By Brian Grout, Associate Director of Missions
We recently hosted Colin Pugh, Pastor of Clinton Baptist Church in Clinton, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Colin has led the church through revitalization in the inner city. The principles communicated apply to every pastor and church whether inner city, suburban, or rural, and here’s the reason why.
Churches all over the US have been and continue to face uncertainty, struggles, and for some death. A dying church is a church that, if it continues its current path, will close within the next three to five years. No one wants to see a church close its doors for the last time. Think about it this way. If your church was to close would your community miss it?
During the conference, the difference between a revitalization and a replant was explained.
Revitalization is the supernatural work of God that restores health in a church, evidenced by submission to God’s Word, right relationships among members, and a renewed commitment to Great Commission ministry.
Replanting is the courageous decision to “close” an existing church and relaunch it as a new church with existing members, new people, new leadership, and a new structure.
Every pastor and every church must have a heart for the community they are planted in. A pastor leads the church to engage with the community by fostering a spirit of love and service for the neighborhood. This involves demonstrating the church’s commitment through active participation in community events, addressing local needs, and partnering with other organizations to create positive change. The pastor also plays a crucial role in equipping the congregation to be involved in outreach and evangelism, sharing the message of the gospel with those in their community.
While this is vital to a church’s health, the Pastor’s health is just as important. As a pastor, you can’t lead a church to health if you aren’t healthy yourself. So, we must rely on rest and learning to take a break. We also need to refresh. Spend time with people or do things that bring you life, encouragement, and refreshment. Most importantly, we need to reconnect with God. We can get so busy with ministry that we miss out on the most important thing. After all, revitalization and replanting are spiritual works. If the Pastor isn’t renewed and refreshed, then he can’t lead the church effectively.
May we be a network of pastors and churches who cooperate together to see pastors and churches strengthened, renewed, and ready to engage the community with the light of the gospel.
