The Secret to Revitalization (And It Ain't Flashy)
Blog post by Justin Nash
“Preach – Pray – Love – Stay” I’m not sure the first time I heard that phrase, but after graduate studies, a lot of reading, talking to many pastors and attending much training, I have come to believe that this is the formula for success in church revitalization. It’s not flashy, fast or cutting edge. It’s definitely not a silver bullet to revolutionize your church. But it is biblical and ultimately the key to a healthier church.
Preach.
A church will rise and fall according to its pulpit. Our churches do not need great storytellers, powerful visionaries, compassionate therapists, cultural commentators or great motivators. They need pastors who faithfully and steadfastly preach and teach the whole counsel of God’s Word. Our churches need pastors who trust that God’s Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and is able to revive, renew and transform people’s hearts and minds (Psalm 19:7-9). Trust God to work through the ordinary means of preaching. Trust that his Word is working even now to accomplish what he desires in his people (Isaiah 55:11).
Pray.
No matter how gifted a pastor may be, no person can revitalize a church in his own strength. No one is wise enough, smart enough, brave enough or strong enough to do it. Only God brings dead things to life. Only God revives and renews dead and dying churches. Therefore, we must give ourselves to praying for our churches and their people. As pastors and church leaders we must pray fervently and frequently for God’s reviving work in our congregations. Only God can do it. We need to recognize that and pray like it’s true.
Love.
Shepherds must love their sheep. This is true no matter how foolish, unruly or surly those sheep might be. If you, as a pastor, are driven by a pursuit of your vision for the church rather than your love for its people, you are unlikely to realize the vision and likely leave the church worse than you found it. Love the sheep you have, not the ones you wish you had. Sometimes in the messiness of ministry that’s all you can do. But in those times, that will be enough. God will love your people through you. That will build love, trust and unity over time.
Stay.
This may be the hardest part – choosing to stay when things get hard. And things will get hard. Many pastors choose to move on when this happens. The average tenure for a pastor in the United States is approximately three years. This is probably because the first major problems in a pastor’s ministry normally occur around the two-to-three-year mark. Brian Croft, a successful pastor and revitalizer, has stated that a church rarely ever really trusts and accepts a pastor until around five years into his ministry. Research has also shown that a pastor’s most productive years in ministry are between years 10 and 15. This means that the average pastorate is too short to hit either of these important benchmarks. Churches, then, are left in a cycle of constantly churning over pastors. This leads to a loss of trust and decline in the overall well-being of the church. So, stick it out when things get tough. You’ll be surprised what God will accomplish over time in a slow, but steady and faithful pastoral ministry.
Be Patient and Trust God for the Results.
Be patient and trust God’s ordinary means for revitalizing your church as you preach, pray, love and stay. It’s not always easy, but if you commit yourself to this simple philosophy, you will see a profound benefit to the life and health of your church.