Prayer Guide in .PDF Format

This article is a review by Rev. George Hughes of the book, Producing a Comeback Church.

The Wesleyan Church of Greater Ohio
Rev. George A. Hughes

Retired Ordained Minister                             Producing a Comeback Church
6914 Poling Drive                                       A Servant Leader
New Lexington, Ohio 43764                          Foundation

Jesus loved the Church and gave Himself for her. He declared, “I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18) and allows us to join Him in its building. Follow our Lord’s command to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 19-20).

Producing a ComebackChurch                    Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson

In a study that resulted on Comeback Churches, 324 comeback churches were surveyed in order to seek answers to the questions of what and how to make a comeback from a trend of spiraling downward, both spiritually and numerically. How did 324 churches start growing again after experiencing a pattern of plateau or decline? Based upon the information gathered in this study, some church change factors were perceived to be more important than others by comeback leaders.

Guidelines to Attain Revitalization

Leadership is the most important factor in making a comeback.

Leadership is rated as the factor having the highest impact by comeback leaders. Leadership is about influence. Churches that are in a pattern of plateau or decline need strong leaders who will point the way to revitalization. Comeback leaders illustrated the truth that church renewal, in many ways, does occur based on strong, effective leadership.

Vibrant faith is a significant factor in revitalization, particularly in three faith factor – renewed belief in Jesus Christ and the mission of the Church, servanthood and strategic prayer.

If the percentages hold true in the larger picture, North American churches believe about the person and power of Jesus and about God’s mission for the Church. How you follow Him as a servant leader and your prayer relationship really matter.  Creating a renewed focus and emphasis on Jesus is vital to making a comeback. Believers need to experience the reality of Jesus Christ in their everyday lives in order to create an atmosphere of renewed belief. Comeback leaders will want to find ways to translate that belief into practical activity.

Lay people becoming actively involved in meaningful ministry is a significant factor in church renewal.

Creating an atmosphere of lay mobilization is very important in the revitalization process.  Increased expectations, equipped people and empowered people are key components of developing an atmosphere of lay ministry involvement.

Churches will want to be more intentional about their evangelistic efforts.

Those churches that make plans to reach out to the people in and around their communities and then prepare people to engage in those outreach efforts will be more likely to experience renewal. In addition, churches should not necessarily expect to discover only one effective evangelistic strategy. These 324 comeback churches used many different strategies and methods of outreach. The discovery of evangelistic methods or strategies that work best for a given church may take awhile to discover. Those churches that have the desire to be revitalized will want to engage in intentional outreach efforts, become active agents of community service and pray for the spirit of God to draw people to Jesus.

A celebrative and orderly mood of worship is a huge factor in revitalization.

If worship in a church cannot be described as celebrative and orderly, then that church might want to consider exploring some ways to gradually introduce some new energy, enthusiasm and contemporary flavor into its worship experience.

In some cases, churches and pastors might want to consider making changes in regard to other factors such as small groups, facilities and marketing. But these factors are not as important or influential as leadership, vibrant faith, lay ministry, evangelistic efforts and worship according to the finding of this study. Overall, the most significant aspect of this study is that it proves revitalization can occur – 324 churches are comeback congregations. Revitalization can happen and this study reveals some insights that will hep churches that want to get on the comeback pathway.

Comeback Obstacles

In one summary question, survey respondents were asked to identify the biggest challenges they had faced in regards to making their comebacks. The two most prominent issues identified by comeback leaders were attitude and finances.

If a comeback movement is going to take place in North America, these issues will likely be obstacles for many other churches as well. Many others will plateau. Declining churches will probably struggle with a small church mind-set, a slow growth mentality, a no-growth mentality, a maintenance mind-set regarding traditions or a fear of change. The issue is, “Do people in plateaued or declining churches really want to grow?”

