Ten Best Practices in Church Revitalization Efforts

TEN BEST PRACTICES IN CHURCH

REVITALIZATION EFFORTS

By

Dr. Tom Cheyney

Founder & Directional Leader

To get the app, you can go to the Google Play Store or the Apple Apps Store and search for Renovate Conference. You can download a copy of this presentation or subscribe to the Church Revitalizer Weekly Blog from Tom Cheyney.



Today’s young ministers should seek to develop as much knowledge and Biblical training from experienced leaders in church revitalization so when they are deployed into the work of ministry they will know how to lead a church that must rise from its deathbed vigil and get it growing spiritually and numerically once again!



• Take the time and make the time to get the proper training before you move forward in church revitalization!

• It is vital that you prepare the laity for the work of church revitalization as well as yourself.

• Communicate early and often with the church how the revitalization process will take place and how it will be implemented.



Every church interested in revitalization must have a commitment to a/the process of revitalization!

If you are the church revitalization leader and you are not committed to the time necessary to achieve church revitalization and health, then perhaps another member of your church ought to lead the process.

Revitalization is a minimal investment of

1000 days



• Every church begins its revitalization at a different place simply because every church is at a different place.

• Your process will look different than mine!

• Everything that must be done in revitalization can not be done in two hours on Sunday!



One discovery was that there was a clear difference between revitaliztion pastors who are effective and pastors who are efficient!

• What is the efficient pastor?

• What is the effective pastor?



•

Efficiency becomes the master of the routine.

It is the everyday schedule that we preach, prepare for next weeks sermons and recover on Monday, think about follow-up on Tuesday, prepare for tonight's activities on

Wednesday, work on production schedules on Thursday, and take a much needed day of rest on Friday, and start it all over again!



•

Effectiveness becomes the master of visionary leadership and the ability to make the hard call that will move the church forward. It is doing the things that propel the church further towards growth, health, and vitality!



• Church revitalization is not about finding the magic pill or sure to succeed program. It is more about discovering

God’s vision for the church and practicing it.

• Revitalization of churches is often very much similar from one church to another and yet it is often very much different in many ways!



• Keep the effort bathed in prayer.

• Prepare yourself spiritually and then prepare your leaders spiritually.

• Then begin preparing your church spiritually!

• Seek out God’s guidance and power!

• Look for outside help, coaching, encouragement and the training you will need.



#1 A Commitment to the Revitalization Process –

• Revitalization must receive priority in the church calendar if it is going to be revitalized.

• Ministry does not stop for sure, but it does mean that in order to allow church leadership to participate, the events surrounding revitalization are given high priority for the duration of the church revitalization process.

• Church revitalization becomes a known and valued experience. It is a worthwhile investment for leaders and laity alike. Laity feel that their ideas and suggestions are being heard and actions are being carried out.



#2 A Commitment to the Harvest –

• Revitalization challenges churches and leaders to health and effectiveness. Church

Revitalizers are committed to making more and better disciples.

• A harvest commitment challenges the Church

Revitalizer to examine his churches local community and discover its unique calling for

ministry.

• Church Revitalizers challenge their people to prayerfully consider their role in the harvest.

The challenge is one of labor. Jesus told His disciples to “pray that the Lord of the Harvest would send out laborers for the Harvest.”



#3 A Commitment to Growth –

• Healthy things grow. Growth requires change.

Change is an issue of obedience.

• Revitalization calls a Church Revitalizer to greater obedience and conformity to the will of

God for the local church. Obedience is a call to personal change.

• Those leading a local church towards revitalization bear the responsibility to lead the church to fulfill the mandates of scripture.

The Great Commission (Matthew 28) and the

Great Commandment (Matthew 22) are foundational to the Church revitalization process.



#4 A Commitment as a Church Revitalizers to –

(Abiding)

• Reaffirmation of a commitment to align ones life and ministry with the authority of the scriptures.

• Renewed commitment to intercessory prayer and to spiritual appraisal of the issues and concepts surfaced in the revitalization process.

• Commitment to participate in leading the church to

a greater focus on and personally become involved in the harvest.

• Commitment to implement the agreed upon

initiatives that are agreed upon in the church revitalization process.



#5 Commitment to Share the Vision and keep the church connected to what is happening –

• Remember our call is not to invent future but to discover what God is doing.

• Our call is to align ourselves with his purposes in the expansion of God’s kingdom.

• The ability to articulate a clear, practical, transformational vision which answers the question, "Where are we headed?“ Watch out for vision fatigue!



#6 Commitment to Bringing About Healthy Change-

• Change builds upon an urgency and vision for a new community.

• There must become this feeling of holy discontent where the gap between the current realities and

God’s ideal plan are heightened.

• Churches are prone to insular thinking and a denial of reality.

