In this fourth post, we are asking and answering the question: what exactly does it look like on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis, to lead a declining church \u2014 specifically leading change in a declining church, with the Word?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s consider three important components to doing this well.<\/p>\n
1. The Word of God gives us our message to be proclaimed. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n We have one message in church revitalization: The gospel. The gospel is the good news of Jesus! And it is the central message of the Bible. Ray Ortlund summarizes the gospel in this way:<\/p>\n God, through the perfect life, atoning death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, rescues all his people from the wrath of God into peace with God, with a promise of the full restoration of his created order forever\u2014all to the praise of the glory of his grace. Salvation from the judgment of God into fellowship with God is all of God. It is not of us.\u00b9<\/em><\/p>\n This gospel, as taught throughout Scripture, must be the primary, overarching message we proclaim as pastors. We cannot improve on this message and so we ought not try. Hear the good news message of the gospel:<\/p>\n The gospel is good news. It is the best news! It is the power of God that brings salvation to all who believe it (Rom. 1:16). Moreover, the gospel is not simply the power to save, it is the power to mature and sanctify. As Tim Keller writes:<\/p>\n We never \u201cget beyond the gospel\u201d in our Christian life to something more \u201cadvanced.\u201d The gospel is not the first \u201cstep\u201d in a \u201cstairway\u201d of truths, rather, it is more like the \u201chub\u201d in a \u201cwheel\u201d of truth. The gospel is not just the A-B-C\u2019s but the A-Z of Christianity. The gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the kingdom, but the way we make progress in the kingdom.<\/em><\/p>\n We are not justified by the gospel and then sanctified by obedience, but the gospel is the way we grow (<\/em>Gal. 3:1-3<\/em><\/a>) and are renewed (<\/em>Col. 1:6<\/em><\/a>). It is the solution to each problem, the key to each closed door, the power through every barrier (<\/em>Rom. 1:16-17<\/em><\/a>). It is very common in the church to think as follows. \u201cThe gospel is for non-Christians. One needs it to be saved. But once saved, you grow through hard work and obedience.\u201d But <\/em>Colossians 1:6<\/em><\/a> shows that this is a mistake. Both confession and \u201chard work\u201d that is not arising from and \u201cin line\u201d with the gospel will not sanctify you-it will strangle you. All our problems come from a failure to apply the gospel. Thus when Paul left the Ephesians he committed them \u201cto the word of his grace, which can build you up\u201d (<\/em>Acts 20:32<\/em><\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n The main problem, then, in the Christian life is that we have not thought out the deep implications of the gospel, we have not \u201cused\u201d the gospel in and on all parts of our life. Richard Lovelace says that most people\u2019s problems are just a failure to be oriented to the gospel-a failure to grasp and believe it through and through. Luther says, \u201cThe truth of the Gospel is the principal article of all Christian doctrine \u2026. Most necessary is it that we know this article well, teach it to others, and beat it into their heads continually.\u201d The gospel is not easily comprehended. Paul says that the gospel only does its renewing work in us as we understand it in all its truth. All of us, to some degree live around the truth of the gospel but do not \u201cget\u201d it. So the key to continual and deeper spiritual renewal and revival is the continual re-discovery of the gospel. A stage of renewal is always the discovery of a new implication or application of the gospel – seeing more of its truth. This is true for either an individual or a church. \u00b9<\/em><\/p>\n Keller is right. The gospel alone is what brings new life, new hope, new joy, and new power to God\u2019s people. This is why the gospel must be central in our preaching, our teaching, our pastoral care and our leadership in the church. As individual lives are revitalized and transformed by Christ and His gospel, so congregations will be revitalized and transformed as well. The biblical Gospel alone brings the spiritually dead to life and this includes dying churches.<\/p>\n 2. The Word of God prescribes our methods to be implemented. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The Bible is clear on what the church is, what it\u2019s supposed to do, and how it\u2019s supposed to do it. As our sole authority in church revitalization, then, the Bible alone must determine and shape our methods and programming philosophies. We live in a strange day when many pastors and church leaders will affirm their belief in the Bible as the very Word of God, and yet the ministry methods and strategies they implement in their churches are adopted more often from the latest Fortune 500 company or church growth book than they are the Scripture. This is particularly true in declining churches trying to turn things around.<\/p>\n What is the issue here? Why would a dying church and its leaders seek to model themselves and be shaped and guided by anything other than God and His Word? How can you hold to the inspiration, inerrancy and authority of the Bible and yet not submit to the Bible\u2019s instruction on church methodology \u2014 what we do and how we do it? The issue here pertains to one\u2019s belief regarding the sufficiency of Scripture. Do we as pastors and leaders believe that the Bible is sufficient, not only in giving us the gospel message we proclaim, but also the gospel methods we are to implement in our congregations? Do we believe that God\u2019s Word gives us everything we need to know about leading and growing churches most effectively God\u2019s way, for God\u2019s glory?<\/p>\n When we turn to the Scripture, we see that the Lord has clearly told us what He desires for His Church. We don\u2019t need to guess as to what He wants and what we are supposed to do. For example, some of the nonnegotiable marks of a God-honoring church, which the Bible clearly lays out include:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Expositional preaching While not exhaustive, these are all marks of a biblical, God-honoring church. The Lord wants congregations that are marked by these things.