Why the Minister Must Have His House in Order Before Revitalizing a Church by Renovate Resources

THE

CHURCH

Sept/Oct 2020 Vol 7, Issue 5

Revitalizer

A Revitalization Retreat in Every Issue

Why the Minister Must Have

His House in Order Before

Revitalizing a Church

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only magazine dedicated to Church Revitalization.â&#x20AC;?

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From The Editor Welcome to the Church Revitalizer Magazine! We want to consider a life of balance as a church revitalizer in this edition. Pressure, misunderstanding, frustration, and even spiritual defeat often confronts the revitalizer who tries to balance church renewal work and home ministry. Yet, is this God’s plan for us? Or is His will that both areas of our lives thrive, each fueling the other, and are both rewarding and fulfilling? I think we can guess the answer. Home ministry is the God-given role we have as husbands or wives to love our spouses as God loves us. If we are parents, it includes our role to love and raise our children according to His truth. The Bible commands us to invest in our spouse and children by nurturing them, helping them develop intellectually, physically, relationally, and spiritually (Psalms 78:2-7). We also have the additional typical responsibilities of holding a job, even though it is in the work of ministry, that provides for the family and do basic maintenance things on our house, car, etc. Needless to say, this all adds up to a considerable time investment. There is even more! God not only speaks to our role in the family, but is equally clear that part of walking with Him includes serving Him in the church with the resources He’s given us – our money, spiritual gifts, and time. Personal spiritual growth (character renovation) also requires investing time in prayer, service, individual study of the word, developing relationships with Christians who can help us grow, and going to teachings. These are all provisions from God that are necessary for our growth. It’s not surprising that attempting to balance home and church ministry can produce tension and at times, anxiety. The pastor who leads a church through revitalization must be sure that their spouse is fully on board before attempting to revitalize a church. Within this edition we want to look at:

Why the Minister Must Have His House in Order Before Revitalizing a Church Keep Staying connected, more is coming!

Dr. Tom Cheyney is the Founder and Directional Leader of Renovate National Church Revitalization Conference and Executive Editor of the Church Revitalizer.

Contents

The Target on Your Back The Current Housing Crisis Bill Tenny-Brittian

Ken Priddy

p. 16

p. 10

Thru-Hiking The 7 Windows in the Church Leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House (Part 1)

Steve Smith

p. 26

The Kind of Revitalizer God Uses

The Danger of Not Knowing

George Thomasson

Pete Tackett

p. 30

p. 34

Bob Whitesel

p. 20

Also in this issue: The Revitalizer

Book Review Rob Hurtgen

p. 74 4

The Pursuit of Excellence by George Sweeting

Writing for Life and Ministry; A Practical Guide to the Writing Process for Teachers & Preachers by Brandon J. Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien

Sept/Oct | Vol 7, No 5

Family, Friends, Foes, and Faith

Secrets to a Happy and Healthy Leader Taking Care of the Home Front

Jim Grant

p. 42

Michael Atherton

p. 44

Leading Yourself Mark Weible

p. 48

The Power of Example p. 60 David Jackson Are Your Guiding Documents in Order p. 64 Rodney Harrison Honey, Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Start Packing p. 68 Matt Henslee

Tracy Jaggers

p. 50

Praying Circles Around the Revitalizerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home Desmond Barrett

7 Steps to Personal Revitalization Steve Sells

p. 56

p. 54

10 Steps to Healthy Self and Soul Care for the Church Revitalizer p. 70 Gary Moritz The Foundation of Values in the Life of a Pastor p. 72 Gary Westra

THE

CHURCH

Revitalizer Volume 7, No. 5

The Church Revitalizer Is published bi-monthly by Renovate Publishing Group 1906 West Lee Road Orlando, FL 32810 Email: ChurchRevitalizer.guru

PUBLISHER Executive Editor Dr. Tom Cheyney Associate Publisher Mark Weible Associate Publisher Circulation & Marketing Ashleigh Cheyney

The Church Revitalizer Q&A: What is The Church Revitalizers purpose? To help churches that need to be reinvigorated and renewed effectively receive help in issues that revitalizers face everyday. Articles, resources, and information are gathered from authors all over the country who have been through, or may currently be in, the revitalization process and we want to share their knowledge. How can I write for The Church Revitalizer? Contact us at goba@goba.org How do I get help with subscription issues? Go to churchrevitalizer.guru to renew, order a gift, or resolve any issues. May I reprint articles? Yes, if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for church education, for small group purposes, is less than 1,000 copies and is not offered for resale. Please contact us for more information.

Brand Manager Tom Cheyney Magazine Designer & Format Editor Ashleigh Cheyney Director of Advertising Renovate Staff Web Ad Traffic Director Mark Weible For subscription information contact this office at: www.churchrevitalizer.guru/subscriptions. Subscriptions are $19 per year for six issues. Outside the U.S. add $10.00 per year prepaid.

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The Current Housing Crisis By Bill Tenny-Brittian Every couple of months, The Church Revitalizer shoots me an email to let me know what the theme is for the next issue. As I pondered this month’s Why the Minister Must Have Their House in Order Before Revitalizing a Church, I was struck with a rather profound thought. Because. Just because. Which is ironic, because as I sat down to outline my thoughts on the article I realized it was National Just Because Day (August 27 – yes, that’s a real “holiday” … do a Google search to prove it to yourself!). Why does the minister need his/her life in order before racing in to transform a church from dead or dying to vibrant life? Because if you don’t, it’ll either take you out faster than it’ll take the church out or you’ll both go out together. Either way, it’s not a good thing. Besides, Paul’s letters to Titus and Timothy codifies it … a church leader must “manage their own households” well (Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3). One of the problems the church continues to face is that its leaders keep doing things that discredit and/or embarrasses the broader church. When it comes to leaders keeping their houses in order, the church is facing a serious housing crisis. I’ll not go through a list of names, many of which you’d be familiar with, who have brought shame to the Bride of Christ. Indeed, you can probably find a couple dozen lurking there right in your Facebook Friends’ List … lots of publicly professed “Christians” are shaming the church by their mean and unkind posts and comments in this political season alone! So, I’ll leave the theological reasoning for others in this issue. Instead, let’s look at how you can ensure you don’t become one of those “leaders” the church could frankly do better without. Getting and Keeping Your House in Order I’m not going to presume that your house is in perfect order. In fact, I’m going to make an assumption that you’re like most church leaders – you’re broken, busted, guilty, and sinful. If you’re not in that category, please hit “Pause” in the article and take a careful read through 1 John 1 and Romans 7. (I particularly like the Romans 3:10 … there’s no one who’s righteous. That doesn’t let me off the hook, but at least I’m in good company.) I don’t know where your house is out of order, but as a consultant and coach over the past many years, experience tells me it’s in one of three places: Your spiritual life is out of whack; Your family life is crippled; Your personal life is struggling.

1. Get Your Spiritual Life in Order Let’s face it, if your spiritual life is out of whack, there isn’t any part of your life that’s in balance. You’ll suffer, your marriage will suffer, your kids will suffer, and your church will suffer. And if you’re engaged in revitalization ministry, your church will wear you down and wear you out. You can’t give what you don’t have, and there’s more to revitalizing a congregation than knowing the techniques and applying the principles. Revitalization is first and foremost a spiritual endeavor – and if your spirit life isn’t up to snuff, your church work will reflect it. Sadly, especially for a professional minister, it’s pretty easy to delude yourself into thinking your spiritual life is adequate, or even outstanding. After all, you probably spend hours a week pouring over the scriptures getting ready for your next sermon and/or Bible study. And you probably remember to pray for your church matriarch now and again when you find out she’s in the hospital. You might even have a devotional time for sitting down with your Bible on a regular basis. But the truth is, and you already know this, this barely scratches the surface of the spiritual habits necessary to maintain a relationship with the Lord. I’ve written a couple books on developing spiritual practices,1 but over the years, I’ve condensed the primary practices down to five core disciplines. If you’ll take some time to be honest with yourself, you’ll get a pretty good sense of the state of your spiritual life … and know the areas that could use some help. What have you read in Scripture this week (outside of your preparations for the sermon, Bible study, etc.) that intrigued or disturbed you? The point is, although the Spirit can, and certainly does, speak to you in your Bible prep work, those whispers are primarily on behalf of your work to speak to your congregation. If all you ever did was speak to your spouse about work, the relationship would quickly begin to disintegrate. If you’re not spending time in the Word “just because,” your relationship with God (and the Bible) will become stale. And if nothing’s intriguing or disturbing you, then you’re probably not paying close attention! What have you heard from God in your listening prayers this week – and what are you doing about it? So often, our prayers are such a monologue that the Spirit can’t get a word in edgewise. Now, I’m not talking about that spark of genius or insight that you got while reading the latest Harvard Business Review issue nor the premonition you woke up with the 1 Prayer for People Who Can’t Sit Still. (https://www.amazon. com/Prayer-People-Who-Cant-Still/dp/0827230036). High Voltage Spirituality. (https://effectivechurch.net/store/ high-voltage-spirituality/).

other morning. I’m talking about what Jesus said to you while you were spending considerable time just you and him. And of course, there’s that second part of the question … what are you doing about it? If you’re not putting God’s word to you into action, what’s the point of listening in the first place? Whose life is different this week because of something you did for them in the name of Jesus? Preaching doesn’t count. Bible study doesn’t count. Writing a check to the church or the local food pantry doesn’t count. This is about you fulfilling Jesus’ command in Matthew 5:14–16 – doing some good deed for someone and ensuring they know it’s your commitment to Jesus Christ that compelled and propelled you into action. It’s not about tooting your horn, but about tooting Jesus’ horn loudly and clearly enough that there’s no mistaking the motivation behind your good deed. By the way, if you can’t articulate how their life is different because of your good deed, consider finding a different deed. You can only do so many good deeds in a day – make sure what you’re doing is life transformative. With whom have you verbally shared your faith with this week and what was their response? Again, preaching doesn’t count – nor does your witness at your Bible study. In fact, if you didn’t share your testimony in some way of fashion with someone who’s outside the faith, it doesn’t count. You can’t be faithful to the Great Commission if you’re not sharing your witness (Acts 1:8) with members of “the world.” Frankly, if you’re satisfied with your answers to these five questions this week, then take some time to reread 1 John 10. Frankly, even Mother Teresa struggled with some of these most of her life (don’t believe me? Read her journals), so I’m guessing you and I both have a ways to go. The question is, are you going to seriously do something about it? 2. Get Your Family Life in Order Your house can’t be in order if your family life is crippled. When my wife and I went through a church planter assessment, the final assessment report advised us that if our spouse wasn’t 100 percent sold out to the church plant and 100 percent supportive of the work that would be required that we should refrain from taking an assignment. A couple of our colleagues didn’t take this warning seriously and it literally cost them their marriages. Revitalizing a church is a lot more difficult and stressful than church planting … I’d guess tenfold more, given so few churches actually turn around and who among us wants to be known as a failure? All that’s to say, if your marriage and family life isn’t rock solid, it’s going to have an adverse effect on your ministry – in fact, it could literally destroy your ministry.

Maintain Your Marriage Presuming you took vows that included “till death do us part,” you’ve committed to being in the marriage for the long haul. In fact, if you manage things well, it’s possible you’ll still be married to the same person even after you’ve retired from professional ministry. That being the case, it’s important to put some effort into staying married – preferably staying happily married. Here are some tips from a guy who has managed to stay married over thirty years (and counting) through multiple church plants, church revitalizations, and professional consulting. • Take your days off. No, not your day off. You read that right. Days. Plural. You’re already “on call” 24/72, so give yourself two days to invest in your weekly re-creation and in your family. Don’t get two days off? Negotiate better before you accept a call next time. • Go on a date every week. Not when you can fit it in. Not when you’re not so busy. Not when it’s convenient to find a sitter (if you have to take a child, it’s not a date). I always took Fridays off and we went to a movie (pre-COVID). Do what you have to in order to invest in your spouse.

for being a great parent. The best parents sometimes have rebellious, stubborn, uncooperative kids who turn into stellar human beings. And sometimes they don’t. And the worst parents sometimes have well-behaved, compliant, bragging-rights children who grow up to be outstanding people in spite of poor parenting. And likewise, sometimes they don’t. The reality is, though, the odds are better for those who are great parents than for those who aren’t.

“Let’s face it, if your spiritual life is out of whack, there isn’t any part of your life that’s in balance. You’ll suffer, your marriage will suffer, your kids will suffer, and your church will suffer. ”

• Watch the movie Fireproof and put the plan into action. Haven’t seen Fireproof? Run, don’t walk … and BOTH of you put the plan into action for the sake of the other. • If the marriage is struggling, see a therapist. Now. Don’t wait until the big D word is being tossed around. Don’t believe in therapy? Get over yourself. This isn’t about you … it’s about your marriage. Invest. Be a Parent Well, be a parent if you have children that is! Parenting is hard – but it’s probably no more difficult than being a PK, so keep that in mind. The reality is, there are no exceptional manuals 2 However, you should be 100 percent unavailable on vacations and on spiritual retreats – you’re simply not so important that the church can’t function without you for a couple weeks a year even if the church matriarch dies. If they want you to do the funeral, they can wait until you’re back. Your family time and your God time must be non-negotiables. Remember, you’re planning on still being married even after you’ve left this church.

So, what does it take to be a great parent? Wouldn’t it be great if all it took was lots of love? But the fact is, it takes more than love and good intentions. A lot more. And the formula changes with each child, because each child is different. But here are a couple pointers … • Time. Effective child raising is time intensive. Although your church will think it’s more important than your family, it’s not and don’t let them impinge upon that. Spend time every day with your children. Listen to them every day. Play with them when they’re at that age. Be present with them when they’ve grown out of playing. Time. If you skimp here … well, the old song Cats in the Cradle comes to mind.