According to some of the comeback leaders interviewed, these attitude issues can be addressed in practical ways. In many cases, an attitude of growth can be created by utilizing good tool and resources like the Purpose Driven materials. In all cases, an attitude adjustment toward growth will involve influencing people to change. Comeback leaders believe that attitudes can change.

In regards to finances, money is always a necessary resource to conduct ministry and live life. Some plateaued and declining churches will perceive that a lack of finances is a major obstacle to revitalization. Some of the follow-up interviews reveal the need for prayer and creativity in overcoming the obstacle of finances.

Grab for What Lies Ahead

Keep thinking and reaching forward. Do not get stuck in the past, whether that means traditions or accomplishments. Too many churches choose their past over their future;, their heritage over their growth, and their traditions over their children.

Simply put, churches need a fresh new vision because some ways of doing evangelism just do not work the same as they once did. Wise churches realize that. That may bother you but it shouldn’t. If you are like most churches, you ended the morning radio show in the 1940s, quit doing Sunday School enrollment campaigns in the 1950s and stopped the bus ministry in the 1980s. God uses different approaches at different times. Our task is to find new ways to reach people with the unchanging message.

Ultimately, it is the Gospel and the Gospel transforms, but God has led us to use different strategies over the years to help us to share the Gospel broadly and widely. Our churches need to press ahead toward God’s plan to reach their communities.

Suggestions

Set some God-sized goals and go for it. Every church needs to be dissatisfied with its current condition, not because it needs more numbers, but because each community is made up of people without Christ who need to be reached. John Knox cried, “Give me Scotland or I die.” We need to pray the same for Selma, Sellersburg and Seattle.

Remember that Jesus has commissioned you for this purpose. According to the instrument that God uses to make known His manifold wisdom is the church – your church. He placed you where you are for such a time as this.

Stick with it. Not everything you try is going to work but do not quit. One of the keys to success is perseverance, not necessarily following the latest ideas and fads.

 

It -
How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It
By: Craig Groeschel

 I.       Compelling Vision

• People know the Vision
• Understand the Vision
• Believe the Vision
• Live the Vision

II.      Vision

• Guides
• Motivates
• Energizes

Ministries with Vision tend to have it.

III.    Without a Compelling Vision People Get

• Confused
• Distracted
• Bored

IV.    Keep the Vision Current

• Old vision gets stale.

V.     Define Your Vision

• Vision is more than Vision Statement.

VI.    Finding the Vision

• Seek God
• Find a divine burden
• Examine their resources and context
• Present a spirit-breathed, God-sized Vision

      A.  Why does your organization exist?
      B.   What can your organization be best at in the world?
      C.  If you could do only one thing, what would it be?
      D.  If you left your organization tomorrow, what would you hope would continue
            forever?
      E.  What breaks your heart, keeps you awake at night, wreaks you?      

VII.   An Effective Vision

• Is memorable
• Portable (mobility)
• Motivational

(Capture attention, stir hearts and be irresistibly moving)

• Big Vision – People

      1. Tend to give sacrificially for it
      2. Will tolerate inconveniences for the greater cause
      3. Will talk – the buzz
      4. It will take on a life of its own.
      5. Opportunities for distraction will decrease.

• Energy and frequency for Vision
• Vision Leaks

                  1. Talk about Vision.
                  2. Tell stories about it.
                  3. Illustrate the Vision.
                  4. Reward those who live the Vision.

VIII.  Three Levels of Vision Buy-in
            The people believe in the vision enough to
                  1. Benefit from it
                  2. Contribute comfortably
                  3. Give their lives to it

IX.    See It and Create It
            Illustration – Walt Disney

DIVINE FOCUS
Concentrate all your energies on a limited set of targets.
Apostle Paul: “But one thing I do”
There is a difference between a Good idea and a God idea.

I.       Too Many, Too Much, Too Bad

• Choose not to do everything.

      Story: The Fox and the Hedgehog

• What do you do best?

II.      The To – Don’t List

• What can we do well?

