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Should we Revitalize or Replant?

Written on October 17, 2022.

Is there a one-size-fits-all approach to helping a dying church gain new life again? Or an instant formula that works every time? Unfortunately, no book you read on these topics will give you a predictable outcome for every situation. There are simply too many variables for a church’s factors of decline. And no two Revitalizations or Replants will be identical.

Conflict arises, culture changes, bad leadership exists, and churches sometimes fall out of touch with their community. Every church has glory days and difficult days. But if you’re reading this right now, it’s probable that you might be considering options for your church, or curious on what might be the best approach.

The Need for Church Renewal

When I first started working with dying or plateaued churches, I was overwhelmed at how many resources there were. In the past few decades, the need has become increasingly great for revitalization, because of the multitude of churches closing their doors.

The need for church renewal is urgent, and perhaps that’s why so many have turned to outside help for keeping their church alive. But there can be confusion on the language of so many books, programs, and resources. While revitalization is sometimes helpful, it’s not likely to work in every situation.

With a huge stack of books on my desk, I started getting overwhelmed. I am still new to Associational work and needed some training on what to do with some of our churches who were facing closure and looking for answers. So, I attended a Replant training by NAMB earlier this year. Now, in a very rural setting with only 15 churches in our association, we have one church in Revitalization, one church in a Partnership Replant, and one church seeking to plant a church that died almost 10 years ago.

There’s been confusion on the difference between Replanting and Revitalization. While there is some overlap, they are two different processes. Replanting is a form of Revitalization, but not every Revitalization is a Replant. So, what’s the difference?

Revitalization Defined

Church Revitalization is a deliberate, dedicated and protracted effort to reverse the decline or death of an existing church. Revitalization uses an existing church, with existing leadership, structures and history, but gives a renewed effort by addressing critical issues.

Many choose this approach because it requires less change up front, and seems to be less invasive than other options. When church members are not ready for drastic change, they opt for this approach (if they opt for any at all). It can use an existing pastor and the pace of change is normally slow.

But there is some caution to Church Revitalizations. They’re less likely to lead to lasting change and more likely to be a continuation of the same, and for churches who are facing imminent closure, success is slim to none. In this situation, Revitalization may be possible, but it’s not probable.

However, God is more than able to do anything with any church for his glory. Some churches have experienced great success with Revitalization.

How Revitalization Plays Out

After some conversations within a church, a church leader may either seek to be revitalized using their own congregation by suggesting a number of changes over a period of time to regain missional vitality and growth. The Church may address symptoms of the issues, but not causes. Sometimes, churches use outside help like a local Association or another ministry leader or team.

In a traditional church, those suggestions normally go through teams or committees and need to be agreed on by the majority of the congregation. More organizational approaches see timelines and financial costs involved. A church leader may try a new methodology to doing ministry, but it sometimes gets pushback.

According to a study by Thom Rainer, the estimated success rate of this type of revitalization is only 2%. But if there is a spiritually-binding covenant of agreement involved, its success rate is much higher. For churches facing closure, a more drastic approach may be needed to survive. As Bob mentioned in Ep. 1 of the Replant Bootcamp podcast, some churches have gone so far, they need a whole system reboot.

RePlanting

Replanting is a decision to close an existing church and re-launch as a new church, with new leadership (pastor), new name, new identity, new governance, new ministry approach and overall new philosophy of ministry. In some cases, it is not necessary to adopt a new name but simply to adjust it.

Replanting builds on the history of the previous church, but requires new leadership. A new identity can create enthusiasm and interest in the surrounding community. So a church that needs to Replant is one that does not have the time, energy, or resources to continue as their same church.

Under this umbrella term, a RePlant can be done a few different ways:

Replant Within: A Replant team is chosen out of the congregation under a Replant Pastor, and that team works together to relaunch as a new church.
Assisted Replant: Another healthy church partners with a dying church to provide leadership, accountability, and structure to Replant a Church.