• Consistent Boundary Setting. Set the limits and live with them. Yes, you’ll be too strict sometimes. You might be too lenient at other times. But consistency is most important of all – once a limit is set, stand by it. (Before you set a limit, though, make sure you’ve thought through it and that you’re setting it for the sake of the child, not for punitive’s sake. It’s difficult to be consistent when you keep setting unrealistic boundaries.) • Be the Parent … Not the Buddy. Tough love is so tough that most parents today don’t bother. The reality is, tough love is harder on the parent than it is on the child. In real life, actions have consequences. If you spend all your money on entertainment, the electric company will shut off your power when you can’t pay the bill. Children have to learn about natural consequences; however, that’s hard to do because it requires huge quantities of tough love. Most parents would rather feel loved and appreciated by their children – who wouldn’t? But if a child doesn’t learn that in the real world there are real consequences to their choices, they’ll be in for a shock that they may not recover from when they arrive at adulthood. Dig deep and find that parent part of you and put it into practice.

I wish I could walk you through lots more parenting tips, but if you nail these three down, you’ll be on the right track. 3. Get Your Personal Life in Order One of my favorite definitions of good character is “Doing the right thing even when no one’s watching.” One might think that if you get your spiritual life in order that everything else will simply fall into place, but that’s not the case. I found it interesting as I’ve studied church leadership over the years that for far too many of us, we don’t leave ministry well. The number of rather famous theologians and well-known pastors who have had affairs, suffered from serious addictions, struggles with finances, and so on is simply astounding. I suspect that there’s a correlation between our potential spiritual success and the dark side’s interest in undermining that success. In fact, there’s simply too much anecdotal evidence to suggest otherwise. So, if your plan is to stay in ministry, it’s critical that you invest in getting and keeping your personal life in order.

favorite definition of integrity is “doing what you say you’re going to do by when you say you’re going to do it.” Honestly, that sums it up. If you’re a pleaser who has trouble saying “No!” then find a therapist to help you work through it (codependence is probably at the core). No matter what else, if you don’t maintain your integrity, your ministry will come crashing down around you. Implementing All of the Above with One Simple Tool Years ago, I had the opportunity to sit under the tutelage of Neil Cole. Although he was teaching me the ropes of house church network leadership, I came away with what I’ve found as one of the most powerful tools I’ve ever come across. In a word … accountability. If you don’t have a copy of Cole’s book Cultivating a Life for God, I can’t recommend it any more strongly. The crux of the book is our need as Christians to be in an accountability relationship. He calls them Life Transformation Groups. To be honest, being in an LTG is a tall order, but I can tell you this … those who consistently, honestly, and enthusiastically engage in an LTG tend to deal well with all of the “Keep Your House in Order” issues that I’ve mentioned. Perhaps it’s responding weekly to someone whose job it is to ask if I’ve read my scriptures, prayed, been faithful and honoring to my spouse and my family, demonstrated integrity in my spending, and so on that makes it so powerful. There’s something about the axiom that iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17) that appears to be true (the definition of an axiom!).

“I suspect that there’s a correlation between our potential spiritual success and the dark side’s interest in undermining that success”

• Finances. One of the greatest failures of our school system, from kindergarten through divinity school and post graduate work is that most of us weren’t taught about wealth management. Sure, you probably had a class on budgets and check balancing. And yes, Financial Peace University (and similar programs) can be life changing. But the fact is, few of us were raised and educated with healthy financial habits. John Wesley said that we should “Earn all we can, save all we can, and give all we can.” Good advice, though learning how to invest well would have been a good addition to his words (and I’m not necessarily talking RobinHood.com). If you struggle financially, worry and distraction will follow you. Do something about it (and Financial Peace is a good place to start).

• Sexuality. Back in 2016, Barna did a study that found 57 percent of pastors struggled with porn – with the COVID-Crisis I can almost guarantee those numbers are quite conservative. Adultery isn’t uncommon in the church either. I’m not heading into definitions of what’s right and wrong – your conscience and the Spirit has got that covered. The thing is, if you struggle with sexuality it will come to light – there’s a force “out there” already planning your demise. Again, if you’re struggling here, do something about it. Now. • Integrity. Jesus pretty much nailed it down when he said, “Let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no” (Matthew 5:37). My

Get your house in order before you launch a revitalization is good advice. But if you’re already started and something in this article has hit home, then it’s not too late to do something about it. Do something today. Bill Tenny-Brittian is the managing partner of The Effective Church Group. For over thirty years, The Effective Church Group has been equipping churches and church leaders so they can be successful in reaching their mission. He is the co-author of The Role of the Senior Pastor and also teaches Pastoral Leadership for Phillips Seminary with an emphasis on leadership.

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Centrifugal Buzz:

The Target on Your Back By Ken Priddy When you, as a pastor, make the decision, along with your leaders, to lead your church through revitalization, the enemy puts a target on your back. When you accept a pastoral call to a church that you will be attempting to lead through revitalization, the enemy puts a target on your back. This is especially true if your approach to revitalization is a Great Commission approach that will raise the bar of commitment in your church to labor more and more fervently and effectively in the harvest, guiding your church into becoming an epicenter for dynamic domestic missions in your community. Why? Because you are leading the charge into enemy territory to serve with Jesus in seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10). The devil wants the lost to remain lost as he seeks to destroy (John 10:10). He’s all about death while the Gospel is all about life. Therefore, he wants you to fail and will do everything in his power to see that you do. So, every morning when you put on your shirt, take care to note the target on your back. Revitalizing a church from a posture of plateau or decline is a monumental task, only possible by the grace and power of God. Indeed, God does the heavy lifting, but the revitalization pastor plays a pivotal role in leading a congregation over the difficult and treacherous terrain of shifting the trajectory of a church from downward to upward and shifting the focus of a church from inward to outward. Make no mistake, you will be targeted. Twenty-seven years ago, I entered church revitalization through a surprising door – church planting. I had been recruited as a church planter to pastor an eighty-sevenyear-old church that had declined to thirteen members. The rationale seemed to make sense at the time. The hypothesis went like this: If a church planter assumed the pastorate of an almost dead church, declared the remnant to be the core of a new church, and started all over as if it was a church plant, the church could relaunch into a bright future. So, I went into this new calling as a church planter thinking like a church planter and prepared to plant a new church. As it turned out, I was very wrong and the hypothesis was flawed. True, much of the strategy of church planting was relevant. There was a need to discern a vision from God regarding the future of the church, a need to develop

effective strategies around that vision, a need to wade into the harvest fields of the community to labor with the Gospel in bringing people to Christ and, perhaps, to our church, and a need to develop people in their faith once they had come into the family of God. This was the stuff of church planting. However, there was more to be considered; much more. My heart was in church planting and my local church ministry experience was in church planting, and, after having planted two churches, I had a sense of knowing what it took, spiritually and strategically, to plant a church successfully, but this was new territory. I felt unprepared, uncertain, and more than a little confused. However, God had called me to this ministry and I knew two things: 1. God doesn’t make mistakes and 2. God’s plan was for this church to thrive. I concluded, therefore, that I was in the right place at the right time and that God would lead me in learning what I needed to learn to move forward. This church became something of a laboratory for applied revitalization experimentation, a place for learning and innovation. At that time, I was also working on my Doctor of Ministry degree. Looming ahead was the challenge of a dissertation. I decided to tie my dissertation into my pastoral ministry, so I selected Decline in the

Church as the focus of my study, ultimately submitting a dissertation titled, ReStarting the Dying Church. Among the issues I studied and addressed was consideration of what, or whom, I dubbed the ReStart Pastor. This was my first substantial study of the demands placed on the ReStart Pastor and the broad range of responsibilities of the ReStart Pastor. I have continued that study throughout the past couple of decades, learning more and more over time. I refer to such a pastor these days as a Vitalization Pastor and have developed an assessment tool, titled, The Ideal Vitalization Pastor Assessment. This assessment shines a light on three critical categories: 1. What the Ideal Vitalization Pastor Provides, 2. The Roles the Ideal Vitalization Pastors Fulfills, and 3. Key Attributes the Ideal Vitalization Pastor Possesses. Two of these key attributes are directly tied to our main subject: The Target on Your Back. The first of these is Support; the Ideal Vitalization Pastor possesses Support. The particular kind of support in view here is strong support in the relationship with God and strong support in the relationship with family. With the enemy stepping up pressure and even attack, strength in a relationship with God and family is the best defense and might be the only defense that’s available. How so? I coined a phrase years ago regarding a Vitalization Pas-

tor’s ability to lead without affirmation. When you come into a church as a Vitalization Pastor, leading through change and from a posture of plateau or decline, the existing congregation, or remnant, is typically in a place of not having much to give in the way of support. They’re often disappointed, disillusioned, hurting from the downward trajectory of the church, and grieving over what has been lost and what might be further lost as changes are forthcoming. They’re more likely to be longing for the past than looking forward to the future. Consequently, they are not likely to be affirming of the new pastor, the direction that the church needs to pursue or the changes necessary to get there. However, strong support devotionally with the Lord and relationally with the family can hold the Vitalization Pastor up long enough for early returns to be seen from changes, encouraging folks to begin to get on board. The second key attribute is Health; the Ideal Vitalization Pastor possesses Health, widely applied to physical health, mental health, spiritual health, financial health, psychological health; any kind of health. Leading a congregation out of long-term plateau or decline as a Vitalization Pastor is a tremendous feat. True, a heavy dependence on the power of God is paramount, but, even then, the effort is huge and the rewards, on a human level, are often few and far between. In short, the only massive effort a Vitalization Pastor can sustain in the early days, months, years of revitalization is the revitalization effort itself. There is no room for anything else. Nothing will derail a vitalization effort more effectively than a Vitalization Pastor’s experiencing a crisis in his or her relationship with God or family, or the distraction and destruction that can come from a health crisis of any kind. These concerns lurk in the bull’s-eye of the target on your back.

Ken Priddy (D.Min., Ph.D.) is Founder and Executive Director of the GO Center, a training and consulting ministry committed to church vitalization and revitalization. Ken also directs LEADERTOWN: A Laboratory for Organization & Leadership Development. His thirty-plus year journey in church planting and revitalization has grown into a national presence among evangelical leaders. He’s an effective trainer and consultant, but perhaps his most significant contribution is his extensive development of training curricula.

The 7 Windows in the Church Leader’s House (Part 1, Windows 1-3)

By Bob Whitesel They are looking at you. Who? Everyone! Even more than the average person. They are scrutinizing you. It’s non-churchgoers, but it’s churchgoers too. Some people may have been soured by a bad church experience. Others are skeptical. Some want revenge, but others are just inquisitive. And some are looking for a model of Christ-honoring living.

7 windows through which leaders’ lives are observed. A person’s life can be pictured as a house (2 Cor. 5:1). Within that house are various windows through which people see different rooms of our lives. This is a helpful metaphor to recognize the many perspectives from which our lives are scrutinized and criticized.

They may be scrutinizing you more than ever! The proliferation of social media and the ability for a marginalized, but pithy, tweeter to capture national attention has meant that criticism has never flowed more freely, nor further.

Yet addressing every troll, every critic, every questioned motive can be time consuming, if not counterproductive to leading God’s people. And so, the admonition of a New Testament leader, not unaccustomed to criticism or crossness, is a good reminder: “It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.” (1 Peter 2:1, NLT).

Almost all leaders, volunteer or paid, are engaged in imparting biblical truths and can be on the receiving end of this criticism. Not surprisingly, the Bible reminds us we have a great responsibility, are under observation and therefore must live to a higher standard. Luke emphasizes, “Be on your toes—both for yourselves and your congregation of sheep. The Holy Spirit has put you in charge of these people—God’s people they are—to guard and protect them. God himself thought they were worth dying for.” Acts 20:28 (MSG) James cautions, “Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths.” James 5:9 (MSG) Jesus summed it up succinctly, “Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!” Luke 12:47-48 (MSG)

So, in an increasingly hostile world of trolls, critics, factions and violence this verse reminds us that honorable lives, over time, will eventually silence our critics. Therefore, let’s look at seven windows through which the leader’s life is observed and the honorable deeds they should observe through these windows to your soul. Picture window: What are you communicating? The largest window in a house is often called a picture window, because it acts as a picture frame for the neighborhood outside the window. But the downside is that anybody walking or driving by can see into your home life. For a church leader, your picture window is what you are communicating to your community. What do people see when they first look into your life? What impression will be made when they first evaluate you?

In biblical times, people would evaluate if a tree was beneficial or lethal by the fruit it bore. Not surprisingly, Jesus gave a marvelous leadership metaphor about leaders’ lives: “Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don’t be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.” Matt. 7:15-20. So, what is the “fruit” of a Christ-honoring leader? Paul lists nine fruits or attributes, “…love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Gal. 5:22-23 (NIV). Are these the traits people observe when they encounter you? When you go to the local big box store, what do they see? Are you haggling with the sales staff over saving a little money (see 1 Tim. 6:9-10)? On your way to and from errands, do you drive with grace and caution or with abandon and speed (see Mark 7:22)? Are you demanding your own rights, before being sensitive to the needs of others (see Phil. 2:3)? Our daily actions are fostering in people a bigger picture of our lives. What is the picture they see when they look into our lives? And, what will you ask God to change? The backyard window: With whom are you reconciling? This is the window that looks out upon people who have once been part of our lives, but now are pushed to the back of it. Often this is because of hurt and pain. And, the estrangement increases those hurts and pains. It happens because decisions are made, and some people don’t agree with them. It happens because someone may have hurt us. And, we project our feelings of animosity upon all people of their culture. The reasons we push those who were once friends into the back of our lives are numerous. But usually these estranged people don’t actually leave our lives. We ignore them. And at worst, we shun them. We push them into the backyards of our lives and only glance back upon them as needed. And they may ignore us. But, “us and them” remains a sadness that reminds us of a friendship once treasured. What then do people see when they look into your backyard? Do they see a string of broken relationships? Do they see a community of former churchgoers harboring animosities? Jesus told us to go into our backyard and work to restore broken relationships when he said: “So, if someone has something against you, go to that person and be reconciled to them. This constant reaching out forward to new people but also backwards to injured people is a hallmark of being a good shepherd. You just don’t care for the newborn sheep, but you also care for the sheep that have been hurt.” (Matt. 18:15-17).

