church revitalization – Replant Bootcamp

EP 151 – BRAIN SCIENCE AND CHANGE RESISTANCE

Written on August 10, 2022.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 151 - BRAIN SCIENCE AND CHANGE RESISTANCE

00:00 / 27:42

Why is change so difficult to accept? Especially by churches who are steeped in decline? We may need to consider how we’re wired up and what we think. In this episode the guys talk about brain science, group think and what we need to know about it all as Replanters. Dial it up, sit right down and let us know what you think.

What do we need to know about Brain

Your experiences shape your brain and your reactions
Habits and Responses become hardwired into your brain
Your brain has a natural negativity (protective) bias
Thinking is contagious
Remapping a thought pattern is possible but difficult, time consuming

Church Application for Replanters/Revitalizers

Some congregants are fearful
Church traditions are hardwired in the congregations collective conscience and not easily disrupted
Congregations are hyper vigilant regarding potential threats to their existence
Remaining Members in a deeply declined church will likely have the same mindset
Changing the existing group-think is possible but will be difficult and time consuming

It’s not too late to sign up for the Replant Summit in ATL, we’d love to see you there!

EP 150 – REVITALIZATION IS POSSIBLE BUT MAY NOT BE PROBABLE

Written on August 3, 2022.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 150 - REVITALIZATION IS POSSIBLE BUT MAY NOT BE PROBABLE

00:00 / 27:54

The Bootcamp guys are back, discussing the realities of Church Revitalization. In this EP they break down the idea that it is possible to see a church revitalized but it is often not probable.

It may be wrong to assume that revitalization is the best option
Churches often will choose the revitalization option when they want to avoid making the necessary radical changes
How can a church determine if they should revitalize?
- Confirmation from the word of God
- Affirmation of the Holy Spirit
- Unity among the Body that God is leading the church to chose this
Church revitalization requires hard work-Pastors and leaders do their part, God does his part.

Are you currently revitalization a church? We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line, leave your comments and help the discussion continue.

If your website needs to be revitalized get in touch with our great sponsors at One Eighty Digital. They can have you up and running in no time. Tell them you’re a bootcamp listener.

EP 138 – WHEN YOUR SEASON OF LEADERSHIP ENDS

Written on May 11, 2022.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 138 - WHEN YOUR SEASON OF LEADERSHIP ENDS

00:00 / 24:35

Well Bootcampers sometimes your work with a local church can come to an end. And not in a way you prayed for, hoped or expected. When a church chooses to NOT revitalize or replant what are you to do? Listen in as the guys break it down

Here are the highlights

Evaluate your calling to this church, at this time.
Consider your season of life and your future – has the Lord granted gifted you to do another turn-around?
Your role may be to lead a church to the point of decision for its future and then to step back and allow the Church to make its decision.
If you stay after a church chooses to not move forward, shift your focus toward discipleship.
If you do leave, do so with grace and love.

Remember the Gospel brother, ministry is difficult, it is hard. If things have come to an end, remember you are not necessarily a failure, you may have been faithful for this season and this time. If you have evaluated your leadership and the Lord has revealed your mistakes, missteps or sin-repent, learn and grow.

If you’re tired and in need of encouragement check out this year’s Replant Summit, register now as space and free lodging are limited.

Do you feel like your website is close to its end? Don’t despair, contact our awesome sponsor, One Eighty Digital, they can get you up and running in no time.

Drop us a line, leave a comment or voicemail and share your thoughts, questions or stories.

EPISODE #87 – Should your church seek outside counsel?

Written on May 19, 2021.

Replant Bootcamp

EPISODE #87 - Should your church seek outside counsel?

00:00 / 24:49

Find out what special song Bob once sang on Father’s day

Should your church get a consultant?

Short answer, yes. It is wise to receive counsel
Longer answer – only if it is the right kind of consultant

What type of consultant should your church seek out?

One with experience in failure and success
One with recent experience
One who asks good questions
One who is focused on the right things

Next week we will discuss how to know if your church is ready for consultation

Episode #29 – ?Matt Stephens ?Boots on the Ground Highlight

Written on April 8, 2020.

Replant Bootcamp

Episode #29 - ?Matt Stephens ?Boots on the Ground Highlight

00:00 / 24:14

Matt Stephens, Pastor The Fort Church in Columbus Georgia.