Example

Thirty years ago, (Name) Baptist Church used to have about 200 in average worship attendance. They had an active Brotherhood, a WMU, children and youth programs, and lively worship. As they began to outgrow their facility, they decided to use their budget to begin building a larger sanctuary.

Through multiple conflicts involving prominent families and infighting about theological disputes, a group inside the church felt that their ministry staff wasn’t leading well. A large group of them wanted to separate and join another church. Others wanted to start a church of their own in a different location.

A large split happened. As a result, thirty years later a group of older members had done all they could to keep their church surviving. But without the giving they once had, their finances were quickly dwindling, and nothing they tried could reach a younger audience. Their reputation in the community was broken.

They grew tired of ministering, serving, and sharing the gospel after working so hard for so long. To make it worse, they couldn’t afford to pay a pastor anymore, so he eventually left. A long-time deacon went to the local association for help and their leader helped them consider some options.

All Things New

Another church closer to town wanted to help the church by restarting a new church in that location. Seeing that there was no way to remain open, the congregants decided to close as (Name) Baptist Church. They worked with another church’s leadership as they watched the church they once knew relaunch as a new church.

During that time of closure, a new worship team and Replant pastor were introduced, a new mission and vision for ministry was birthed, new documents involving governance and membership were printed, and a new direction for the church on the horizon.

Now, (New) Baptist Church has a different mission field. As they began to grow, baptisms and giving have increased, and they have plenty of space to meet in their sanctuary. Their reputation in the community is restored, and their identity has changed.

Similarities in Need

This may sound like an awesome example. But it’s just that, an example. While many churches have experienced new growth and success with Replanting, it can’t always be guaranteed. But whether your church decides on Revitalization or Replanting, both have similar needs:

Both require time, energy, and effort
Both require a renewed spiritual commitment
Both require a high receptivity of change

As a final word of encouragement, Remember that God is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us (Ephesians 3:20). We need that confident assurance during this type of work. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your local Association, Convention, or NAMB for help with leadership, advice, counsel and care. Doing the task of Replanting or Revitalizing alone can be a lonely road. But Jesus cares deeply about the health of his local church.

If you think your church is in danger of closing, take this church health assessment. This self-assessment is meant to help assist you in determining the current state of your local church. Another way to get started is by taking an introductory course that will help anyone understand what church replanting is and how it provides hope for dying churches.

Defining Who You Are By What You Do– And Why it Matters

Written on October 14, 2022.

Three dangers to avoid when defining ourselves

One of my least favorite questions is, “What do you do?” I never know how to answer it– because what I do is so very little of who I am. Defining myself by my profession as a veterinary technician feels so inadequate. I am also a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, worship leader, and writer. For my husband, a pastor, the question of “What do you do?” can be even more complicated.

While on vacation a few years ago, we shared a dinner table with a great couple from Colorado. Our conversation ranged from our favorite places to vacation (cruising) to recent world events (unsettling as much then as now) to the joys and challenges of raising children (theirs were small, ours were grown). We were having a wonderful time and were really enjoying the company. Then at one point, the husband said, “Man, it’s so nice to be seated with some ‘normal’ people– the last time we sat with someone who was a pastor and they were so weird! So what do you guys do?” (Talk about awkward– my husband said, “Um, I’m a revitalization specialist.” A fancy way of saying Replant Pastor, I suppose– though there is a difference. We eventually told them he was a pastor once they realized we were super weird regardless of his profession.)

As leaders in our churches, we are highly aware of what we “do.” Ministry is our job– even as some of us hold down other jobs as bi-vocational leaders. So often, we are tasked with thinking of our profession as separate from who we are. But there is a danger in separating who we are from what we do– just as there is a danger in overlapping the two. While they are related, they are not interchangeable.

In chapter 10 of his book, Wisdom in Leadership- the How and Why of Leading the People you Serve, author Craig Hamilton gives us three main dangers of seeing what we do as who we are, or dismissing the two as completely and totally different. “At either extreme,” he writes, “we risk damaging both our ministries and our hearts.”

Danger #1: Trying to separate the two can lead to thinking that who God wants you to be has no impact on what God wants you to do.