And this practice of reconciliation is not something to be postponed until it is convenient. Jesus stressed the urgency when he said, “This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.” (Matt. 5:23-34) The skylight window: How authentic is your worship? A skylight opens heavenward, looking toward the stars at night and the clouds by day. Both can be reminders of God’s creative power and beauty (Psalm 147:8-11). The church leader must have a vibrant personal and supernatural fellowship heavenward. It must not be feigned, nor manufactured. But many church leaders have learned how to feign worship, because they feel they have a responsibility to improve worship too. And they may have that duty. But they may also be reviewing the worship, instead of entering into it. A church leader must work at maintaining genuine worship amid all of the problems, glitches and questions that usually arise at the same time the leader is attempting to worship. This can be accomplished by three steps. First, prepare your heart for worship by spending time meditating upon the Scriptures and quieting your spirit before God. Second, lay aside your leadership duties during worship. This extends even to worship leaders. Focus upon worshipping. Allow your worship to lead others. Third, work on improvements at a later time. Evaluate and make changes at least 24 hours afterward. Give yourself time to dwell upon the worship experience before you evaluate it. Then discuss changes later, not during or immediately after the experience. The world longs to see genuine, wholehearted worship. And they will best observe it when leaders are solely focused heavenward. Part 2 will include windows 4 though 7.

Bob Whitesel is an award-winning author/consultant on church health and growth. He has been called “the key spokesperson on change theory in the church today” by a national magazine, co-founded an accredited seminary (Wesley Seminary at IWU) and created one of the nation’s most respected church health and growth consulting firms: ChurchHealth.net

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Thru-Hiking By Steve Smith I am planning to be a ‘thru-hiker’ of the Appalachian Trail. This 2190 mile long path through the mountains attracts many hikers annually, with hundreds of people testing their ability to hike it all the way. One thru-hiker posted a great video of his experience. At one point he began telling the camera that the real challenge to staying on the trail wasn’t physical, but emotional. He warned those watching that if they weren’t ready to face their personal issues, the trail would defeat them. What he said is also true of pastors who seek to lead revitalization. Revitalization is a risk venture of many miles. There is pain in this risk. What you have never examined in your heart will be exposed. The spiritual warfare it generates will reveal your unfinished spiritual business in ways that could cause you to leave ministry altogether. You see, the demands of revitalization aren’t just to have a plan of how to outlast the nay-sayers, how to accept disappointment when someone moves their membership, how to refocus the congregation on its harvest field again, or how to help them face their lack of trust in God. You yourself have to be actively being made whole by God to be able to get to your journey’s end. Most pastors I encounter are alert to this need. However, many know of past traumas whose influence on them they either do not fully understand or have not figured out how to address. It is not for lack of trying. They have read the right books, taken in seminars that explain trauma and perhaps sought spiritual counsel. But they still are not ready for revitalization because they are not whole. Why? Pay attention to this important statement: Knowledge does not heal. Knowing you have past trauma, which I call hurt of the heart, is not the same as being healed from past trauma. People often stop at diagnosis. They may think, “Now that I know what the problem is, it will no longer have influence over me.” Or they might believe that now they can name it, they can work at reducing its power over them. Both ideas are false. Knowing about your hurt is not the same as being freed from it. In fact, the ongoing effects of the Fall continue to show up in your lives even though you have the theological expertise to explain it. It is like you know what is wrong, but you don’t know how to overcome it. Your heart is full of hurt inflicted on you by living in a world affected by the Fall. People, both those who love you, but also people who have no interest in your wellbeing, have caused you trauma.

You may have been abused, betrayed, neglected, devalued, or abandoned—which are just a few of ways people suffer emotional pain. The world itself has wounded your heart with death, disease, extreme weather, and famine. Every trauma you experience damages your emotions in some way and leaves you looking for pain relief. You may have hidden your pain under a layer of efficient living. A number of people I worked with claimed to have nothing that needed to be addressed and from the outside looking in, they did give that appearance. On the other hand, your pain may be out there where everyone can see it. At a revitalization training event, one pastor who came spent the entire three days bleeding on all of us emotionally. He just couldn’t hide his inner sense of fear and failure to absorb skills that would help him lead his church to health. With whichever side of this divide you identify, Scripture shows that none can escape the emotion-damaging effects of the Fall. Something has happened to you that inflicted damage that time won’t heal. And not just one thing has happened. Multiple times you have been traumatized. You, like everyone else, have accumulated wounds you don’t even recognize as wounds that will continue to fester until you choose to get well.

If this sounds like the Gospel 101, it is. But it is the part of the gospel often minimized by pastors because they don’t fully understand how to experience its truth. The simple, but not easy, truth is that God is in the process of transforming you into the likeness of Jesus (Romans 8:29). What knowledge will do for you is show you what you need to surrender to Him. He will not forcibly take it away from you, but will freely heal and free you when you willingly put your trauma and the sin you chose for comfort under His reign.

“Knowing you have past trauma, which I call hurt of the heart, is not the same as being healed from past trauma.”

The worst of it is, instead of choosing to get well, in the past you unconsciously chose to comfort your hurt with deadly sin. This sin choice is exactly what Paul is speaking about in Romans 7, when he explains the problem with the Law. The Law is holy, but he isn’t. The Law reveals a side of him that is rebellious towards the Law giver. Paul does things he hates and does not do the good he ought. Why? Because inside him lives sin.

This is the trap that may cause you to be unable to ‘thru-hike’ the revitalization trail. You have experienced trauma and it is anchored inside your heart by sin. In fact, these two have become coupled and you cannot escape the one without also addressing the other. How do you do this? Remember that knowledge does not heal. I developed inventories to help people discover their past hurt of the heart and the deadly sins that keep them trapped. But I am well aware that those inventories heal no one, set nobody free. So what does it take? I have a comment for every person who comes to me for help. “I can’t fix you. Only God can fix you.” I learned in my own faith journey—the hard way, I might add—

that there is no counselor, no therapist, no pastor, no seminar leader alive who can heal the trauma within a person. God in Christ alone is your only hope.

The reason I was able to lead a church in revitalization and later plant a church is that God has been healing my traumas. In my case, I chose the sin of anger to comfort myself and eventually, I became toxic. A leader whom I respected told me I needed to get counseling. Because I knew I was in a bad spiritual place, I went and got it. What this counselor told me was to go and ask God why I was angry. During a time of resting before God, I did ask Him. When my mind was quieted, He told me what trauma had so deeply affected me. In this intimate moment with God, I asked Him as my Father to heal me and surrendered the deadly sin I had chosen for comfort. I walked out a transformed man. It changed my home. It made it possible for me to be a ‘thru-hiker’ in ministry.

If you are serious about being a ‘thru-hiker’ with revitalization, this is what you must do. You need to pursue intimacy with God so He can show you what you have been stowing away in your heart that should not be there. Don’t be afraid to ask for help in this process. You may need another believer who has been healed to point out the right path.

Steve Smith Dr. Steve Smith is the Founder of Church Equippers Ministries, equipping churches to make and retain more disciples. He trains pastors how to disciple transformationally through the course, The Key to Deep Change. His book, Build Deep, shows churches how to develop a true transformational culture. For more information, go to: www.churchequippers.com

Does God really set people free? Or are we just talking? Transformational Discipleship was developed to train leaders how to guide both brand-new and longtime believers towards deep spiritual change. This training is foundational for every believer. It guides people who are stuck on their faith journey due to unresolved, often hidden issues in their lives towards true spiritual, emotional and mental freedom through intimacy with God.

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The Kind of Revitalizer God Uses By George A. Thomasson When comparing the challenges of planting a new church to revitalizing a struggling church, someone said, “It is easier to have a new birth than a resurrection!” I’m sure there are exceptions to this view, but for the most part I agree. When you plant a new church, you start with a core of people who embrace your mission and vision; love and respect you as their leader and are excited about reaching people for Jesus. The demands will be great, but you have the marvelous opportunity of birthing a new spiritual organism that will make an eternal difference. The people sincerely desire to serve their Lord and follow their leader. On the other hand, when you pastor a church that is in serious decline, that has long ago lost its sense of purpose and direction, has “circled the wagons” and is just holding on trying to “have church” every Sunday, nothing short of a resurrection will bring new life. You probably do not have a congregation that is eager to embrace a progressive mission and vision. They are not focused on reaching people. On the contrary, they have shifted into “survival” mode. They may love and respect you as their under shepherd, but they have seen pastors come and go over the years. They each had their “bag of church growth tricks,” but none of them affected significant change. The influencers in the church are not about to fall into the same trap again; so, you will likely be met with resistance when you try to revitalize. As revitalizers, we must not forget our theology. Only one person in human history was ever truly resurrected – JESUS CHRIST! Others were merely resuscitated because they eventually died again. The Bible records at least 10 people who were raised from the dead or resuscitated. In each case, it was a supernatural work of God. In the final analysis, whether you are planting a new church or attempting to resuscitate an existing church, you must come to grips with the words of Jesus in John 15:5b “…for without Me you can do nothing.” The apostle Paul understood this when he declared the positive side of this. “All things are possible through Christ who strengthens us.” Phil. 4:13 Face it: Only Jesus can truly revitalize or resuscitate a declining church. It is a supernatural work of God. If the revitalizer at-

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tempts to work in his own strength and with his own ingenuity, he will surely fail. We are fully aware that God has chosen to use His followers to do His work. But who are the revitalizers God uses? Simply put, it is the those who have their own houses in order. In other words, the revitalizer must himself be revitalized. But what does that look like? Permit me to share at least two primary characteristics of the revitalizer God uses. Look First at His INWARD LIFE I have learned that God is not primarily concerned with you being HAPPY. He is, however, vitally concerned with you being HOLY! The paradox is that when you are HOLY, then you are HAPPY! This involves: Holiness in the DEVOTIONAL Life • Make a specific time each morning to be alone with God. Make a standing appointment. • Set up a specific place to meet God daily and have your helps there. • Spend time in God’s Word. Read, study, memorize and meditate to internalize it. • Develop a prayer plan. Write down requests and answers and rejoice in God’s activity. • Focus on praise and thanksgiving. • Keep a journal recording spiritual insights and things for which you are thankful. • Don’t get discouraged and stick with it. Holiness in the THOUGHT life • Monitor your TV watching in terms of what you watch and how long you watch. • Never view programs rated “R” or worse. • Never surf the net inappropriately. • When speaking with women, look at their faces. • Counsel women wisely – include your wife when possible or an assistant. Never alone! • Saturate your mind with the Word. • Seek out an accountability partner and/or group. • Filter the advice of other Christians.

Holiness in the STUDY Life • Set a study routine and stick to it. Be disciplined. • Know the needs of the people. • Fill your heart with the Word long before you consult commentaries. • Pray over every facet of the study. • Do good research and exegesis. • Teach and preach with excitement and passion out of the “overflow.” The secret of it all is found in Ephesians 5:18. “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” One of my hero preachers was the late Ron Dunn. He used to say that the fullness of the Spirit is a COMMAND to be CONTROLLED CONTINUALLY! Look Next at His OUTWARD WALK When you daily obey the command to be controlled continually by the Holy Spirit, it will enable you in your OUTWARD WALK as follows: Godly in COMMUNICATION • Sensitivity • Truthfulness • Kindness • Friendliness • Acceptance Godly in WORK ETHIC • Industrious • Punctual • Resourceful • Balanced • Joyful Godly in BUSINESS DEALINGS • Honest • Well informed • Above board • Good representative of Christ and His Church • Man of your word Godly in FINANCES • Believe and communicate that all wealth and possessions come from and belong to God. You are merely the manager of His resources. • Project a generous spirit. • Model a life of faith. • Trust God when financial needs arise and lead other Christians to do so based on your biblical convictions and by observing your personal experience. Godly in FAMILY LIFE • Prioritize your family above your church. • Accept your wife as a gift from God and love her with all your heart.

• Elevate your wife in the eyes of the kids and lead them to love and respect their Mom. • Lead your family to love the Lord and serve others as a consistent way of life. • Establish and maintain healthy traditions that your kids can continue when they have kids. • Model godly family life for the men of your church. Godly in EVERYDAY LIFE • Be a thankful, joyous person whom people want to be around. • Be an active witness looking for daily opportunities to have spiritual conversations. • Be sensitive and kind to wait staff, clerks, and all who serve the public. Tip extravagantly! • Find ways to connect with, relate to, and serve your neighbors. In summary, when the INWARD LIFE is focused on Jesus and fueled by the Holy Spirit, the overflow will be an OUTWARD WALK that is magnetic. Why? Simply put, THE JESUS ON THE INSIDE IS SHOWING UP ON THE OUTSIDE! When that happens consistently, how will that qualify you as a revitalizer whom God uses? • Your prayer life will be rich and rewarding. • You will hear God’s voice and he will give you extraordinary wisdom to lead your people. • You will be a leader that people want to follow because of the joy and enthusiasm you exude. • You will be enabled by God to cast a clear and compelling vision for what He wants your church to be and do. • And you will be given the sensitivity and boldness to lead your people in necessary change, manage the challenges and see heaven-sent revitalization and new life come to your church. As the “old timers” used to say, “I know that I’m preaching to the choir.” Nothing I have said is new or novel. We all know it, but when the revitalizer really gets his house in order in his INWARD LIFE and it becomes evident through his OUTWARD WALK, God is released to do supernatural things in and through his AVAILABLE LIFE!

George Thomasson is a native of Arkansas but spent most of his ministry in Florida and Texas. He holds degrees from Palm Beach Atlantic University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He presently serves as Campus & Community Development Pastor for Christ Place Church in Flowery Branch, Georgia.