• There is a great need for building a sense of urgency and a healthy momentum for change.

• Healthy preparation is directly connected to a healthy outcome.

Shared ownership is a prerequisite to change.



#7 Commitment to Influence the

Culture: where the church is located



#8 Commitment to Develop Influencers within the

Revitalized Church-

• Influencer: is anyone who is able to exercise significant influence over the people, the focus or the future of a church, ministry, or organization.

• Many people within any given church hold the

power. While some is positional influence there are those who have collective influence which trumps those with positions every time!

• Influencers can change congregational behavior by supporting or boycotting ministries, withholding resources, or using their influence to influence votes.



• Commitment to Develop Influencers within the revitalized church(These powerbrokers are the single most important shaping factor in the history of the church).

Influencer Types:

• Opinion setters – those who hold the power because of visible influence in decision making.

• Gatekeepers – some hold power by keeping things from happening, preventing issues from being aired or addressed.

Tenure is often a way a gatekeeper exercises control.

Understanding an influencer’s frame of reference can be the key to helping him become a positive part of the future direction.



Seven Types of Influencers within Your

Church!

1.

+ Encourager: Ability to affirm people and process.

2.

- Blocker: Struggles with changes and methodologies or change.

3.

- Resister: Reacts with Skepticism and doubts.

4.

+ Vocalizer: Able to articulate issues and express insights.



Seven Types of Influencers within Your

Church!

5.

+ Innovator: Drawn to the new and untried.

6.

- Defender: Speaks on behalf of the existing.

7.

- / + Maintainer: Desires the enhancement of the current state.



#9 Able to manage the conflict that will surface during church revitalization –

• Conflict will occur as Church Revitalizers seek to bring about change. Remember that God causes all things to work together. There is purpose even in conflict.

• God builds greater spiritual authority through conflict.

• Conflict and problem solving are not synonymous, however every conflict requires problem solving skills at some point.



• If you are going to succeed in church revitalization the Church Revitalizer must stop allowing a small vocal minority to dictate what the church will or will not do!

• Conflict is inevitable in church renewal and revitalization.

• Conflict is often the prerequisite for change.



• Able to manage the conflict that will surface during church revitalization –

• Conflict defined:

Conflict is a problem to be solved that includes personalities and emotions which have lined up in opposition to each other. In fact, a conflicted situation usually contains multiple problems.

• Four Steps to problem solving: define the issues, explore the options, plan the solution, and take action to ensure results.




• Consider the possible agenda’s the following people of your church might have:

1.

Core Family member –

2.

Lead Pastor –

3.

New Attenders –

4.

Remaining Staff –

5.

Denominational leaders –




• The three types of conflict which often occur in your church:

1.

Conflict avoidance: Refusal to acknowledge and/or deal with conflict.

2.

Conflict hibernation: Hidden below the surface, peaceful, but problems will resurface later with greater intensity if left unresolved.

3.

Conflict crisis: Eruption; crisis due to unresolved agendas.



• Four categories in which ministry conflict can surface during church revitalization –

1.

Leadership Style – issues of expectations

2.

Relationships and personality – issues of people

3.

Vision and faith – issues of leadership

4.

Need for and pace of change – issues of growth



# 10 Creating A Synergy of Energy

This is a time, which calls for a critical mass of transitional church revitalization leaders who will commit to creating a synergy of energy within their circle of influence so new levels of spiritual success can be reached.



•

As the pastor you are called to lead the church but do not be surprised when you are looked at strangely because you are providing leadership for your church.



• Many pastors serving churches have been taught a passive style of leadership.

• You were told or taught that you should gather the consensus of the church, ask them what they want to do, and then help them find ways to get that work done.



• Revitalization Lesson: It is my firm belief as a pastor that my pastoral leadership style has been the main human reason that my churches changed and grew. It is my conviction that churches do not change because of committees or resources or even renewal consultants. It is because

God brings a leader into the situation and equips that leader to do the job. It is

God who chooses to bless the leadership abilities of that revitalization leader!



Church Revitalizers lead by having:

• the right attitude

• the right skill sets for turning a church around

• the ability to motivate others to follow their leadership

• the focus to keep the church moving towards its goals.

• Wanting the “ball” in the critical minutes of the game.



Revitalization pastors function best when they are not driven by our fears:

• Fear of being fired

• Fear of needing to find a new place to minister

• Fear of pleasing everyone!

• Fear of splitting the church.

• Fear of people leaving the church under your leadership




“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Revitalization Lesson on FEAR:




• The only fear that God encourages in a believers life is the fear of God.

2 Cor. 5: 10-11; Heb. 10:31

• Fear of man does not come from God!

• Many leaders fear people more than they fear God!




• Their fear keeps them from pleasing God because they are wasting their efforts on fearing man.

• Paul reminded the young minister Timothy that fear of others does not come from the Father!




