THRIVING TOGETHER: Dr Ian Duncum

GROWING HEALTHY MISSIONAL PASTORS, CHURCHES  & DENOMINATIONS

For many years I have shared both the pain and the joys of those who work with churches. Like many of you, I have asked many times whether there are better ways forward to thrive together and have missional impact on our world. And sustainable ways - it's not about trying harder - but doing different things in different ways. Interrupting and reflecting on practice. That is what I do as a pastoral supervisor/mentor. What I do as a church and non-profit consultant. And what I endeavour to do as a blogger and writer. I hope what is posted here is water, God willing, for those planted in churches that we may thrive together.

Please let me know what you think in the comments. Or you can contact me through my website: www.ianduncum.com.au

CAN THESE BONES LIVE?

THE PROMISE & PERILS OF CHURCH REVITALISATION

My first solo pastorate (which became a team ministry along the way) had been in decline for 37 years before I commenced. And that was my question, "Can these bones live?" Five years and a lot of prayer, visioning, outreach and hard work saw the church double in that time.

WHY MOST REvITALISATIONS FAIL

Revitalisation is possible. But it is less likely. For a number of reasons, many organic revitalisations fail. Thom Rainer estimates that 98% of these revitalisations are not successful. Some of the reasons they fail are:

 Lack of resources: Revitalization often requires financial resources, skilled personnel, and time commitments.

I often say to churches that unless they have 7 to 10 people who can engage in local community-facing ministry for 7 to 10 hours a week then revitalization is just an empty dream.

This statement can also come as a shock to churches who expect that a pastor will single-handedly be able to bring about revitalisation. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of this lack of resources is that it often takes a church 30, 40 or 50 years before it realises that revitalisation is critical. Often it is then too late, because those resources have continued to dwindle; a revitalisation from an average attendance of 40 may be just possible, but from 30 or 20 attenders it becomes increasingly difficult. This difficulty is also exacerbated by connection points – a church of 30 may have only one (or none) significant community-facing ministry but few young families to connect with young families from the community who may attend. Which leads to the next point.

External cultural shifts: These are on two levels. Firstly, as a society we are aware that church attendance has generally been declining (although certainly not for all churches - some are growing), and this has been intensified since Covid lockdowns. The pace of secularisation seems to be speeding up. Secondly, churches can be unaware of changes in their local community that require a ministry response (eg. cultural shifts of those living in the local community, changes in age distributions of those in the local community such as an increase in 0 to 5 year olds). In terms of changes in the local community, the longer these shifts are not responded to, the more the church becomes an irrelevant cultural island in a changing community, which can make attracting new attenders and revitalisation almost impossible (which is why churches need to look at community demographics and reassess strategy and ministries every three years).

Resistance to change: Many churches have long-standing traditions and established ways of doing things that have lost the “why” of their existence. When attempts are made to revitalise a church, there can be push-back from attenders who are resistant to change. This resistance can make it difficult to implement new ideas or strategies effectively. To put it bluntly, many churches would rather die than change. I would add another point to this that is more subtle; while there may be an openness to needed change, being in the same church for decades can lead to an inability to think and act in the new ways that are required to effect that change.

It is sadly common for churches to welcome new attenders for organisational survival but when the cost of growth becomes clear (eg noisy children, no longer feeling at the 'centre' of church) then that growth is undermined.

Unrealistic expectations: Revitalisation is a long-term process (say 3 to 5 years) that requires patience and perseverance. Often people expect quick results and become discouraged if they don't see immediate changes. Unrealistic expectations can lead to a loss of motivation and momentum in revitalisation efforts.

BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE REVITALISATION STRATEGY

So what can be done to give a revitalisation the best chance of success?

1. EVALUATION

A thorough evaluation of a church and its vitality may result in the sad conclusion that it is better not to attempt a revitalisation. This is particularly the case if resources are depleted and few from the congregation are willing to engage in community-facing ministry, since this is the only way a church can grow. It is imperative that the pastoral leader is skilled and experienced in the process of revitalisation - it requires a particular type of leadership that does not require affirmation from the congregation.

I have an evaluation tool I use with church leaders to help us reflect on the feasibility of revitalization.

2. DEVELOP A WRITTEN PLAN

It is important to develop a written plan, in conjunction with the congregation, with a clear strategy for how revitalisation will be accomplished. You may vote on this. You may develop an MOU. This includes who will do what when. And some sense of timed outcomes or milestones (not just attendance and finances, although these could be included).

While I appreciate that not everything is within the control of a church, because only 2 to 5% of revitalisations succeed, strong accountability is important so that no energy or time is wasted.

If a church doesn't meet timed outcomes or milestones, then it should be made clear that this will result in other options coming into play (eg exploring an adoption merger). This is an appropriate and merciful response - you don't want to be driving a church to do something they no longer have the capacity to do.

3. DEVELOP A LEADERSHIP TEAM

This should be an action-oriented team focused around the church's agreed vision, rather than only a decision-making body. Existing leaders who cannot make that transition should be discouraged from serving in this way. To be clear, this is life or death; maybe the last shot at vitality, and it is not the time for rigid adherence to 'how things are done here.'

4. Communication and Engagement

• Communicate effectively: Keep the congregation informed about the revitalisation process, goals, and progress. Use various communication channels to reach different segments of the church. Talking about 'green shoots' - ways in which the revitalization is gaining traction - is a key part of this communication, alongside having the patience to

• Foster community involvement: Encourage active participation from church attenders in revitalisation efforts.

5. Emphasize prayer and spiritual growth

Encourage personal and corporate prayer, Bible study, and other spiritual disciplines that foster a deeper relationship with God. Preach through books like Acts that underline the missional engagement of the whole church.

6. Outreach and Evangelism

• Engage the community: Develop an outreach team of 7 to 10 people (this will need to be the main emphasis, not church services) and programs that meet the needs of the local community and attract new members (see the Course 'How to Reach Your Local Community' on my website). Be an example in outreach for others to follow.

• Focus on evangelism: Train church members to share their faith and invite others to church events and services.

7. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Track progress: Regularly monitor the implementation of the revitalization plan and evaluate the progress towards the goals. Communicate these.

8. Sustainability

• Build sustainability: Ensure that the changes made are sustainable in the long term by creating systems and structures that support ongoing growth and health.

• Continuous improvement: Foster a culture of continuous improvement where the church is always seeking ways to grow and better serve its members and community.

9. Celebrate Successes

• Acknowledge achievements: Celebrate milestones and successes along the way to keep the congregation motivated and encouraged.

• Share stories: Highlight testimonies and stories of transformation to inspire and build faith within the church community.

By following these steps and remaining committed to the process, you can increase the likelihood of a successful church revitalisation strategy.

Is your church stuck? Consider supervision/coaching with Ian to empower your revitalization journey here, or book an external church consultancy with Ian here to identify pathways forward.

© 2024 Ian Duncum. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.

Rev Dr Ian Duncum is a trained and accredited (with John Mark Ministries) church consultant with over 20 years experience of working with non-profit enterprises and churches across a number of denominations. This has also included denominational leadership in church health and development and church research in the tertiary education sector. An accredited minister with a track record of growing churches, Ian also trains church consultants, facilitates training for ministers and leaders, and mentors/supervises pastors and other leaders. He can be contacted at ian@ianduncum.com.au