III.    Cutting Back to Move Forward

• Abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process

IV.    Pruning Our Ministry Vine

• Having everything we wanted was killing everything we had!
• Five things one church does

      1. Week-end experiences
      2. Missions
      3. Small groups
      4. Kids
      5. Students
      ------This is what God called them to do.

V.     A Great Work

• If you have it – Guard it.

UNMISTAKABLE CAMARADERIE

I.       No faking it – Enjoy it together.

II.      What’s the Problem?

• Independence

      Ephesians 2:19-21

III.    Blame A.C. and Garage Door Openers
            (My idea – TV and family rooms)

IV.    Bringing It to Your team
            I Corinthians 12:12

V.     No Ministry Is an Island
            1.  Understanding the big picture
            2.  Having fun together
            3.  Getting naked together
                  ---Self-disclosures
            4.  Celebrating the win
            5.  Fighting hard behind closed doors

VI.    They Had It in Jerusalem

INNOVATIVE MINDS

I.       One Idea Could Change Everything

II.      Embrace Your Limitations

III.    The Limitation Can Drive the Innovation

• Passion creates motivation.
• Limitations often reveal opportunities.

IV.    Break the Rules

• Thomas Edison – “There ain’t no rules here. We’re trying to accomplish something.”

V.     Prepare to Offend

• Illustration – First Hot Air Balloon
• Illustration – 1876 Telephone

VI.    Too Much of a Good Thing Can Kill It
           The Imperfections Curve

                                  Amazing
                      

     Edgy Good---    ---Feels a little to slick   ---Lost its edge    ---This sucks

           Tell the Devil to go to Hell.
               --Do not let the Devil’s advocate kill God’s plan.

                                                WILLING TO FALL SHORT
                                                        Ministries often fail.

I.       Failing Forward

• Walter Brunell – “Failure is the tuition you pay for success.”
• Illustration – Peter of Bible
• Illustration – Michael Jordan

II.      Failing Past Your Local Max

• Then Big Max

III.    Failure is not an option – It is essential.

IV.    Ready – Set – Fail

V.     The Virtue of the Twice-Stung

• Hesitate

            Once we fail

• Hesitant – Leader syndrome
• Dig up your talent
  • Matthew 25:24-28
  • Luke 19

VI.    Ministry Without Regrets

VII.   Learning to Fail Gracefully
         Call your new ideas

• Experiments
• Create a culture that allows failure
• Don’t internalize failures
• Debrief after failures and successes
• Try again

VIII.  Get out of the Boat
         Greatest fear is fear of failure.
         Face your fears.

• Fail
• Learn
• Adjust
• Try again
• Watch God do more than you can imagine

HEARTS FOCUSED OUTWARD
“If your gospel isn’t touching others, it hasn’t touched you.”
People today are not rejecting Christ, they are rejecting the Church.

I.       Who do you Love?

II.      An Open-Roof Policy

III.    Turning Outward

IV.    Lessons from Four Home-Wreckers
           -First
           - It’s everyone’s job.

V.     Culling through the Crap
           - First
           - Second

VI.    Shifting Focus Outward

VII.   So You Think You Have It

• Illustration – “The Guardian”
• Kevin Costner

KINGDOM-MINDEDNESS
What we do for ourselves dies with us,
but what we do for others and the world remains and is immortal
“It is about Jesus.”

I.       I was willing to take from others, but,

II.      Sharing it

• The self-centered ministry generally loses it.

DO YOU HAVE IT? DOES IT HAVE YOU?

I.       How to Love It

II.      Shifting from It
            - John 3:30

III.    Looking in All the Wrong Places

IV.    Do You Have It?

V.     Getting It Back
            -  “Disturb Me”

GUARDING IT
Acts 20:24

I.       Stretch Me

II.      Ruin Me

III.    Heal Me

• Some addictions
  • Pleasing people
  • Perfection
  • Blogging
  • Work
  • Adrenaline

MAY GOD BLESS YOU!