• Fear causes us to stop and question what

God has clearly told us to do.

• Many a leader is confident in their obedience until persecution comes. Then they doubt that they have heard God unmistakably and appropriately.




• Most fear is of the unknown! Then we become apprehensive and hesitant.

• Fear is no excuse to disobey God.

• Fear will enslave you but Christ can set you free!



• Revitalization Lesson: Most churches in need of revitalization, do not grow under the leadership of the “nice” leader! Seldom will it grow when a leader is more interested in cruising along then in leading boldly!

• A pastor must be open, honest, firm, straight forward, able to confront problems and manage conflict and loving towards everyone.



The Top Twenty Pastor-to-Pastor suggestions (gathered from

1000+ Pastors & Church Revitalizers @ the Renovate

National Church Revitalization Conference 2014)

1.

Know and love your people.

2.

Preach the Gospel of Jesus.

3.

Pray and enable your people to pray.

4.

Help your people reach out to others.

5.

Help them dream of what they can be for

God’s glory.

6.

Work hard; nothing comes easy! Work smart but rest well1



The Top Twenty Pastor-to-Pastor suggestions (gathered from 1000+ Pastors & Church Revitalizers @ the

Renovate National Church Revitalization Conference

2014)

7.

Accept yourself and your people and press on.

8.

Be patient; new life grows slowly.

9.

Hold on to and hold out your vision.

10.

Celebrate the good that is happening.

11.

Go ahead and risk new ideas and programs.



The Top Twenty Pastor-to-Pastor suggestions (gathered from 1000+ Pastors & Church Revitalizers @ the

Renovate National Church Revitalization Conference

2014)

12.

Know and love God.

13.

Teach God’s purpose as found in the Bible.

14.

Train people in evangelism, multiplication and church growth!

15.

Get yourself and others out visiting.

16.

Take key people with you to training events.



The Top Twenty Pastor-to-Pastor suggestions (gathered from

1000+ Pastors & Church Revitalizers @ the Renovate National

Church Revitalization Conference 2014)

17.

Start with a committed core; don’t wait for everyone! (Run with the Runners!)

18.

Read about and study churches that are growing that are similar in size or just a little bit larger than your church.

19.

Set goals and move towards a strategic plan.

20.

Delegate all you can and enlist new people.



CLOSING THOUGHTS

• Casting vision and keeping the church outward focused is a constant endeavor for the revitalization pastor.

• Lasers work better than light bulbs in church revitalization! Select a target group to help your church reach out into the community. Lasers are focused.

• Every Christian has a gift to be utilized in the work of ministry.

• Numerical growth is the least certain mark of church growth and renewal. Yet the church is not growing without numerical growth.

• Growth and health do not happen by accident. You must be intentional about both.

• Churches who are revitalized first begin with a revitalized laity spiritually.

• Give your people some tools and then get out of the way and let God work!

• Spiritual disciplines are better caught rather than taught.

• Stop looking for plug and play solutions (programs) and start looking for ideas that will work in

• In the area of church revitalization and renewal it is extremely important to realize that the possible into its own new future!

• Please Oh Lord, please! Start changing the way you find direction. Seek God’s agenda first



MY Observations from the list:

• Timing occurs to be an issue often in the process.

• Their appears to be a sense that they rushed too soon.

• Many sensed they were caught in a predicament and had no way out.

• Resistance to advancement never fully disappeared.

• Listening to the pulse of the congregation ought to be the work of the many and not the few.

To get the app, you can go to the Google Play Store or the Apple Apps Store and search for Renovate Conference. You can download a copy of this presentation or subscribe to the Church Revitalizer Weekly Blog from Tom Cheyney.



By

Dr. Tom Cheyney

Founder & Directional Leader



Ten Best Practices in Church Revitalization Efforts

TEN BEST PRACTICES IN CHURCH

REVITALIZATION EFFORTS

Efficiency becomes the master of the routine.

It is the everyday schedule that we preach, prepare for next weeks sermons and recover on Monday, think about follow-up on Tuesday, prepare for tonight's activities on

Wednesday, work on production schedules on Thursday, and take a much needed day of rest on Friday, and start it all over again!

Effectiveness becomes the master of visionary leadership and the ability to make the hard call that will move the church forward. It is doing the things that propel the church further towards growth, health, and vitality!

#7 Commitment to Influence the

Culture: where the church is located

Seven Types of Influencers within Your

Church!

+ Encourager: Ability to affirm people and process.

- Blocker: Struggles with changes and methodologies or change.

- Resister: Reacts with Skepticism and doubts.

+ Vocalizer: Able to articulate issues and express insights.

# 10 Creating A Synergy of Energy

As the pastor you are called to lead the church but do not be surprised when you are looked at strangely because you are providing leadership for your church.