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The Danger of Not Knowing By Pete Tackett

“Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones.” – Donald Rumsfeld, U.S. Secretary of Defense, February 12, 2002 In revitalization, there are a lot of things we do know, and many of them are landmines that require careful maneuvering. No one goes into a revitalization project without carefully counting the cost and looking for the telltale signs of coming opposition and surprise. Unfortunately, there are also things we don’t know and we are wise to keep our eyes open for the things we know that we don’t know. However, as in war, in revitalization, the most dangerous issues we face are the ones that we don’t yet know that we don’t know. The question for the pastor attempting to navigate the unknown unknowns is how do you prepare for that? Clearly, they are UNKNOWN so there is no certainty to being able to deal with them, but there are some things the revitalizing pastor can do to get ready for them. He has to at least put himself in a position to react correctly when one of those explode like an IED in a leadership meeting or a church conference or simply are revealed

to everyone at an inopportune time. Not all of those unknowns are divisive but can overwhelm everyone at vulnerable points in the process. After all, as an unknown unknown, it is not going to be something you can proactively deal with so in a ministry that is built on being proactive, you need to be prepared to react as well. Forgive the cheesiness of this, but you have to be sure your “reactor” is working well. Reacting well requires character and self-control. I am sure other writers in this month’s magazine will take a much deeper dive into this subject, but let it suffice to say that in a field full of both known and unknown landmines, you cannot allow yourself to lose your cool and engage in sinful practices even in an attempt to deal with one of those landmines. The ends do not justify the means. Bob Jones, Sr. is credited with saying, “It is never right to do wrong in order to do right.” If you don’t have the built-in fortitude to take a deep breath and not lash out, gossip, or take a short cut, you are not ready to take on revitalization. Renovate has some great assessment tools to help you decide at www.renovateresources.com. Reacting well requires discernment. When an unknown of any kind makes itself known, questions need to be asked. Was this unknown really unknown or was it a trump card help by a person who is uncommitted to the process? Is it an opportunity or a danger? Is there a win here?

When an unknown arises, the next words the leader says is going to define the scope of the problem. Is it going to be seen as a game changer, an inconvenience, or even a schism producer. The revitalizer has to be prepared to evaluate and be willing to not speak until he has had time to make that decision. Part of his job often is to say, “let’s spend a few days praying and thinking about this before we react to it.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us to “take every thought captive to Jesus Christ.” When an invading army takes a POW, the first thing they do to that captive is interrogate him – find out if he has any useful intel. A revitalizing pastor has to take captive those things that burst out and interrogate them before he publicly reacts to them.

What you can do is have a general plan to deal with things that blindside you. Bill Hybels wrote a book called Axiom in which he discusses those sayings that infiltrate our minds and weave themselves into the fabric of our psyche over a period of time. They just become part of us, making decisions for us without us even having to think about it. You have to develop some axioms for how to react to ministry IED’s, whether you are a revitalizer or not. For instance, you take some time to write down what you want out of any unknown crisis. For me, that is to be able to look back and say we found a win-win solution and that no one was spiritually wounded in the process. You also should write down and begin to internalize how you want people to see you in a crisis. For many years, I have had in my Bible a hand-written note given to me by an old pastor friend when I was facing an angry church business meeting. It simply said “Talk low, talk slow, and listen more than you talk.” It’s part of my reaction plan now. I have several more of these, but you get the idea. You have to have a plan about how to react no matter what the crisis is.

“If you don’t have the built-in fortitude to take a deep breath and not lash out, gossip, or take a short cut, you are not ready to take on revitalization.”

Reacting well requires teamwork. A pastor who has not taken the time to forge a trusting and encouraging relationship with his revitalization team will be out on the limb by himself when the team discovers that one of the church members who has been supportive publicly is revealed to be secretly subverting the process of change. The only way that sort of team camaraderie is developed is a combination of time and love. It seems like an oversimplification, but there is a reason military branches put their platoons through hellish team training in order to form a bond that will stand up when the fire comes. Too many revitalizers see themselves as experts and spiritual commandos and are not willing to take time to genuinely care about their leadership team. The leader needs to realize that although as pastor, they care deeply about the success of the church, that team is risking a lot more to stand with them. You cannot expect the team to walk out on that limb with you until they know you care deeply about them and understand the price they are paying to support your plan. Reacting well requires a plan. How is that even possible? How can you plan for something you don’t know that you don’t know? After all, the things you do know that you don’t know allow you to develop some contingency plans but you can’t even play “what if” with those things you don’t know that you don’t know.

Recently, Renovate published a book I wrote along with my friend, Michael Stover, called re.CLAIM. ing: A Handbook for Developing a Restorative Culture in Your Church. In it, we make the case for restorative ministry being a process. Getting your house in order for revitalization means having a process in mind and internalized so that when the unknown unknowns arise, you will not be caught off guard.

Pete Tackett is Lead Pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Johnson City, Tennessee, and a Pastor Connector for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. He regularly partners with churches and pastors engaging in revitalization. He is the author of re.Vital.ize: Lessons Learned in a Recovering Church.

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The local church is the only organization that can facilitate eternal hope, lasting change, and total transformation in the lives of people and communities everywhere. Even so, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local churches are often in desperate need of renewal and revitalization themselves. In The Revitalized Church, Pastor Michael Atherton uses his firsthand experiences to show how a local church community can once again become vibrant. The Revitalized Church shares Athertonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eighteen-month journey merging two church communities with a common vision and discusses the challenges and the victories he encountered. In addition, he examines the key biblical leadership principles that were used to help sustain the church community.

Family, Friends, Foes, and Faith

By Jim Grant Stress, anxiety, emotions, and mental anguish can be a demoralizer for a pastor dealing with everyday ministry life. When you add in the revitalization variable everything is magnified and intensified. Since the trials and troubles of ordinary ministry life can zap the enthusiasm and energy from a pastor, and knowing that revitalization is a most difficult task under good conditions, we must investigate how to navigate the journey of revitalization and its personal and professional impacts. I will use the testing of Job throughout this article to bring better understanding of the need for personal and professional “order” in one’s life. Scripture tells us that to be qualified as an elder/pastor that “he must lead or manage his family well.” [2 Timothy 3:4] This verse actually applies to the realm of ministry, but also to the effect on personal life matters. Obviously, all of us know about pastors and their families living in glass houses and the effects or scrutiny that that brings. When a revitalization work is undertaken, the microscope on all that is being done by the revitalizer is magnified even greater. Change does not bode well with people. Revitalization is a difficult work of ministry. Revitalization is not for the faint of heart. While a church congregation may have agreed to some form of revitalization, you can bet that there will be those that voted yes but have taken a “wait and see” stance. As the verse above specifically identifies the “HOUSE OR FAMILY” I will start here first. The family is one of the

most important aspect of all ministry. For a pastor to lead well, the church and/or public will watch the conduct and behavior of the pastor. Many views or perspectives are arrived at by watching the family’s behavior. I have heard and witnessed the attacks and undermining of a pastor or even a deacon office because their children did not “act right.” When it comes to the “wife” things can become very cruel and obnoxious from the congregation. Everything will be analyzed and talked about concerning her. I have stated several times to pastors that “a pastor will only go as far in ministry as his wife will take him.” This is a critical variable if revitalization is going to be attempted. The revitalizer absolutely must have his wife 100% with him. He will face hardships and attacks directed at his family. If a revitalizer does not have the support of his wife, do not attempt a revitalization work alone! I hate to hammer this point but think of the attack Job encountered because of his testimony of righteousness – His family – even his wife told Job to curse God and die. We all know that the family seems to be the most damaging point in ministry. SO, make sure that your family is all in before attempting a revitalization work. The second point is FRIENDS. Close friends are a necessity in ministry; this is even more necessary in revitalization work. Ministry is lonely, revitalization is even lonelier. Back to a Job illustration of this point – Job had three “friends,” yet they were of little help. They accused Job of being unrighteous, accused him of unconfessed sin. Again, Job was on his own. His friends ridiculed him

and blasted him. In revitalization, many people will not understand what or why you are doing what you are doing. We all need a Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy in our lives. We must have a “go-to” person that will lift us up in times of depression and defeat. A revitalizer cannot do the work alone, this fact is true in pastoral ministry and church planting. People will not understand why we do what we do. Our only resolve is knowing that the LORD God of heaven has called us to the work. Revitalizers cannot depend on the opinions and views of friends. This sounds terrible, but the revitalizer lives and breathes the work, it is his life. Friends only know what they see [in Job’s case] and not the why.

had left him. Job is sitting in ashes with a dog licking his open sores and his friends have already declared him guilty and deserving of his deplorable ash-covered sores. Scripture tells us that “in all this Job did not sin or curse God.” Now please understand we know of the request of Job to have audience with God, and it was granted. God allowed Job to plead his case, but then God spoke! As a personal testimony, I have been through a most difficult time trying to revitalize a church. Initially there were many victories for the Kingdom of God. Then evil came to Church. I clung to James 1:12 for over a year. I did not understand why all this was happening to me. I questioned “where was the God that called me to this work?” I praise God for the support I had during those times of testing. My wife and friends were strong in their faith and lifted me up continually. There was a time during all the adversity that I had no job, no house, and no prospects of ministry. Yet through it all the one thing I knew I had was my faith. Faith grew and stood strong as the waves crashed against my life. The only thing I could firmly hold to was knowing that God was for me and with me. All I had was my call to the ministry, and that was enough. We know how the story of Job ends. I am glad to say that season of ministry ended well for me too. Faith does not disappoint. I am stronger because of the “fires of revitalization.” But make no mistake the fires are real – make sure you have all things in order.

“Obviously, all of us know about pastors and their families living in glass houses and the effects or scrutiny that that brings. ”

The third aspect of having a “House in order” is the FOES IN REVITALIZATION work. This will be both the congregational people, other churches, and Satan himself. Using Job again we find in the first chapter that Satan was given permission to accost Job. Ephesians 6:10-18 is extremely specific who our battle is against. Satan will use our family, friends, and others to demoralize the pastor/revitalizer. When revitalization is attempted it has the goal of taking the dead and dying church and reestablishing the vitality of Spiritual Life into the people. Satan does not care if people go to church, but he raises up and seeks to “steal, kill and destroy.” [John 10:10] The “wait and see” voters will rise up against anything that might jeopardize their rule and power. A revitalizer must be aware of the attacks of Satan through people and on himself. If there is a vulnerable place in the revitalizer’s life, he must be repentant and restored fully before engaging in revitalization work. This personal attack will be expanded to family and friends in an attempt to thwart the work of God. I have been through the meat grinder of attacks personally and professionally because Satan and those influenced by him wanted to destroy the possibility of NEW LIFE and glory to the Father in heaven. Satan is real and his attacks are formidable! The last area that is a must is FAITH. The faith of the man attempting the work of revitalization because of a direct call from God to do so. I will use Job again for this point. Job in the end had only his faith. His family and friends

Jim Grant is the Executive Director of the Galveston Baptist Association. He is an Air Force veteran, retiring with twenty-five years of service. He has a master of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Ministry degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological seminary with a concentration on Church Revitalization.

The Leadership Link:

Taking Care of the Home Front By Michael Atherton Sin…who likes to talk about sin? Sin has become a taboo word in our society. From a secular perspective, one could argue that the biggest sin in America is to call a sin a sin. However, while the Church points our finger at the world and shames them for their blind denial of the problem, we also struggle to talk about the reality of sin. In large part, it seems like the mainstream thought of the day is to bury our head in the sand and try to ignore the fact that we have a problem. Logically then, when one is unwilling to acknowledge a problem, there is little chance that the problem will ever be remedied. Though this plan may be okay for most, a revitalizer cannot embrace such a strategy and must refute any notion of ignoring sin within the camp.

their drive, their mission, and ultimately their pursuit of God’s will. As a revitalization leader, it is wise for you to do some work on the home front, before going to the church at-large. Likewise, it is wise to do some work in the church at-large before going to the community. Revitalization is going to be connected to the leadership’s and congregation’s willingness to confess their sins before the Lord, seeking spiritual renewal, health, and vitality.

“It is sobering to think of the vast number of people who may experience an eternity without Jesus because the Church lives in unrepentant sin.”

Sin can have devastating consequences in your life and in the lives of those around you. To be perfectly clear, your sin (and that of those around you) will out step the boundaries of your own individuality. That is why honesty about sin is so important in the revitalization process. If the effects of your sin are only experienced by you, then I suppose you could live your life however you see fit; knowing that you have to live with the consequences, good or bad. The problem with that logic, however, is that oftentimes we see scenarios where the people of God, as the majority, are impacted sins of the minority. Consider Ai…consider Pharaoh’s hardheartedness…consider Herod’s hatred; the list could go on and on. It is sobering to think of the vast number of people who may experience an eternity without Jesus because the Church lives in unrepentant sin. Unrepentant sin causes a church to lose their focus,

Confession of sin brings about forgiveness There is no point in trying to hide our sin and no advantage in downplaying it. There really is no value in trying to ignore our sin. The Bible tell us that if we act as if we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. Very literally, we lie to ourselves. If that is the bad news, the good news is that God has already promised His forgiveness. Scripture teaches, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). What a picture of the unconditional love of God.

I am not entirely certain we have a real clear picture of unconditional love. Certainly, we have the capacity to love people and love them deeply. But can we truly love someone unconditionally? We like to suggest that we will do anything for those we love, but the truth of the matter is we will fall woefully short of that sentiment. We are incapable of loving unconditionally, but God is not. God loves us unconditionally and has promised that if we will simply be willing to confess our sins and repent, He will forgive us and cleanse us from our unrighteousness.

