A Hard Truth About Revitalization
by John Kimball, CCCC Director of Church Development
You know the old proverb: “You can lead a horse to water…” There is an extent to which this idea is also true for a local congregation. Many are the pastors who accepted a call to a church with great excitement and vision for what could be, only to find out that the congregation was not interested in progressing through the changes needed to make revitalized ministry a reality. It is important to note that not every such scenario is due to an unwillingness on the part of the flock, but my point is that this kind of disinterest and unwillingness can (and often does) inhibit desperately needed revitalization.
I have talked with many pastors and churches that communicate a recognized need for change. They may see their congregation getting older. They may be concerned that few or no new people are coming into their church. They may be faced with the realities of dwindling financial support. But whatever the reasons, they see their future, and it’s not what they want. One would think that the urgency they sense would produce an openness to pursue revitalization — but this is not always the case. The “idea” of revitalization may receive widespread acceptance, while at the same time, the changes required by the revitalization process are completely resisted. And if enough people band together in resistance (either consciously or unconsciously), revitalization becomes impossible.
In John’s gospel, we read this story:
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie — the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:1–6, Emphasis Mine)
And as you see the man’s response to Jesus’ question, you get a sense that he is whining about his plight rather than aggressively pursuing a solution. Jesus cuts to the heart of the issue and commands him to get up and walk.
I had a revitalization conversation not long ago with someone who said to me, “I just want this church to still be around to bury me.” I wish this were an isolated incident, but it is not. Way too often, the “vision” of members in dwindling congregations is so self-centered it blinds them to the Commission of Christ. And it is precisely this kind of self-centeredness that can prevent any kind of lasting revitalization.
Following Jesus’ lead, my question in this article is for the body — not just the pastor: Do you really want to see your church flourish? I fully understand that the road may have significant challenges and require significant investment. My question is not about the hurdles we will have to clear — it’s about desire. What do you really want for the future of your church? Your answer is important.
This singular question gets to the heart of what is preventing many churches from a truly transformational impact on their communities. If too many people in a given congregation only envision a church that serves them and their needs, they will likely prevent the congregation from ever engaging their neighborhood in a fruitful and redemptive way. For good or ill, what the congregation wants has a huge impact on the church’s ministry.
As believers, we must all strive to align our personal desires with the desires (and commands) of our King. And He has a heart for the nations — one that seeks and saves the lost. If we are consumed with desires for self-benefit or self-comfort, it is likely that we will not make the sacrifices and decisions needed to refocus on the surrounding community for life and growth.
So what do you want?