This danger typically shows up when we think of our ministry as “just a job.” When you forget that you are called to shepherd your people and to serve them and instead view them as employees, or worse, obstacles to “getting the job done,” you’ve begun to think of pastoring as what you do. You preach, minister, counsel, and organize, but the heart is missing from it. Sometimes this happens because you’ve been hurt in your ministry. There is a temptation to protect your heart by cutting it off and doing ministry in a vacuum.

But there is a problem with that approach– without your heart attached to your ministry, you are at risk of moral failure. Your heart becomes numb to the potential pitfalls around you, and “you begin to think that moral failings and secret sins don’t matter and won’t affect what God wants you to do in ministry.” A long term separation of your calling and your heart will result in your ministry being taken away because of your own moral failure or because your ministry is simply ineffective. A practical step to ensure you don’t fall into this danger is to have an accountability partner. We are all fallible and we live in a fallen world. When our heart is at risk, we need to have someone who can speak a Word to us and protect us from falling. This isn’t just a friend– this is someone who you can be your authentic self around AND who can give you Godly, spirit-filled advice that you accept and receive.

Danger #2: Trying to separate the two can also lead to thinking that what God wants you to do is more important than who God wants you to be.

Just as thinking of ministry as “business” is dangerous, so too, is treating ministry as “busy-ness.” Often pastors are so busy trying to do it all, they begin to struggle to pastor themselves. Hamilton writes, “when what God wants you to do becomes more important than who God wants you to be, one of the first things to drop off the radar is your relationship with God.” It is so easy for a pastor to have his bible open every day planning sermons, bible studies, small group materials, and counseling others, only to realize that he hasn’t opened it for his own nourishment in weeks. This results in an atrophied heart with a weariness that leads to burnout. “I’ve got to get this job done,” becomes the mantra. People feel like burdens, not disciples. Ministry feels like duty, not joy. Long term, this separation will result in you walking away from God’s calling, overworked and overburdened. Preventing this danger requires time and care be taken for your own spiritual health. Sometimes that means a sabbatical, perhaps getting away from it all for a season so that you can come back refreshed and re-energized for the work ahead. The Shepherd’s House may be available to you for this time, or you may be able to find time at a local retreat. If you can’t afford a sabbatical, perhaps making sure you have a day of rest built into your schedule will give you the rest you need. Spend time with God outside of your normal schedule and your normal study.

Danger #3: When you see who you are and what you do as completely overlapping, you can begin to think that what God has called you to do is who God has called you to be.

This danger appears when we begin to see our value and worth tied up in what we do. The success, or failure, of our ministry overlaps into how we see ourselves. If our ministry is thriving, we feel Successful, which often leads to pride and arrogance. On the flip side, if our ministry is struggling, we feel like we have failed, often leading to despair. Instead of defining ourselves in terms of what God has done, we define our worth in terms of our own abilities.

Long term, this danger results in manic swings of highs and lows based on the measurable results of our work. But so much of what we do is immeasurable. Can we count the number of lives touched by our ministries the way we can count people in pews? Certainly not. We never know where we are in someone’s spiritual journey (1 Cor 3:6-8). We also never know how God will use our church to reach our community in the future. Basing our success (or our failure) on the number of people in the sanctuary or the number of views our livestream has will always make us more dependent on our own power than on God working through us.

We are easily susceptible to this danger when we do not have reminders of our worth in Jesus Christ. When we see ourselves as the world sees us, we are missing a key component of our relationship with God. He isn’t defining our ministry by our metrics. He is defining us as loved, adopted sons and daughters and heirs not only to His kingdom, but also to His suffering. As chosen disciples who are filled with his Spirit and are able to do more than we can possibly imagine through Him. Take time to read these and other specific scriptures that define your value according to God. Write them out and memorize them. When you feel the burden of failure or the joy of success, remember to draw back to God’s definition of who you are in Him.