Confession of sin helps us become more like Christ Christ lived a sinless and perfect life. Our quest as believers is to become more like Christ day-by-day. We will never reach that goal if we choose sin more than we choose Christ. The problem that many of us face is not a matter of possession, but of position. Let me explain. Why is it that some believers seem to live victoriously while others seem continually defeated? Is it that Christ has proven himself to be sufficient for some and not for others? That cannot possibly be the explanation because we know Christ to be sufficient for all. You see it is not a matter of whether those who appear defeated have possession of Christ. We know that when Christ truly takes up residence in our lives, He does not leave us, nor will He forsake us. If the matter is not an issue of possession, then it must be a matter of position. In what position have we put Christ in our life? Unfortunately, many of us (individuals and collective churches) want to surrender our lives on the altar of the Lord, only to take our sacrifice back. Think about the absurdity! How many of the Old Testament sacrifices do you suppose were offered only to be taken back? When the animal was slaughtered and given as a burnt offering, it was absolute. There was no giving a portion of the sacrifice. It was all or nothing. In our life, we must come to that same point, where we acknowledge that we give our self completely to Christ (Romans 12:1-2). The more we root sin out of our life, the more we become like Christ. The more we become like Christ, the more God can work through us to fulfill His will in our life.

a great amount while the second man owned a much lesser amount. When the lender forgave both debts, which man loved the lender more? Simon suggested that the one with the bigger debt would have been more grateful for the forgiveness. Jesus agreed with his assessment. Such is the case for the woman. She was known as a woman who lived a “sinful life” (Luke 7:37). But, when she encountered Jesus, she experienced forgiveness (Luke 7:48). For the first time, maybe in years, maybe in her life, the great weight which was affixed to her neck due to her sin, was removed. Jesus forgave her and set her free from her past and she experienced a new life; a life that was marked by redemption over remorse, hope over hangups, and victory over vices. Your confession of sin frees you from your past. It works the same way in the life of a church. Churches are guilty of allowing sin to take place and there comes a time in which God looks at the church, much like He did in Romans 1, and says if you want your sin, take your sin. Though our sin does not cause our relationship with God to be severed, it is obviously hindered. If we are going to experience revitalization, we must confess our sin before the Lord and allow Him to bring about a new beginning in us. A Concluding Thought… We will always be tempted to live in the flesh and make decisions contrary to the Word of God. Every day will prove to be an exercise in the disciplines of righteousness. We must remember to live with our eyes fixed on Jesus, seeking daily to get right with the Lord!

Confession of sin brings about new beginnings Unconfessed sin can feel like an unbearable weight tied around your neck. I can only imagine that the woman in Luke 7 must have felt that way. Scripture says, a sinful woman, having learned that Jesus was in town, sought Him out and brought her alabaster jar of perfume to anoint His feet. This caused everyone in the proximity to experience great confusion. How could Jesus allow this woman, a sinful woman at that, to anoint His feet? It was at this point that Jesus gave them a lesson laden with significance. He posed a simple and logical question around the scenario of two men, each of whom owed money. One owed

Michael Atherton has served as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of O’Fallon, O’Fallon, MO for 15 years. Leading a church in a church merger, he has learned firsthand the challenges of a revitalizer. Mike is the author of The Revitalized Church. Mike leads a Mentored Master of Divinity program at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary and is past President of the Colorado Baptist Convention.

Let’s Cover the Land in

Thank You Jesus Signs! How it all started...

In 2016, a young teenager named Lucas Hunt prayed for help to display Easter signs in his hometown of Asheboro, NC. Also, he prayed that these efforts would have a giant impact on the Kingdom. A few weeks later a board member at his church, Connie Frazier, sought the Lord’s direction concerning an Easter project for their congregation. Lucas and Connie were unaware of each other’s prayers and desires. Then, God spoke very clearly to Connie instructing her to design a Thank You Jesus yard sign that would be distributed nationwide. Thank You Jesus signs were embraced and the wave of gratitude took hold. Lucas’ prayers and vision, support from Lucas’ parents and Connie’s design and business background led to the creation of the Thank You Jesus signs. This project, with its roots in a small rural church, has turned into a 501(C)3 that receives royalties from the artwork to invest in sharing the Gospel. The investments include grants to spiritual non-profit organizations that seek to share God’s love and the many reasons why we Thank Jesus. Over 250,000 signs have been sold along with car magnets, gar den flags and bracelets. Hundreds of people have been led by the Lord to purchase and display the signs as a ministry of sharing God’s goodness through Jesus Christ. Become part of the Thank You Jesus movement as it spreads throughout the country!

t r a p e m Becof the o T!

N E M E V MO

www.thankyoujesussigns.com

Leading Yourself By Mark Weible Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (Acts 20:28) Before you can effectively lead others, you must become proficient at leading yourself. So, how are you doing? Have you done a personal leadership checkup lately? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s begin with some self-reflection: 1. What is your God-given purpose? 2. What are your core values? 3. What is your vision for the future? 4. What is your mission?

Kevin likes to use the image of a light switch to help the people that he coaches check their purpose. Light switches are binary. They are either on or off. If you are not 100% on-purpose, then you are 100% off-purpose. So, how are you doing? Is your light on? If you would like help finding your purpose, Kevin has developed a simple tool for you. You can find it at www.OnPurpose.me.

Purpose My friend, Kevin McCarthy, is an author, speaker, and business coach. He has written several books and has developed some tools that help people to discover their God-given purpose. Kevin says that you should be able to express your purpose in just two words. Mine is Fanning Flame. My purpose statement is derived from II Timothy 1:6-7:

Core Values One way to know if you are on or off-purposed is to check your core values. Kevin says that you keep your values in your gut and in your throat. When you are off-purpose, you are in violation of your core values and you usually feel your gut or your throat tightening up. So how are you honoring your values?

For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

My friend, Michael Sharp, taught me to honor my core values. Before I could do that, I had to know what they are. Michael introduced me to the Core Values Index. The CVI is an online assessment that helps you to identify your top core values. It is a scientifically valid tool that only takes about eight minutes and gives you immediate results. My top two core values

I understand that my God-given purpose is to be an encourager in the way that Paul encouraged Timothy to begin with

the spark that God gave him and, with the power of the Holy Spirit, spread the Gospel of Jesus like wildfire. In order to do that, I have to make sure that my soul-fire is burning bright. That means that I have to constantly check myself to be On-Purpose.

are Love and Power. By studying my core values, I understand that I am a relational person who learns by listening and talking, while deciding and doing. I am more intuitive than cognitive and more creative than practical. I work well independently and in community with others. I also know that when my core values are not being honored, I can be manipulative to try to get my own way. I’ve learned a lot about myself from the CVI and I’ve been able to help several people to understand themselves better. I’ve also found that the CVI is a great tool for organizing and developing teams of people for greater effectiveness. When we know how to honor the core values of others, we can help them to be more effective in what God has called them to do. If you would like to take the Core Values Index assessment for yourself, you can request a free CVI at www.CVI. report.

If you would like to know more about visioning capacity and Dr. Ridley’s church planter assessment, click the link under footnote #1 below. Mission What is your mission? Actually, Kevin McCarthy says that you should have several missions. Kevin has a cute diagram that he calls The On-Purpose Pal2. He uses it to help clients understand the relationship between purpose, vision, values, and mission. The On-Purpose Pal has purpose in his heart, vision in his eyes, values in his gut and his throat, and mission on his hands.

“The work that you are doing is so vitally important to the church that you are leading and to the Kingdom of God. In order to take it seriously, you need to take yourself seriously.”

Vision For over 20 years, Dr. Charles Ridley, Professor of Counseling Psychology at Texas A&M University has been helping potential church planters to assess themselves in thirteen behavioral characteristics that effective church planters have in common. One of those characteristics is Visioning Capacity. Ridley describes visioning capacity with the following phrases: • being a person who projects into the future beyond the present • developing a theme which highlights the vision and philosophy of ministry • persuasively selling the vision to the people • approaching challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles • coping effectively with non-visioning elements • not erecting artificial walls or limits either overtly or subconsciously • establishing a clear church identity related to the theme and vision • believing in God’s capacity to do great things1

How is your visioning capacity? Do you have a personal vision statement? How about a ministry vision statement? My ministry vision statement is to be so effective at sharing the gospel, making disciples and multiplying churches that one day, Orlando will become known more for Jesus Christ than Mickey Mouse.

So, according to Kevin, mission is what you do. You probably do several different things and that is okay so long as they align with your purpose, vision, and values. If you are off-mission, you are off-purpose and you are dishonoring your core values. If you would like to see what the On-Purpose Pal looks like, you can click the link under footnote #2 below.

I hope by now that you see why it is important to know and lead yourself before you attempt to lead others. The work that you are doing is so vitally important to the church that you are leading and to the Kingdom of God. In order to take it seriously, you need to take yourself seriously. As the Apostle Paul said: For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12: 3) 2 https://medium.com/@kwmccarthy/the-on-purpose-palc0125ac72160

Mark Weible serves as the Church Planting Director of the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and the strategic Director of the Renovate National Church Revitalization Conference. Mark has a wealth of experience as a church planter and local church coach. Mark is passionate about church multiplication, renewal, planting, and coaching.

1 https://www.churchplanting.com/church-planter-assessment-ridleys-13-characteristics-and-test

Secrets to a Happy and Healthy Leader

By Tracy Jaggers I find it perplexing today that many people would have us believe they are an expert on just about anything and every topic. Pseudo-experts write new books every year concerning the latest and greatest ways to get ahead or make millions. People approach me regularly for advice or coaching supposing I have all the answers to their problems. Some think they can tell others what they should be doing in their lives, while their life’s secret is - their situation is a mess and they can’t even see it. The Bible said it would be this way! And, some leaders are so busy picking at the speck in another leader’s eye, that they can’t even see the railroad tie that is protruding from their own. The Word of God says that God gives GRACE to the humble and resists the PROUD! (1 Peter 5:15). Jesus showed us the way to be first in the kingdom of God, and first in our own families, AND He did it with a basin, a towel, and water. We are to get off our arrogant, self-centered high horse and get down into the filth of a dirty floor and wash each other’s feet. Yes, shepherds often smell like sheep when they are working closely with them. Ever get a little stink on you? If not, why not? I’m not necessarily saying you should practice literal foot-washing, unless God impresses you to do so, but I am talking about setting aside your pride, your wants, your plans, and your feelings so that others around you would have the chance to flourish and grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus, because you and I are expected to model the Biblical principles of humility and selflessness. No one in our homes will grow to embrace Godly character or a healthy self-image without us each individually living out the life of Christ to our wives, our husbands, our children, our parents, or our friends. People MUST see Jesus in us. We have reared five children and I would love to tout their absolute perfection to every command of the Lord, but I would be lying. The one thing that made a huge difference in our 43 years of marriage and almost 40 years of parenting is this – consistent unity of parental leadership. When I spoke, the kids knew that mom would not overturn my words. When she made a declaration, they knew I would not cave to their tears or pleading. We were always one. Sure, there were times when we had bedroom powwows over our response, but when the door opened, the words they heard were consistent and unified. With that foundation in mind, I hope you will receive the following with sincere evaluation, knowing all adjustments require love and challenge.

Seven Secrets to a Happy and Healthy Family Leader 1. Security and Faithfulness – our spouses and our children should never, ever have to wonder about our faithfulness to one another. They should be at peace with the covenant we have made between God and our spouse. When a warning light goes on, don’t smash it out or unscrew the bulb – deal with the problem and make a choice to overcome it by the power of God. 2. Communication – Many great marriage experts have already exhausted this topic. Communication is the essential to a healthy relationship, whether marital or social. During difficult times, it is absolutely vital not to do or say anything that will close the spirit of others. Keep the lines of communication open and honest! 3. Courtship/Dating Beyond the Ring – Don’t become lazy and sloppy. Keep the fire alive! Remember how you use to act in the presence of your now present spouse? Remember how you dressed? Remember how you smelled? Remember? Never lose the challenge of loving one another in the same way Christ loves you. Put on your best for the one who holds your heart! 4. Warming Up the Iron – women are like an iron; men are like a light bulb. Men, take the time men to engage your wife in intimate conversation and intimate caressing before you sizzle. Make sure your mate receives as much or more enjoyment out of a sexual encounter as you do. Respect each other! Don’t push. Our purpose is to be the fulfiller for the needs and voids in our spouses’ heart and mind. 5. Spend Time to Make Lasting Memories/Moments – Camping has always been a memory-maker for us. Some good; some bad; some funny and some just plain grotesque. Places like Golden Gate Canyon State Park; Lake Mineral Wells State Park; Kerrville-Schreiner State Park hold special memories. Canoeing with my wife. Yes, I got cocky and overturned the canoe to her chagrin. My oldest son who bent back the van door when backing the van out of the garage (you gotta shut the door first). Kids who pounded on the van with a hammer, thinking they were helping me work on it. Cut fingers; stitches; a broken jaw; a broken arm; and the list goes on. Trying times, but precious memories. 6. Keep the Cup Full – Give each other constant and consistent encouragement and care. What if they were taken from you today? Have you done everything you know you ought to, so they would know, without question, how valuable they are to you? 7. The True Source of Love – Don’t look for fulfillment in a house, a car, clothes, a job, or even in people alone. Fulfillment is only found in Christ. Help your family to experience the fullness of Christ’s presence and love in their spirit and life. Your spouse and your children, and now grandchildren, should always find peace and security in your love for them. I have read and heard numerous testimonies of how persons in a crisis or traumatic experience found strength and healing in

the consistent compassion of their spouse or family. My mind goes to people like Joni Eareckson Tada (a quadriplegic resulting from a diving accident); Clebe McClary (Vietnam veteran who lost an arm, an eye, and most the of the use of his good hand); Dave Roever (Black Beret Vietnam veteran who had a phosphorous grenade explode in his hand - 14 months in the hospital and 15 major surgeries); and the list goes on. All of these chose to let God give joy for sorrow; healing for pain; and to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3) It isn’t wrong to avoid painful situations whenever possible, but it is wrong to deny problems, ignore them, or try to explain them away. Don’t get me wrong here; I am not implying that God causes trials (James 1:13), nor am I saying that we ought to help others suffer trials so they can gain from the experience (Romans 6:1-2). God can and does take the lousy stuff that happens to us and uses it for our good (Romans 8:28). I love how Job put it when answering his wife’s comment, “Curse God and die.” Job 2:10 (NKJV) “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” And the writer adds - In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Life is messy and often unfair, and families will have differences of opinion and even arguments at times. What makes the difference between a life of victory and a life of misery is how we respond to what life throws at us. Avoid negativity and refuse to allow bitterness to dwell in your life. Be positive, encouraging, and care for others more than you care for yourself. Where are you? Exchange your spirit of heaviness for a garment of praise. Relinquish any anger or frustration you are having with your spouse or children and let God give you peace and joy. Wage the war against our enemy, not against one another! It is never easy to “welcome” trials as “friends,” but they can train, shape, and mold us to become Christ-like. Accept each trial as an opportunity to grow and each other as that “shaping-agent” for our good. Be the leader who has a healthy, stable home and you will be much more likely to become the revitalizer who can help churches to have a healthy, thriving future. Tracy Jaggers is the Associational Director of Missions of Gateway Baptist Association, Edwardsville, Illinois. He has held the Senior Pastor, Associate Pastor, Minister of Music, Youth Pastor and Minister of Education roles. He is a contributing author for the book entitled, Practical Tools for Reinventing the Dying Church. His website is: www.churchoverhauler.com