Matt stopped by the bootcamp and shared his replant story with Bob and JimBo on this, another Quarantine edition of The Replant Bootcamp.

When Matt became the Pastor the church had already been involved in Replanting for some time.

When another church approached them about taking on their church and facility in another state, they prayed and followed God’s leadership and moved their entire church, from Alabama to the facility in Columbus Georgia.

Sometime later, yet another church in the north part of Columbus reached out to The Fort and asked them to take their church.

Q: What are you learning as a leader right now during this season of social distancing and separation?

Matt: As a Pastor I’m grieving and missing my people.

One of the great blessings in Replanting is that you get to see Senior Adults get to play a big part in the relaunching of a new work.

One of the most difficult but important lessons I learned in Pastoring is that I needed to learn to love the people God called me to pastor.

Right now, we are focusing in on increasing our Pastoral care of our congregation. We are going to divide up our congregation and begin calling them and checking in with them personally.

Q: What is your advice that you would share with a Replanter stepping into a situation like yours.

Matt: Love your people, slow down, communicate and care for the congregation.

Learn more about The Fort’s story.

Episode #14 – Dealing with Church Debt in a Replant with Boots on the Ground Guest Kyle Bueerman

Written on December 18, 2019.

Replant Bootcamp

Episode #14 - Dealing with Church Debt in a Replant with Boots on the Ground Guest Kyle Bueerman

00:00 / 32:00

Pastor Kyle Bueermann, First Baptist Church Alamogordo NM

Background: Kyle was called to Replant/Revitalize a church with 60 people that was in 900K in debt.

Q: How do you deal with debt in a Replant?

Be certain of your call: the call to Replant a church is a necessity-especially when that church is in a difficult situation.

Commit to the church: Kyle says; “We bought a house to show the congregation that we were all in, we put ourselves on the line, I knew I needed to do that so I wouldn’t have an out.”

Find/Partner with a friendly lender and communicate with them regularly. FBC had the benefit of their note being with their denominational lender.

Be open and honest about your situation with those who are coming to be part of your church.

Look for ways to reduce your debt: we’ve been praying and seeking sell our land but also exercising patience.

Steady consistent and faithful leadership is important to create a positive attitude and culture among your people.

We are confident that God is not surprised by our circumstances-and we’re trusting him to provide and lead.

Define Reality and provide hope, and understand the thing that brings hope is the Gospel.

Be patient-in a Replant nothing happens fast.

Links

Not Another Baptist Podcast

Replanting Rural Churches

Wiley Drake

Ed Ogeron

Arkansas vs. LSU 2019

Episode #8 – How to Handle Bad Business Meetings with Boots on the Ground Guest Evan Skelton

Written on November 6, 2019.

Replant Bootcamp

Episode #8 - How to Handle Bad Business Meetings with Boots on the Ground Guest Evan Skelton

00:00 / 26:54

Bob, JimBo and special guest Evan Skelton, discuss how to handle business meetings that go bad.

“What do you do or how do you handle it when something blows up in a Family “business” meeting at church?

When Conflict Breaks Out

Realize it’s not the end of the world. Every relationship experiences conflict. Conflict is a sign that the church family feels like they can be honest.
Seek to maintain your composure-don’t get “hooked” by strong emotions and statements or retreat in fear.
Have a “co-moderator” who can help if you lose composure, be ready to turn over to someone who can handle the meeting during tense times.
Move in a pastoral way towards people, slowly and deliberately.
Confront public misbehavior publically and model appropriate biblical behavior during times of conflict.
Pay attention to your responses: tone, posture, facial expressions and how you are coming across.
Look for teaching opportunities that are inherent within conflict-call it out
Acknowledge the difficulty of the moment, the feel of the room, when conflict breaks out.
Resist the urge to never allow questions or comments during the meetings-redeem it and model for people who to ask questions.
Center on the gospel, show people how to communicate with gospel grace.
Allow members multiple ways to ask questions during the business or family meetings. (cards, email, text)
Instruct members gently about how to handle conflict in public.
Be willing to go to member’s homes to work out conflict if needed and necessary.