<\/p>\n As church revitalizers, we desperately need God Himself to guide and direct us and He does this by His Spirit, through His Word. Again, if we want the Lord to move powerfully in and though our congregations, we must do things His way, for His glory. This means allowing the Bible to tell us what to do and how to do it. The Word of God must prescribe our methods.<\/p>\n 3. The Word of God serves as the primary means (or tool) for leading change. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The Word of God not only gives us our message and shapes our methods, but it also must serve as our primary means, or tool, for leading change in church revitalization.<\/p>\n As leaders, we must be very intentional to constantly put forth the Bible as the authority in every area of the church\u2019s life, letting God\u2019s people wrestle with the Word of God continually in all matters of faith and practice. This simply means it is imperative for us to lead in such a way that those in the congregation are wrestling first with the Bible before anything or anyone else. If we are truly going to be \u201cBible churches\u201d that submit to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, churches that believe that God has told us what to do and how to do it as congregations, then we as pastors must lead with the Word, even when it ruffles feathers. And the Bible will surely ruffle feathers! The Bible will confront every one of us in all kinds of uncomfortable but needed ways. This includes any sinful attitude or agenda anyone might have for the church, which lies in direct opposition to God\u2019s Word.<\/p>\n When talking with pastors serving in church revitalization contexts, I often refer to this as making the Bible the bad guy <\/em>in our leadership. Here\u2019s what I mean by that: If we as revitalizers find ourselves in a position where we are constantly seen as the bad guy, as the enemy, particularly with those in the congregation that resist biblical change of any kind, then we are most likely operating from a place where we are leading as the authority, rather than letting God, through His Word, lead as the authority. Again, we must lead in such a way that people are forced to deal with the clear, authoritative teaching of Scripture above all else. This alone makes God\u2019s voice the loudest and most powerful leadership voice in any church, which ought to be every shepherd\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n You see, what we are trying to do here as pastors is to bring together a stated doctrine of Scripture with the practice of that doctrine within the life of the church. Too many revitalization pastors only lead with the Bible reactively, when they have to bring out \u201cthe big gun\u201d to make a point or initiate an important change of some kind. What I am proposing is that you lead with \u201cthe big gun\u201d all of the time! Lead in such a way that every person in the congregation knows your agenda as a pastor and leader is always God\u2019s agenda, because you are constantly pointing everyone back to Scripture, back to what God says He wants to see happen in your church. You want to lead in such a way that when difficult people in the congregation desire their agenda above God\u2019s agenda, they get frustrated because we keep forcing them to go back to the Bible and wrestle with what God says. This is a good thing.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t make the mistake of making some church fad or church growth guru the loudest voice of authority in your leadership. Again, many pastors make this major mistake. Here\u2019s what happens over time. As helpful as these churches, ministries and individuals might be, eventually people will see these as fleeting voices that shift like sand. Fads and gurus come and go, but the Word of God remains steady and sure forever. Healthy change can only happen as it\u2019s led by His Word. So, lead with it!<\/p>\n Whether we\u2019re talking about changing the name of our church, or getting rid of the old carpet in the sanctuary, or switching what kind of coffee we are serving on Sunday mornings or introducing a new order to the weekly worship service \u2014 whatever the change might be \u2014 lead that change with the Word. In other words, what does the Bible say about this kind of change? Why does it matter? How does this change help us to better proclaim and live out the gospel to those inside and outside the walls of our church?<\/p>\n As one example, if you are looking at changing the name of your church, you must be able to communicate clearly and persuasively from the Bible how this name change will enhance your congregation\u2019s ability to more effectively carry out Jesus\u2019 mission to make disciples in your community. Changes like this must be led from the Word of God, not from the latest church health book or article written by the pastor down the street whose congregation has exploded in worship attendees the past few years.<\/p>\n Other sources can be helpful, for sure, but we must emphasize with our people that these secondary, supporting sources, always submit to Scripture. As we lead this way over time, we will help our church become one that loves the Word of God and sees itself under the authority of the Scriptures, not just through lip service, but in practice. These are the types of churches that are healthy, vibrant, and growing in all the right ways. Why? Because as the Word of God rules, the God of the Word reigns.<\/p>\n Related Posts in This Series<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00b9 What Does It Mean To Be A Gospel-Centered Church?<\/em> Ray Ortlund https:\/\/www.acts29.com\/a-gospel%C2%AD-centered-church\/<\/p>\n \u00b9 Tim Keller \u201cThe Centrality of the Gospel\u201d http:\/\/download.redeemer.com\/pdf\/learn\/resources\/Centrality_of_the_Gospel-Keller.pdf<\/p>\n This post originally appeared on Mark\u2019s blog, <\/em>Preach Lead Love.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this fourth post, we are asking and answering the question: what exactly does it look …<\/p>\n\n
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Evangelism
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Disciple-making
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Missions
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Fellowship
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Service
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Church discipline
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Lord\u2019s Supper
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Baptism
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sacrificial giving
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Church membership
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Qualified pastor-elders and deacons<\/p>\n\n