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Praying Circles Around the Revitalizer’s Home By Desmond Barrett Covid-19 has delivered a one-two punch to the local church and her leader. Sadly, some churches will be knocked out, while others will struggle to bounce back and make it to another round. The revitalizing church was already fighting an uphill battle against a stronger opponent in the area of lack of resources, support, and volunteers to help turn from decline to community growth. Covid-19 has only darkened the forecast of many churches winning a round against complacency and decrease. First, the church was hit with a roundhouse right, forced to close her doors to keep her people safe as Covid-19 spread throughout her community. The closure led to churches using limited resources to pay their pastor and other monthly bills as their income stream declined, and their savings was all but used up. The second punch came to the churches mid-section and took the breath away as the church reopened her campuses after months of being closed to only find the support of less than 50% of the attenders before Covid-19 returned. These two shots to the church in such a short time weakened the already wobbly church. With pressure from the remaining members to keep fighting to stay open, the pastor and his family have shouldered more of the physical and spiritual burden. Revitalization

has never been easy, but when you add Covid-19, the shutdown, decrease of income, lack of attenders, a recession, and community unrest, it might be the most challenging time in the last three decades of serving as a pastor in the local church. But there is hope by praying circles around the revitalizer’s home by retraining their mind and soul to adapt to changing times. Prayer One: No weapon will prosper (Spiritual Warfare) The evil one wants nothing more than to discourage and defeat the pastor before he walks outside of his home each day. If he can turn the pastor’s household upside down through discouragement and distraction, he can defeat him, thus stopping the kingdom’s advancement. Isaiah 54:17 reminds the revitalizer that no weapon against his home will be rewarded with dominating his household. As a watchman on the wall, the revitalizer must begin to pray a circle of protection around his family by using God’s Word to defeat the enemy even before he gets out of bed in the morning. Prayer Two: I am called by God (Special Calling) As the pressure mounts on the outside of the household, the tension is felt inside the pastor-leader’s house. 2 Timothy 4:2 reminds the revitalizer that he is to preach the word

in and out of season and to do it with patience and careful instruction. Even before a negative comment is spoken, the pastor should begin to remind himself each day that he is called, he is equipped, and he can lead through this round in the life of the church. By praying a circle of God’s calling around his life, the pastor is listening to his coach (God) through spiritual encouragement as the pastor dodges the devil’s negative thoughts daily.

ter’s heart. Praying a circle around being Christ-like is an integral part of honoring God and the family he has given the revitalizer. The revitalizer should allow his spouse to be that mirror. Allowing his spouse to speak truth and life lovingly can help sustain the committed call on the revitalizer’s life. Living a Spirit-filled life is a life of accountability and reflection.

“Churchgoers can superficially fake God’s anointing, but the pastor is seen for his true self by his family.”

Prayer Three: God wants me to go deeper (Superficial Anointing) Churchgoers can superficially fake God’s anointing, but the pastor is seen for his true self by his family. There is no hiding from his Sunday best to his stressed life in the home. 1 John 2:27 reminds the pastor that revelation comes from the anointing of God on his life. The anointing reveals the character of the follower of Christ over time. As the pastor ascertains the calling on his life, he must go deeper with God in the study of the Word, praying without ceasing, and spending time alone with God for hours, not minutes, each week. Each day, the pastor should find time to spend in meditation and reflection and listen to what God says to him so that he is more prepared to serve his home and the church.

Prayer Four: Giving your family time (Sacrifice for Family) For a revitalizer, the Church is essential, but it cannot be more important than his family. Too many pastors sacrifice their family on the altar of the church. 1 Timothy 3:4 challenges the revitalizer to put his family first. If he is called to manage anything, it is to manage his family by displaying scriptural obedience to God’s Word daily. The enemy wants nothing more than to attack at the heart of the revitalizer household by attacking the family unit. The family unit must be a priority over the mundane task of the Church. Each day, the pastor should pray over his spouse, his children, and each room of the house as he manages his household priority’s through daily prayers. Prayer Five: Be like Christ in all seasons (Spirit Filled) Pressure reveals the real character of a pastor. When a pastor is faced with a high-pressure situation, either caused by himself or others, it will display his heart’s spiritual shape. Proverbs 29:19 challenges the reader to reflect on what others may be seeing. It is as if a mirror is placed in front of the readers’ face and exposes the mat-

Prayer Six: All in for God (Sold-Out) Living a life that honors God is not always easy. Serving the local church through difficult times is almost impossible; however, Psalm 55:22 reminds the revitalizer to give it all to God. As he prayers this circle around life situations, he is preparing to enter the ring of life strengthened in his faith, strong in his spirit, and eyes focused on Christ, leading to a sold-out life. Living a sold-out life is living a life that gives it all to God. Every burden, blessing, or boundary of life is given to God to either discard or enlarge. As the revitalizer begins to pray this final circle around his home, he gives God permission to take the lead and move his family and ministry forward. The bell has rung to announce to all involved that another round is upon them. The revitalizer comes out of his spiritual corner, ready to win the contest and end the match. He has trained his mind by praying six circles around his home and has become sold-out to God’s will for his life by giving his family the absolute best of him. While the revitalizer cannot control the unseen, he can control the training of his mind, body, and spirit by trusting God to lead him to victory. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 reminds the revitalizer that he has to pray continually, without ceasing, to accomplish the Lord’s will for his life and the ministry God has called him too. Desmond Barrett is lead pastor at Summit Church of the Nazarene in Ashland, Kentucky, and has done extensive research in the area of church revitalization. He is a church revitalizer, consultant, coach, and mentor to revitalizing pastors/ churches.

7 Steps to Personal Revitalization By Steve Sells Do you have a room in your house so cluttered with stuff that you scramble to close the door to that room when company comes to visit? I bet everyone reading this would have to admit that they have a junk room in their house. It could be a little closet, spare room, garage, or basement. It’s a place where you hoard things and you do not want guests to see because if they did you would be embarrassed. This same condition exists in the heart of many Christian leaders whose lives are cluttered with things that bring no glory to God. But, unlike that cluttered room in our house, clutter in the Christian leader’s life affects the ability to lead. Things like sin, bad attitudes, bitterness, hard feelings, a rebellious spirit all can so clutter the life of the pastor/leader that they are rendered unusable. No pastor can lead in bringing spiritual renewal to a local church unless he himself has experienced that renewal. Needless to say, the pastor must have his “house in order” before attempting to revitalize his church. The writer of Proverbs in 24:3-4 gives direction as to how to build a spiritual house…an uncluttered life. He says, “Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches” There are three key words found in these verses that are the foundational building blocks for an effective life. They are: wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. When these building blocks are properly applied to the pastor’s/leader’s life, getting the spiritual house in order will be the outcome. There are seven basic steps the leader needs to take in order to live a life of wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Step 1 - Give Way to the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit The Bible teaches us that we are temples where the Holy Spirit dwells. Because He dwells in us He affects everything about us. He affects our attitude toward our fellow man. He affects our behavior. He affects where we place our loyalties. Our moral standard is affected. Living under the presence and power of the Holy Spirit gives the leader the strength to understand and heed 1 Thessalonians 5:22 where it says “Abstain from every form of evil.” The Holy Spirit calls us to repentance and renewal in order to reconcile with our first love Jesus Christ. So, the first step any pastor/leader must take to get their “house in order” is to allow the work of the Holy Spirit to take root in their life.

Step 2 - Get Aligned with the Will of God for Your Life Setting our “house in order” also calls for a new alignment with the will of the Father and His direction for our lives. We must reorganize, reorder, and restructure our lives to accomplish the will of the Father. The Pastor’s desires must be annihilated and the Father’s will must become dominant. Getting aligned with the will of God will always follow closely after allowing the Holy Spirit His place. It enables the Holy Spirit to reveal the new direction that the Father has for ministry. By allowing the Holy Spirit to work and by getting aligned with the will of God the leader will experience a new relationship with the Father as they get priorities in line and allow God to have first place in their life. Step 3 - Take a Personal Inventory If you as the pastor/leader really desires a “spiritual revitalization” in your church, begin with yourself. How do you do that? By making your relationship with God stronger. By asking yourself some tough questions and being honest with the answers. Are you willing to know and face the issues in your own life? Are you willing for your preaching to touch you? Has your ministry become burdensome? What are you afraid of? How close is your relationship with the Heavenly Father? How much do you love your people? Is

and Eve when sin reared its ugly head and tainted humanity. Since then there has been difficulties, challenges, and conflict in the human existence. Sad to say…it will be with us until we get to heaven, so we must learn to deal with those things that hinder us from being what God desires us to be. Hindrances can come from any direction. They can take any form. Sometimes they show up as circumstances, events, or even people. They can be overpowering and discouraging and they must be overcome. Step 6 - Focus on the Right Stuff The task of revitalizing a church calls for a clear focus on the right stuff. There must be a focus on prayer, forgiveness, and putting aside everything that disengages us from the unity, peace, love, and the mercy of God. A great example of right focus is seen when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem. The walls were broken down. The city was vulnerable. But regardless of the obstacles before them, they were able to repair the city. Nehemiah refused to be sidetracked by the hindrances that appeared because of his focus on the task at hand.

evangelism and discipleship your main priorities? Do you have a God-given vision for your church? Finally, do you have the courage to lovingly challenge the status quo in your church? How you answer these questions will determine your success in revitalizing your church. Step 4 - Get Rid of the Weightiness Hebrews 12:1 says “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” During any effort to revitalize, you remove the old things and replaced them with the new. This passage speaks clearly about the power of those weighty things that “so easily ensnares us.” It gives clear instruction to get rid of those things in order to run the proper race. For the pastor/leader that would revitalize the church sinful habits, relationships or activities that continue to clutter the life must be removed. There may be some spiritual behavior that no longer adds value to your ministry and may even stop you from being all God wants you to be, get rid of it. Step 5 - Deal with the Hindrances The truth is, there will always be hindrances to ministry. It all began in the Garden of Eden and the fall of Adam

Step 7 - Keep on Keeping On As a young pastor I learned the importance of the phrase of “keep on keeping on.” My life was blessed by an elderly lady that prayed for me daily and every time she spoke with me she would always say “preacher keep on keeping on. Those words are still dear to me because I realize that if success in anything comes it will come by “keep on keeping on.” Revitalizing a church takes lots of work and time. But you can do it if you “keep on keeping on.” That phrase makes Philippians 4:13 come alive when it says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Take these seven steps and one day you’ll look back in awe of how God used you to change the course of a church that Jesus died for.

Steve Sells is the president and CEO of Operation Transformation church revitalization ministry in Salisbury, North Carolina. Steve has served in ministry for 43 years in North Carolina and Georgia. Dr. Sells is the co-author of the book With Greater Power. He seeks to help churches of all sizes experience new health and growth.

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The Power of Example

By David Jackson A few years ago, at the graduation of our students in the Christian school connected to the church where I was serving as pastor, the commencement speaker reminded us all, “You teach what you know, but you reproduce who you are.” This profound statement declares the importance of our example. What we do matters more than what we say we will do. And nowhere is it more important than in the home.

regularly. But he does little—really nothing—to correct their behavior and evil ways. He is a poor parent, and this is evident to all who know him well…especially young Samuel. God chastises Eli for this, and the death of his sons is the fulfillment of prophesy, and God’s tragic judgment upon them all (1 Samuel 4:11).

Those who are a part of our family know us better than anyone else on the planet. They know if we practice what we preach. They see us at our best, and they see us at our worst. The value of our example shapes them daily and it impacts their future. They come to know by how we live what our priorities in life really are, and what truly matters to us. And often, they carry these realities into their own lives, without even realizing why. It’s the power of example.

But what does Samuel learn from this? It would be easy to say he knew what was the right and, perhaps more obviously, the wrong things to do in raising his own children. He has seen blatant disregard and wrath firsthand. However, the Scripture tells us he, too, had the same problems with his sons Eli had previously had with Hophni and Phineas; “they turned toward dishonest profit, took brides, and perverted justice (1 Samuel 8:3).” That’s the power of example. It trumps all we say, and negates the good we attempt to teach when we don’t live it ourselves.

This month I’ve been spending time in 1 Samuel as a part of my quiet time with God. Young Samuel is raised in the priestly home of Eli, who tends to God’s Tabernacle daily, and does his priestly duty. His two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, though, are wicked and manipulative, using their position as priests for their own good and to the detriment of God’s people (1 Samuel 2:12-14 22). They tarnish the reputation of God publicly and embarrass Eli

The revitalizing pastor must take seriously the words of the apostle Paul, who reminds young Timothy that all overseers (i.e., pastors/elders) need to “manage [their] own household competently and have [their] children under control with all dignity (1 Timothy 3:4).” The apostle goes on to suggest clearly that one who can’t manage his own household is not likely to manage God’s church, either.

Three principles are obvious in correlation to the church for the pastor as he manages his household, principles I learned well in ministry from my behavior and the behavior of others.

These divorces were perhaps hasty and unnecessary, due to my rash, impetuous nature and my desire to have my own way. Marriage taught me that teamwork and partnership are more valuable in terms of impact than I could ever accomplish on my own. The ripple effect on others alone is important enough for a church to recognize in trusting and relying on the revitalizer to lead them into the future.

