About a month ago I read this article by Dr. Chuck Lawless as it relates
to churches that are striving to turn around from their declining state. It is well worth the read and I truly support
his observations. Nothing happens
through man’s own accord but by God’s might and power (Zech. 4:6).
The call to disciplines
reveals our heart. If we don’t spend time with God daily, that choice tells us
something about ourselves. Perhaps we are more self-dependent than
God-dependent (see #6 below). Maybe we are “fixers” who try to address problems
first, and then pray if necessary. We may evaluate our walk on the basis of
public results more than a personal relationship with God. Any of these
realities will hinder revitalization.
Our personal walk with
God affects the corporate walk of the local church. Leaders who spend
little time with God tend to spend less time challenging their members to be
with God. Their stories of personal victory are often more past tense than
present tense. Those who do not follow God intimately seldom see genuine
revitalization in their church; in fact, they sometimes produce congregations
that unknowingly need revitalization
The Bible is a book
about hope and life. We know this truth – perhaps so well that we have forgotten its
power. We preach about the promise of resurrection and new creation, all the
while wondering if even God can revitalize dying congregations. To have hope
for revitalization, we need to be reminded regularly through the Word that God
brings life out of death.
Disciplines strengthen
our faith.
Reading the Word and praying are more than just disciplines; they are lifelines
to the Father. Knowing that God divides seas, collapses walls, slays giants,
and empties tombs strengthens our trust in Him. Talking to Him and recognizing
He listens to our prayers magnify our wonder of Him. No task of revitalization
is too big for this God.
Prayer is an expression
of relationship with, and dependence on, God. When we pray, we express the truth
that we cannot do in our power what God has called us to do. The reverse is
also true: our prayerlessness is an expression of idolatry of the self. God
does not bless the leadership of idolaters, even those who have great skills
for revitalization.
Daily obedience
undergirds our praying. Simply stated, revitalization requires the power of God. The kind
of praying that results in God’s power demands obedience (Isa. 59:1-2),
including reading the Word, praying continually, and rejecting temptation.
Perfunctory prayer from disobedient hearts hardly produces new life in a
congregation.
Disciplines focus our
attention on God, not on our circumstances. It’s the apathetic, dying church that
needs God’s renewed touch, but it’s that same church that can most frustrate
its leaders. Unless we are regularly focusing on God via study and prayer, the
obstacles to revitalization can quickly become overwhelming.
Disciplines help to
turn our heart outward. It’s hard to read the Bible consistently without seeing God’s
heart for our neighbors and the nations. The resounding message of the
scripture is that the God who desires a prayerful, intimate relationship with
us loves the world. Leaders who live in that truth daily are best prepared to
lead inwardly focused churches toward turnaround.
Apart from being with
God, we can produce deceptive revitalization. This reason may seem to contradict #2
above, but here’s the tricky part: if revitalization is limited to increased
numbers, even the leader who is not faithful in his walk with God can lead a
church to “revitalization.” What might seem to be a move of God, however, could
be nothing more than popularity and attraction.
Faithfulness to
spiritual disciplines gives us humble confidence to lead. Revitalization
requires helping churches see their current situation and then change as needed
to reach this generation. Leaders who live in a state of ongoing dependence on
God are most prepared to lead in this direction.
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