate as a congregation
– Join a cohort of 6-10 churches that will launch in
the Spring/Summer 2015 in Northern, NJ
– Quarterly learning labs with pastors on ThursdayFriday and a team retreat on Saturday
Possibility #2: Participate as a classis
– Go big and jump in as an entire classis
– Classis helps fund the RL and encourages as many
churches as possible to join the process
Possibility #3: Participate as an individual
– Come to Grand Rapids and sit in on a session of
one of our next Renewal Labs