First, past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. This principle, used in assessing church planters for over two decades, serves us well in all ministry positions. Please note what this principle does not say. It does not suggest the past is a guarantee of the future in terms Third, if the pastor stays long enough, the congregaof behavior: it is only a predictor. And it doesn’t suggest tion will begin to reflect him in their own lives. His priit’s the only predictor, just the best one we have available orities will become their priorities; his values will become to us. Certainly, people can change, their values; and, his behavior will especially under the transforming become their behavior. Gary McInwork of God, but the best evidence tosh says it typically takes about we have of how they will behave seven years for this “mirror effect” in the future is to look at their beto take place between pastor and havior in the past. If a pastor has parishioners. This is why it so ab“Certainly, people can managed his family well in the past, solutely critical healthy replanters chances are he will in the future. and revitalizers stay at their post change, especially in these churches long enough to under the transforming Moreover, the more we see desired make a significant difference. behavior(s) at work in the revitalizwork of God, but the er’s life, the more we can feel confiRevitalizer, what do you see when best evidence we have dent this is a habitual characteristic you look in the mirror? I can promof who he is. In other words, this ise your wife and children are lookof how they will behave principle has even greater validity ing too, and they see more than a in the future is to look if there is evidence of it found in reflection; they see what is daily a variety of work settings, avocabecoming more and more of who at their behavior in tional interests, recreation, student they actually are in the throes of the past.” life, etc., and if the same patterns life. Your example is rubbing off of behavior are seen over decades, on them, and they will hear you in instead of just a few months. Why their ears, and see you with their is this important? By corollary, Paul eyes. It’s the power of example. reminds young Timothy that it can be instructive of a leader’s ministry aptitude in managFor years I struggled with the apostle Paul, who told his ing the church. Your example speaks louder than your congregations, “Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ (1 resume, because it declares your expected behavior. Corinthians 11:1).” In my younger days I found this to be arrogant, brash, even self-absorbed. But as I grew older, Second, fidelity is seen over time. Men who are faithful though, I began the realize the reality “you reproduce to their wives and families over time demonstrate they who you are.” Paul was right to point his churches to his are people who take their vows seriously, their commitown journey of sanctification. It is critically important! ments to heart. They honor the relationships and people The challenge is, can we do the same with those in our involved because they recognize God as their witness to churches who follow our lead? these promises made. When marriage is held in high esteem, the couple love and respect each other after many J. David Jackson serves with the years. If they are still faithfully dedicated to each other North American Mission Board, and the family God has given them, it suggests the reviSBC, as the Replant specialist for talizer will take seriously his commitment before God to the Northeast region, and is author the church, as well. of the book “ReNEW: Traveling the Forgotten Path,” which elaborates Early in my ministry I found myself taking the easy way these principles in greater detail. It out when things became tough in the churches where I can be found at amazon.com. Jackson can be reached at served. I resigned and moved to a new church, citing “irdrjdavidjackson@gmail.com. reconcilable differences” with the previous congregation.

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Are Your Guiding Documents in Order? By Rodney Harrison By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35 In this passage, Jesus clearly states that love for each other should be identifying characteristic for His followers. Sadly, that is not always the case. Pastors caught in the crossfire of conflict will find little margin during the heat of the battle to diligently search the scriptures and develop a conflict mitigation plan. The guiding documents of many, if not a majority of churches, often fail to inform how to proceed. A failure to navigate conflict comes at a high cost to both the church and to those called to lead Her through thick and thin. It is not surprising to find former pastors selling insurance, managing restaurants, or selling cars. When the call to ministry is forsaken, many used-up church leaders cite unresolved conflict as the primary reason for abandoning the call. Embracing a biblically informed process of dealing with conflict through the guiding documents of the church. A sad reality is that most church constitutions and bylaws fall far short of adequately informing issues of conflict. The problem is greatest in churches under 200 in attendance. In my ten-year study as Professor of Christian Education at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, of 807 churches and 21 denominations, 24% of the churches did not address the issue of conflict or church discipline. Another 24% referenced church discipline using Matthew 18:15-17 only. The guiding documents of 8% of the churches referenced Matthew 18:15-17 and one other passage—usually 1 Corinthians 5:8-13. Another 7% addressed conflict using just one scripture other than Matthew 18 or referenced a document outside of the constitutions and bylaws. As an example of this approach, three churches referenced the 9Marks Step by Step Primer for Church Discipline while eleven referenced a denominational website. Only 37% of the guiding documents referenced at least two other passages in addition to Matthew 18.

These results of this study suggest that upwards of 50% of all churches fail to adequately provide a biblically informed process for dealing with conflict or addressing issues of church discipline. This deficiency is not realized until conflict threatens the congregation.

Pastors also fail to realize antagonistic members often know the guiding documents better than the elders, and will readily malign church leadership if the constitution is not be followed to the letter. Church Constitutions and By-laws should address church discipline based on the appropriate biblical texts and biblical examples. Therefore, pastors and seminarians would do well to carefully examine the guiding documents of the church for opportunities for improvement. This is truly a case of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Addressing deficiencies in the guiding documents during a crisis almost inevitably will create additional conflict. Taking time to examine these documents prior to a problem is truly time well spent. Some of the scriptures that should be considered include: • 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, the instructions to the church at Corinth not to associate with immoral people who are so-called brothers within the church. • 2 Corinthians 2:7-10, follow-up instructions to Corinth on forgiveness and restoration a disciplined member • 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15, Paul’s discourse on Christian Conduct • Hebrews 12:5-16, the benefits of discipline, and the consequences of defilement • Acts 8: 9-24, the account of Simon, an unregenerate member • James 4:1-12, the sources of conflict and divine instructions for going forward When individuals threaten the unity and mission of the church, a biblically informed process is to Identify, Confront, and Avoid. First, we must Identify • Romans 16:17 I appeal to you, brethren, take note of those who create dissentions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught. • 1 Corinthians 1:10-12 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Take note of the fact in both of these passages Paul uses language that suggests the danger is already present, and not merely hypothetical.

Next, it is appropriate to Confront: • Acts 13:9-10 Then Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit… said, “You son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all fraud, enemy of all righteousness! Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord? • 1 Timothy 5:20 Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will also be afraid. • Matthew 18:15 If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. Up to this point, the desired outcome has been the identification of the source of bad behavior in the environment, vis-a-vis, “Houston we have a problem,” and speaking specifically to the source--or sources--a-la Nathan’s proclamation to David, “You are that man.” The goal of identification and confrontation is correction without exclusion Barring repentance and restoration, we must Avoid: • Matthew 18:17 If he pays no attention to them, tell the church. But if he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever and a tax collector to you. • Romans 16:17 I appeal to you, brethren, take note of those who create dissentions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught. Avoid them. • 2 Timothy 2:16-17 Avoid such godless chatter, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will eat its way like gangrene: such men are Hymenaeus and Pilatus. Paul calls out those two troublemakers by name! Unfortunately, some members in the church consider it inappropriate to identify, confront, or call out those who are causing dissention in the body. Many would be surprised to find that is exactly was the Bible teaches and Paul practiced! Policy manuals should provide contextualization of how the processes will be implemented and communicated. For example, constitution of our former church in Kansas City clearly referenced 1 Timothy 5:19. When an accusation against one of the pastors was raised, the accuser provided the names of an additional witnesses, as required by the text. At this point the principles of Scripture that informed the constitutional process to be followed had been respected. Thereafter, the policy manual took over, which informed the process by which the accusations would be investigated. The policy also noted that during the investigation, the elder’s salary would be paid, but no official duties performed. In this case, the accusations were found to be true, and the policy manual informed issues of severance pay, biblical counseling provisions and non-ministerial job placement assistance provisions. As a result of a biblically informed constitution and an instructive policy manual, there were no questions of how to proceed. No one asked, “Should we give the pastor a second chance?” More importantly, no one questioned how the severance pro-

cess would be handled. It was spelled out in the policy manual. As a result, the church did not experience a decline in attendance in that season of unsettling uncertainty. In closing, here are some guidelines for keeping your guiding documents fresh and relevant: 1. The guiding documents of the church should be available to all members via a secure membership portal. 2. Policies and practices should be communicated in the new member class and provided to all new members, regardless of how they join the church. 3. Require all staff and volunteers to annually affirm, in writing, the guiding documents and policies of the church. 4. Pastors should periodically preach on the biblical texts that inform the guiding documents of the church. This helps members understand the process behind biblically informed policies and practices. In my last church, I scheduled an annual constitution Sunday, where copies of the guiding documents were provided to all attendees, and the biblical principles behind the documents is preached from the pulpit. 5. Supplement periodic sermons on the topic through small group lessons on biblical discipline. The benefits of going beyond Matthew 18:15-17 when addressing the issue of church discipline and conflict mitigation are many. However, we should recognize there is more to Matthew 18 than just three verses. The chapter begins with Jesus’ disciples wondering, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus then illustrates the character of humility through a trusting child who was obedient to His call. The chapter ends with Christ’s discourse with Peter on forgiveness, the famous, “seventy times seven” passage that is illustrated by the unforgiving servant and the consequences of unforgiveness. Humility and forgiveness are more than the bookends for Matthew 18:15-17, they are at the heart of healthy relationships in the church. However, when members fail to practice these attributes, it is good to know—and document—that there is “More than Matthew 18.”

Dr. Rodney Harrison provides oversight to Midwestern’s doctoral programs, extensions, online programs and accreditation. He came to Midwestern following a fruitful ministry in church planting and missions in California, the Dakotas, and Minnesota. Prior to coming to Midwestern, he was New Church Extension Associate for the California Southern Baptist Convention. Rodney is the author of four books and has written material for LifeWay Christian Resources, The Revitalizer, and several academic journals.

Honey, Let’s Start Packing By Matt Henslee A confession is needed right from the start. I have been terrible at this, which is why I am aiming to write from experience to provide the opportunity to learn from my mistakes. Here it goes. Do not break the news about you taking another church by saying, “Honey, Let’s Start Packing.” You see, I had just gotten off the phone with a search committee after accepting the invitation to come in view of a call. Please, by all means, shake your head at me––I deserve it. To my credit, my resume had been sent without my knowledge and the search committee’s process could best be defined as rapid. I did not think I was going to have much of a chance, so I didn’t even both to bring my wife up to speed. And so, when they asked if I could come on such and such date in view of a call, I was stuck somewhere in between a rock and a hard place, and wearing a dunce hat I most certainly earned. I wanted to go; I had felt a release for some time, so I definitely wanted to say yes. However, as the husband of a wife who does not really like surprises (well…at least our couch is comfortable), I broke the news and by God’s grace, lived to tell about it. As my co-author, a friend, and I wrote in Replanting Rural Churches, “If you aim to revitalize or replant a church, you need to realize you just signed up to climb Mt. Everest, backward, while carrying 115 years of baggage on your back.” That kind of baggage means there will be some phenomenal days of ministry, there will be days when you cannot seem to win, and everything in between. Therefore, you must not––you cannot go at it alone. You will need pastors in your corner, that is helpful, but what is paramount is having your family in your corner. And you will not get that, trust me, by not including them. During the final interview, the search committee asked, “Is your house in order?” I answered in the affirmative by talking about our kids, my wife, and how we live out our faith, are relatively behaved (all but me, I guess), and so forth. However, “Is your house in order?” is more than making your bed or having well-behaved kids. I believe a huge part of having your house in order is a unified home.

In light of this, and in knowing mistakes help you grow and learn, here is what I learned from my bonehead move of not telling my wife we were about to move. Beginning Well Involve your family during the search and start process. Yes, they are hiring you, and there needs to be boundaries and appropriate expectations. But do not make the same mistake I shared at the beginning of this article. If you are setting out to revitalize a church, it will be difficult. I am willing to go out on a limb to say it will be impossible without your family on board. If you are interviewing, ask your wife beforehand if there are things she wants to know. If the interview is virtual, even if she is not on the call, consider taking the call without headphones so your wife can hear the questions and answers. If you cannot, tell her everything––and I mean everything–– the moment you hang up. Take time to do a virtual tour of the area with your wife, particularly if you cannot do one in person. Look over the schools, dream about places to go, and find a restaurant in town (or within driving distance) and decide then that you will have a date night there if God calls you to that church.

Communicate, but do not overshare. There are certain things I do not bring home. There are certain things I do. You know your wife, you know your family, but make sure what you do bring home does not grow bitterness towards members. Do ministry together. This requires balance, but I have found my wife develops more connection to our church when we do some aspects of ministry together, like having families over for dinner. Take the kids on home or hospital visits when appropriate. Trust me; most will enjoy seeing your kids more than you! Finishing Well One would already be too many, but even in my circle of pastor-friends, I can barely count how many people have blown up their ministries and marriages by sinful relationships with others. Pastor, have eyes only for your wife. Do not meet with someone other than your spouse alone. Do not flirt. Do not even entertain the idea, the temptation of someone else. Stay above reproach so that you can finish the fight in the fight. Want to finish well? Do not finish without your wife. Do not limp across the finish line without your kids. Run with them, not from them, and you will go a long way towards a fruitful, faithful ministry. If things do proceed and you end up having the opportunity to go in view of a call, travel a day early and take the extra time to drive around, dream, pray, and get a lay of the land. Along the way, continue to ask questions of your wife and kids. Get a feel for what they are thinking! If there is a significant “check” in your wife’s or kids’ spirit, take it seriously, hear them out, and seek God’s wisdom.

As Luther said, “There is no more lovely, friendly or charming relationship, communion or company, than a good marriage.” I have found that to be true, especially in the dogdays of church revitalization when it seems like no one is in your corner. When those days come—and they will—will your wife and kids be in your corner? I believe they will if you take these words I have shared to heart.

Keeping your family involved throughout the search and start process will go a long way in setting the foundation for communication, unity, and support in the home.

Therefore, begin well, stay well, and finish well. Not with your wife or family on the sidelines, but right there with you in the trenches. You are better together and having their support will go a long way in helping you make it to and through the finish line.

Staying Well There is a quote by Luther that says, “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” Church revitalization is hard, brothers, and certain things make it harder. One being difficulty at home. I am not a marriage expert and have only been married for fifteen of my over twenty years in ministry. Nevertheless, I am learning a few things go a long way. Date your wife. Hire a babysitter if necessary but choose now to date your wife every week. If you cannot afford a night out, pack a lunch and eat it at a park.

Matt Henslee is the pastor of Mayhill Baptist Church, a church in the middle of nowhere in southern New Mexico. He is a D.Min student of expository preaching at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, co-host of Not Another Baptist Podcast, and managing editor of LifeWay Pastors, 2nd Vice President of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico, and co-author of Replanting Rural Churches.

