For a church revitalizer, the prospect of serving in a declining congregation is not scary but sacred. An established church often possesses a rich history of programs, people, and pastors who led through seasons of growth and transformation. While those days of high attendance may seem distant, the seeds planted decades ago still have the potential to germinate. There is something holy about honoring the legacy of the past; instead of tossing historical artifacts aside, find creative ways to intertwine them into the new vision God is unfolding as part of your church revitalization efforts.
A successful church revitalizer views a ministry that feels like a time capsule not as a burden, but as a treasure trove. Old files, records, and photographs serve as essential tools to evaluate where the church has been and how it can move forward. Utilizing a proven methodology, such as the five Rs revitalization framework, can help guide this diagnostic process with clarity and purpose.
- Evaluate what can showcase the church’s history.
These foundational steps for revitalization begin with the conviction that the past should inform the future rather than be discarded. By deeply understanding the church’s heritage, leaders can make more informed strategic decisions. This historical perspective allows the revitalizer to bridge the gap between a storied legacy and a vibrant, sustainable future for the congregation.
The tools found help highlight the past, celebrate where the church has been, and remind new people who attend that they are walking on hallowed ground. The church’s history is part of the God story that has been told for decades. It is not yet a completed story and thus still has many chapters for God to write. Therefore, there is hope for church revitalization.
Even as they modernize, churches can highlight the rich history of a church by dedicating a “Continuing the Legacy” room or creating a display area in the lobby where church items are placed in clear floor standing, wall mounted, or countertop display cases, similar to objects seen at a museum. In these two ways, you celebrate the past and help the church not forget where it has been.
- Eliminate what cannot help the church move forward.
Revitalizers understand the value and sentimental attachment that church members have toward programs, position, and piles of collected items accumulated over a church’s rich history. Instead of seeing these things as a negative, the revitalizer helps members evaluate each item, room, etc., to see if God could use the tool to help bring about a resurgence of the church, or does it need to be celebrated for its past use and retired.
Let us be honest: Things take on an emotional attachment that causes church members to feel like they are being discarded or even their memories are being devalued if something is removed from its place. Like an archivist at a museum, the revitalizer has to help church members see that the value to some may not be value to all. If an item is to be discarded, ask members if they want it. Always remember, celebrate the tool God used to help the church during its season of usefulness.
- Elevate God above all.
There is a tendency as a church revitalizer to rely on your giftings and not on God. During a season of revitalization, there will be times of pushback from members, tough conversations and decisions that need to be made. Instead of taking it all personally, remember you are helping members as they go through the five stages of grief as outlined by Kubler-Ross Model (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance). What members say, while it might feel personal, is instead grieving what was for what could be in the life of the church. Prayer must be the facet that holds everything together. Prayer unifies the body and provides peace in the direction God leads the church.
Pray with your people. Pray privately, and always maintain a spirit of prayer as you move forward in helping the church move from death to life over time. Remember God did not call you as a church revitalizer to close the church’s doors or for you to be the hero of the turnaround but to honor God and allow God to get all the glory.