Proactive Responses

Celebrate victories, show pictures and show how God is moving in the church?
Let others share positive stories and testimonies about what God is doing and what is happening.
Do business after celebration and testimonies.
Slow walk-test out ideas with influencers and thought leaders in the congregation, get their feedback before bringing a potentially difficult agenda item.
Invite critics to become an advocate.
Eat dinner together before business meetings.
Consider changing the name of your business meetings-to family meetings.
Teach your people to operate in the fruit of the spirit rather than walking in the flesh. Let them know that if that is not possible and if things get contentious the meeting will end.

Evan Skelton Pastor, Bayless Baptist Church

Resources:

The Peacemaking Pastor by Alfred Poirier

When Church Conflict Happens by Michael Hare

If you Bite and Devour One Another by Alexander Strauch

Facing Snarls and Scows by Brian Croft and James Carroll

Episode #7 – How NOT to Build a Lasting Elder Team

Written on October 30, 2019.

Replant Bootcamp

Episode #7 - How NOT to Build a Lasting Elder Team

00:00 / 26:00

In a Replant high capacity and qualified leaders are likely to be in short supply.

Don’t let the urgent need for leaders be a primary driving process for your seeking to install Elders.

Do not confuse excitement and enthusiasm as good indicators that you may have found the right person to engage as a leader.

The past church experiences of the leaders you are considering installing as leaders matters, do not ignore conflict that occured in previous churches. Discern the circumstances, issues and let that inform your decision regarding their leadership.

An Elder process is important-develop one and stick to it.

Elders share the load and burden of ministry. It is important to develop leaders/elders who work together, especially when you as a Replanter are needing help or hurting.

Lessons Learned

Go slow
Give them some weight to bear-some guys just want to give advice rather than serve.
Never give someone a position of leadership if they are not already serving.
Spend time together as families, dinners, and parties. Observe how they interact with their spouse and children.
Give them an area of ministry to lead, especially leading others.
If you have pause or question regarding an Elder candidate, stop the process.
Pray with and consult with your spouse regarding the candidates you are considering for Elders.
Don’t install an Elder unless and until you have a conflict or disagreement with them and have resolved it successfully.

Resources

Church Elders by Jeraime Rinne

Biblical Eldership by Alexander Strauch

The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne

The Shepherd Leader by Timothy Whitmer

ACME Janitorial

Episode #4 – When and How to Change Bylaws and Other Documents (Boots on the Ground Question from Wesley Lassiter)

Written on October 9, 2019.

Replant Bootcamp

Episode #4 - When and How to Change Bylaws and Other Documents (Boots on the Ground Question from Wesley Lassiter)

00:00 / 25:14

In this episode Bob and JimBo discuss a boots on the ground question sent in by Wesley Lassiter.

When is too soon to change the bylaws and other docs in a replant?

A lot of the answer will depend on the nature of a replant. Often in a replant as a campus or merger the legal documents will change very early in the process. This still needs to be walked with wisdom though.

In a revitalization or a replant from within there is much more to consider. But one of the big issues is to consider if ministry is being hindered by your documents. Mark Clifton addressees this topic well in one of his more recent Mondays with Mark – Is your church governance helping or hindering your replant?

If your docs are standing in the way of getting ministry done then you should consider suspending your bylaws for a season to have some transitional bylaws. There is some more info on how to do that in NAMB’s Associational Replanting Guide that Bob helped write.

Bob makes the point that more important than the bylaws would be a clear and strong church membership process. For this topic and more we would recommend reading through Replant Roadmap by Mark Hallock

Episode #3 – How NOT to Lead Facility Changes

Written on October 2, 2019.

Replant Bootcamp

Episode #3 - How NOT to Lead Facility Changes

00:00 / 25:40

In this episode Bob and JimBo start a new segment called, ‘Stupid Stuff We Did and Survived’. JimBo will share a few stories of how he unwisely led facility changes. We invite you to laugh at us and with us during this episode. Hopefully you will be encouraged and challenged as well.

Some things to consider in leading change well

Cast a vision for change, don’t just make changes. When people understand and believe in the ‘WHY’ behind changes it is easier for them to get on board.
Communicate and then communicate some more. You cannot over-communicate.
Have compassion for how change impacts people. (Jeff Iorg does a great job of talking about this in his book, ‘Leading Major Change‘).
Move to a system where everything does not have to be voted on, but you still need to give people a voice in the process.
Create a diverse team of people to help lead change in the church.

What are some of your stories of leading change that didn’t go well?

Tag: church revitalization