When we confuse what we do with who we are, we run into dangerous territory and our ministry suffers. Jesus reminds us in Luke 10:19-20 that we should not rejoice in what we can do, but instead what He can do through us. What we do flows out of who we are– God has already redeemed us. We are beloved children of God, heirs to His kingdom. He doesn’t need us, but He chooses to use us to fulfill His purpose, that all should know Him. When we feel like our ministry is “just a job,” or we get so busy doing ministry that we forget to check in with God, or when we define ourselves by the success or failure of our ministry, we fail to remember that God is doing something around us. In your ministry right now, are you dealing with a situation where you aren’t sure what God is doing through you? Remember, as Bob said in the podcast, that first God does something around us, then He works on us through the situation, so that He can work in us before He ever works through us.

This is what He does, because of who He is.

Which of these dangers do you fall into most? What are some steps you can practically implement to make sure you don’t allow these short-term dangers to become long-term failings? Email us at replantbootcamp@gmail.com or contact us through social media to let us know!

So You Want To Be A Replanter

Written on October 10, 2022.

How might God be calling you to serve a dying church as a Replanter?

“What about a dying church brings glory to God?” Wrestling with this question is what led Mark Clifton to shift his focus from planting churches to replanting dying churches.

For a long time the prevailing wisdom was to avoid investing resources into the black hole of dying churches. It’s been common to run away from them, avoid them and let them die. Over the last decade, however, there has been a continual increase in awareness and effort given towards dying churches in North America. How might God be calling you to serve a dying church?

God is calling more people to the gritty and glorious work of replanting dying churches. How does a called and qualified replanter find a replant? Replanting is messy. It is often challenging, from finding a church ready and willing to be replanted to providing financially for a replanter and his family.

Replanting requires a commitment to radical dependence on the Lord. You aren’t smart enough, strategic enough, or dynamic enough to replant a dying church. But this is precisely why God is calling people to this work. Replanters are like Gideon’s army; we get to be co-laborers with Christ to serve his bride.

Like discerning God’s will for any area of our lives, pursuing replanting must start with prayer. Bob Bickford and Mark Hallock wrote a book called “Am I a Replanter.” Use this resource as a guide to praying through this calling for 30 days.

Pursue confirmation in your calling through guided conversation with a trusted ministry coach or mentor. The North American Mission Board offers a free Replanter and Revitalizer Characteristic Survey that is a self-assessment tool based on research.

The free report provides discussion questions and resources to help you learn more about yourself and replanting. Take time to wrestle with and confirm this call with the Lord, with your family, and with wise counsel.

Finding where God has called you to replant is more complicated than finding a place to plant or even finding a normal pastorate. Connecting with local planters who are already working with these churches can help you become aware of their need, and let them know of your calling. Leaning into your Baptist and association network can open these opportunities. Grab a meal together, and ask questions about churches in their area.

Bob Bickford and I dive into how to find a church to replant in Episode #48 of our podcast. Bob goes deeper into this discussion at the Replant Blog as well in this article.

Further Exploration

Once you have taken the survey listen to Episode #46 of our podcast for guidance from our podcast hosts on further exploration:

SURVEY SCORES
- The free survey will give you a self-assessment score on each of the 13 characteristics. Do you think they are accurate? Did anything surprise you?
SELF-REFLECTION
- At the end of the online survey, you will have an opportunity to download a free report. Work through the self-reflection questions on your own first to get a better self-awareness of your strengths and weaknesses. If you are married you will want to follow up your own reflection by discussing some of the reflection questions with your spouse.
SIT WITH A COACH
- The scores you receive may not tell you as much as you want. The real value of this process comes when you sit down with a trusted ministry mentor or coach and work through the reflection questions with them. You have already explored them in the self-reflection process but as Proverbs 20:5 says, “Counsel in a person’s heart is deep water; but a person of understanding draws it out.”
SELECTED STUDY
- The downloadable report will have several links to resources for further exploration. Take advantage of these to strengthen your weaker areas and maximize your strengths.

Replanting takes time. Leverage this season of waiting to prepare for the work ahead.

If you think your church may be in need of replanting or revitalization, you can find out by taking a quick, free online assessment.