10 Steps to Healthy Self and Soul Care for the Church Revitalizer By Gary Moritz I love being a pastor and serving the local church. When I started out in ministry 19 years ago, I was young, energetic, and full of ideas and plans for how I was going to make a difference for the Kingdom, grow a large ministry, and see many lives changed through the gospel. I didn’t realize the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental toll that ministry would have on me and my family over the years. A church revitalizer has even more challenges to face in ministry, and if we aren’t careful, the pressure and stress can overcome us causing us to lose heart and focus. A church revitalizer focuses on reviving and bringing dead or unhealthy situations back to life. It’s all about reset, realignment, and repair. But before you can accomplish this in a ministry or church in trouble, you have to make sure that you are up to the task. You have to be an expert at leading yourself before you can lead a church through revitalization.

“Remember, ministry is a marathon and not a sprint. The goal is a healthy longevity in ministry, but it takes intentionality to achieve it.”

Just like a machine needs constant maintenance and repair to maintain its optimal performance, you and I need constant check-ups and tune-ups so that we can function effectively and lead well through the tough stuff of revitalization. Building strong physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental strength is the only way we can survive. God uniquely created us as physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental beings. All four of these attributes are interdependent

and inseparable. Sadly, as church leaders and pastors, we often neglect them, putting others and our ministries before ourselves. One of the lies that pastors have bought into is that if you have strong faith, you are exempt from spiritual, emotional, or mental distress. This is just not true. The great leader Paul is noted for his courageous ministry, but he also confessed, “Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:28 CSB). Think about the crisis that Elijah faced in 1 Kings 19:4-14. He lacked food and sleep, and the discouragement he faced led him to want to give up on his life. Exhaustion and cloudiness of mind made him want to quit.

The church revitalizer who neglects his physical and mental health can gradually slip into a state of melancholy or emotional chaos. Performing self-care checkups can help you maintain a sense of balance and perspective in your life. After many years of ministry, I have learned that I have to watch myself in three areas. 1. Don’t place unrealistic expectations on yourself. If you are a parent, you know that when your kids were young, they looked at you like a superhero. Sometimes our church members can do the same. But we are not the hero, Jesus is. We are human; however, most of the time we work like we are superhuman.

When I was young in ministry, I did everything. I tried to be the hero. As I have gotten older, I realize that I can’t do everything. My desire now is to be an expert in my lane and not a jack-of-all-trades. It is impossible for us as church revitalizers to be everything to all people. With God’s guidance you may need to adjust the expectations that you and others have placed on you. Take a hard looks at what you are doing. Are you doing too much? Are you doing something that needs to be delegated to someone else? Does your schedule reflect the self-care you need to sustain in ministry for the long haul? 2. Take mental breaks to meditate and prepare. The task of preparation can be mentally exhausting. The preparation I’m talking about is not just about your Sunday message. I am talking about being ready for every appointment on your calendar, vision casting, and leading the people in your care. I often compare pastoring to baseball. You may have hit a home run on Sunday, but Monday is coming, and you are up to bat again. The turnaround can be rough and scheduling time to let your mind rest is so important. A teaching or preaching pastor is expected to prepare and deliver 40 to 50 different Sunday sermons per year to virtually the same group of people. Not to mention the devotionals, weddings, funerals, counseling, texts, emails, Bible studies, leadership trainings, and speeches for special events, and the content that we are responsible for is overwhelming. If you do not prepare and plan well and build into your schedule time for mental breaks and reflection, you will eventually crack under the pressure. 3. Don’t let negativity make you negative. Ministry is messy, and if we aren’t careful, we can let the problems we deal with consume us and rob us of our joy. Let’s face it, much of our time is spent dealing with problems. A pastor deals daily with grief, grace, and everything in between. If you add church revitalization to the equation, it only heightens and exposes even more pressure. Perhaps more than any other vocation, a pastor regularly moves in and out of situations with polarizing and intense emotions, situations such as death and life, divorce and marriage, perversion and conversion, and conflict and resolution. I have learned over the years to forgive much, listen carefully, and pray hard and often. If you are not careful, the residual emotions from these encounters will linger and intermingle within you, creating either emotional apathy or spiritual neuropathy. Self-check your emotions. Are you becoming negative or cynical? If you are, spend some time in prayer and reflection asking God to restore the joy of ministry to you. A pastor must preserve good physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental health. Remember, ministry is a marathon and not a sprint. The goal is a healthy longevity in ministry, but it takes intentionality to achieve it. It doesn’t happen by chance.

Here are some practices I have found to be helpful in my own pastoral self-care routine: 1. Schedule and maintain a consistent daily prayer and devotional life. 2. Maintain relationships with advisors and experienced pastors outside of your church. 3. Be involved in a small accountability group. 4. Read outside of ministry. Explore multiple genres, including biography, history, and fiction to help refocus your mind on other things. 5. Pay attention to your diet. Your food dictates your mood, and the mood of the leader is the mood of the team. 6. Exercise regularly in some capacity. Get those steps in! 7. Follow a consistent routine for sleep and rest. Get the right amount of sleep for your body. 8. Take a sabbath each week, 24 hours of resting from your normal routine. This is huge and often neglected by pastors. Take time to disconnect from the work of the church, especially from the mental labor, problem solving, conflict management, cell phone calls, and social media. 9. Take care of yourself physically. See your doctor and pay attention to your body. 10. Share the weight. Learn to delegate well and equip others to use their spiritual gifts to assist in ministry. All of these practices revolve around knowing yourself. If you feel like you are going to crash, stop and rest. Get help. Don’t be a lone ranger in ministry. Our real enemy is Satan. John 10:10 reminds us that he desires for us to live a drained, unfulfilled life. But Jesus wants your life to be abundant. Satan will try and destroy us any way he can, and if he can destroy your peace of mind, he can eventually take you out. Remember that the same God who created everything from nothing is inviting you into something big, working for Him. Take care of yourself so that you can sustain and finish well. Schedule some time for a self-care check-up and put into practice some new routines that will help you be a better leader. Gary Moritz is the lead pastor of City United Church, located in Lunenburg, MA. With a church planter mindset, the Lord called him and his family to New England in 2013 to take over a church in need of revitalization through a pastoral succession. He also works for Liberty University as a subject matter expert on church revitalization and as a assistant professor in the School of Divinity, and he serves as the Director of Church Revitalization for the Baptist Convention of New England.

The Foundation of Values in the Life of a Pastor By Gary Westra If a pastor is to have their own house in order before building God’s house, knowing their values is foundational. After considering the relationship of mission and vision to values, we will look at four foundational value orientations. Mission and Vision The church and pastor both need to have clarity about mission, vision, and values. In my consulting at Turnaround Pastor Inc. I am constantly amazed that these terms are confused. I hear the same lament from every church consultant I know!

Values Finally, values answer the why question. Jesus stated why he came when he said, “10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) Why does your church do what it does? Why are certain things of particular merit or importance? In large measure, the pastor’s personal values will inform the church’s values. A part of knowing what your church values is clarity about what you value as the pastor. There will be an inevitable overlap between the pastor’s values and the church’s values. The pastor should be the leader of the church and their values will be visible to the church. Does the pastor value community? Then the church should reflect that as well.

What do these terms mean? Simply put, mission is what all bible-based churches have in common. It is the purposes of the church that state what the church will do. It can be expressed How do we determine what a pastor and church value? with a variation of five “Es:” exalt, extend, evangelize, equip, and encourage. Many churches and pastors simply state the mission One approach would be to have a team consider the issue as the Great Commission. over many months, studying, discussing, and determining the church’s values. This would be an extensive and lengthy Vision is a picture of a preferable future that is unique to your process. I suggest two shorter processes, one for the pastor/ church. It is unique to you because it is based on an accurate church, and one for the pastor alone. understanding of your church and context. It is how your church will express its purpose in your time, place, and context. The first process is disarmingly simple, yet effective. Google “church values” and find several lists. Circle values from the lists It is very common to mistake vision with a statement of mission. that you think are true of you and your church. Ask yourself the For example, the familiar phrase, “To know Christ and make him question, “Do we really demonstrate this, or just aspire to it?” known” is often called a vision statement. But notice that all You want to affirm values that you demonstrate, that are true churches should be able to state that. Bible-believing churches of you. Generate your own list from those you circle. I think have that in common. It is a statement of mission. your list should have no more than five values. You may want to winnow down your list by showing a longer list to several It would become a statement of vision if it said, “To know Christ key leaders and ask them to choose five. This is a simple way to and make him known to 50 single parent families and families discern your values quickly. with special needs children in Smith County by the year 2022.” This statement refers to a particular people in a particular time Four Foundational Value Orientations from the Core and place. It is measurable and speaks to what is unique about Value Index this specific church. It paints a picture of a preferable future, one The second process is to consider the pastor and their own valthat reaches a specific people group. It answers how Christ will ue orientation. To do this, I am using the work of Lynn Taylor be made known.

of Taylor Protocols Inc. and his Core Value Index. It is an assessment that reveals the innate nature of core motivational drivers. According to Taylor, there are four core value orientations: 1. Builder (power), 2. Merchant (love), 3. Innovator (wisdom), and 4. Banker (knowledge). The following quotations and descriptions come from my personal profile. Builder “The core value of a Builder is Power. Power is the personal energy used to make a difference and create a positive result. This core value is supported by the catalytic value of Faith. Faith is the confidence a person has to say, ‘I know what to do. I know that what I am about to do is right. I will know what to do next.’” Builders are powerful people who tend to create lasting monuments for themselves and their organizations. Builders act, make decisions, and drive toward results. Their style is to take immediate action and apply their personal energy to create a desired result. Merchant “The core value of a Merchant is Love. Love is the nurturing of core values in one’s self and in others. This core value is supported by the catalytic value of Truth. Truth is the ability to see the way things are.” Merchants are amazing salespeople. But more than this, they are the risk-takers, the visionaries, and the traders opening new markets. They see endless possibilities. They foster the pursuit of wealth, art, and beauty. They lead through love and excitement. They ask others to help them achieve their unique vision. Their strategy is to attract others to their visions, and to nurture the core values in others. Innovator “The core value of an Innovator is Wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to see the way things work and know what to do about it. This core value is supported by the catalytic value of Compassion. Compassion is the ability to remain in situations and understand why other people react the way they do.” Innovators have an ability to solve problems. They observe and understand situations while striving toward effective solutions. When others around them claim, “It can’t be done,” Innovators come up with a possibility and they ask, “What if?” They lead through brainstorming, innovation, strategic thinking, and the provision of effective strategies. Banker “The core value of a Banker is Knowledge. Knowledge is the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of things. This core value is supported by the catalytic value of Justice. Justice is the fair and equitable way.”

the most important resources. They assimilate all available data in their field of endeavor. They organize thought and information to help others be more effective. Bankers conserve, analyze, and inform. Their strategy is to constantly gather knowledge, so that when the time comes, they will have the answer. Here is a quote about my actual results. Note that it speaks of a primary and secondary core value. Gary, the CVI assessment found you are a MERCHANT-INNOVATOR. This means your primary core value is Merchant – A Merchant’s core value energy is Love. Love in this sense is working toward an inspired vision of what can be, by nurturing the core values in one’s self and in others. You thrive at building relationships and providing an inspired vision for those around you. Your secondary core value is Innovator – An Innovator’s core value energy is Wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to see the way things are, and discern what to do about it. You accurately assess situations and provide solutions. I find this to be an accurate description of me. It informs me about what I should do, and also where I need help. For example, Dr. Steve Smith of Church Equippers claims pastors need an Implementer to help build ministry systems, implementing the mission, vision, and values. Essentially, he is describing a Builder, which is my lowest core value. I would need a Builder in my inner group of leaders. In summary, a church’s values and a pastor’s values will overlap. Pastors will have both a core value orientation of 1. Builder (power), 2. Merchant (love), 3. Innovator (wisdom), or 4. Banker (knowledge). Additionally, the church will have other values, things like transparency, community, or mission. A pastor is most prepared to lead in demonstrating a church’s values when they know their own values and their core value orientation. Pastor, do you know your own values? Are you considering taking the Core Value Index? What is the next step for you and for your church? Gary Westra has served churches of under 100 to over 1000, primarily serving as Senior Pastor in multi-staff churches. Gary now serves as Vice President of Turnaround Pastor Inc, training church revitalization leaders. He led a study of the statistically significant characteristics of turnaround pastors. He is co-author of “Pastor Unique: Becoming a Turnaround Leader.

Bankers gain and preserve the most important knowledge. They take personal responsibility for collecting and preserving

The

Revitalizer LIBRARY

By Rob Hurtgen

I want to spotlight two books whose aim is to help you become a better leader and communicator of the gospel. The Pursuit of Excellence by George Sweeting and Writing for Life and Ministry; A Practical Guide to the Writing Process for Teachers & Preachers by Brandon J. O’Brien are two resources designed to help each reader become a more effective servant-leader and communicator. Sweeting, former president and chancellor of Moody Bible Institute, expounds nine marks of excellence; faith, character, action, single-mindedness, love, suffering, prayer, wisdom, and staying power. With each trait, Sweeting weaves principles and stories of men and women who demonstrated these characteristics of excellence. Sweeting’s guiding principle is that excellence on its own merits is not a worthy pursuit. Excellence, however, must be pursued because God’s name is excellent (Ps. 8.1). To strive for excellence, then, is to glorify the name of the Lord. The second resource by O’Brien focuses on a process to become a writer. Howev-

er, the impact of his book extends well beyond its primary aim. O’Brien’s goal is to help each pastor to “determine their unique contribution, understand their target reader, and internalize the creative process” (13). The work extends beyond a “how-to” guide for becoming a better writer to a tool for knowing and expressing one’s unique self. The exercises at the end of each chapter force the reader to identify and refine their sense of calling and purpose. The clarity gained from these exercises is worth every moment immersed in the pages, even if the reader never writes a single syllable. These two works are excellent additions to the revitalizer’s library. Additionally, the two go hand in hand together. The first calls up one to excellence to the glory of God. The second calls out greatness to make a unique contribution to the glory of God. Both are mercifully short reads that have the potential to create a profound and long-lasting impact.

Rob Hurtgen is the Pastor of First Baptist Church Chillicothe, Missouri. He holds an M.Div from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree in Church Revitalization from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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