About 240 South Carolina pastors and lay leaders attended a church revitalization conference May 23 to talk frankly about the reality of stagnant and declining congregations.
In South Carolina, an estimated 75-80 percent of churches fall into that category.
The Send North America Church Growth and Revitalization Conference was held at White Oak Conference Center in Winnsboro. The conference was one of several that former Southern Baptist Convention president Johnny Hunt is leading nationally with the North American Mission Board to provide tools and encouragement for churches that are plateaued or declining in membership or are not far from closing their doors.
Pastor Allen Gregory and his wife Linda, from Fairforest Baptist Church of Union, left the conference feeling encouraged and knowing they are not alone in their season of ministry. “It is giving us confirmation about things God has already spoken to us,” said Linda Gregory.
NAMB reports that nearly 72 percent of SBC churches are plateaued or declining. In response, NAMB developed the training experience to help fortify pastors and churches with scriptural concepts they can use to change course in order to “penetrate lostness in North America through healthy, thriving churches.”
“The church is in denial,” said Richard Harris, a NAMB contract worker with Send North America who attended the event. “We need to face the facts, define our reality, and ask, ‘Where does God want us to go and what are the obstacles to that?’ Church revitalization isn’t rocket science — it involves basic evangelism and church growth one-on-one.”
The conference sessions included help for pastors leading amid change, how to promote spiritual health that leads to church growth, and how to discover and develop lay leaders. Hunt has been the pastor of First Church Woodstock, Ga., since 1986 and is a published author, trainer and conference leader. Michael Lewis, executive director of pastoral relations and church revitalization at NAMB, also spoke at the conference. He is a former pastor himself (including having led a Baptist church in South Carolina), and is passionate about seeing pastors and churches revitalized.
“Pastors are the spiritual leaders of their local congregations and can lead a revitalization effort from their knees and by inviting leaders to join him in seeking the Lord for awakening and spiritual revitalization.” Lewis said. “Prayer is the key to beginning and sustaining a revitalization movement in any local church.”
There were no quick fixes shared during the conference, but biblical guidelines and models for reproducing a healthy church. Hunt told pastors to be the example they want for their congregation to follow. “You are in the people business,” he said. “You should always have at least one person to focus on, to pray for, and share the gospel with. Tell someone what God has done in your life, and watch what He does with the gospel.”
Hunt stepped from the platform and into the auditorium to further challenge pastors to obey God’s call in their ministry and remember to whom they ultimately answer. “Pastors, you are not hired by the church, you are called,” Hunt said. “As far as I am concerned, there are only two days to consider: this day and That Day. I want to do in this day what I will be glad I did in That Day.”
Conference participants were given the opportunity to ask situation-specific questions that were then answered from the platform in the afternoon session. Hunt and SCBC executive director-treasurer Jim Austin responded to questions about how to deal with hardened hearts and generational disagreements, and Hunt answered a question about his perspective on the national initiative for Cooperative Program giving.
Along with ministry tools and new ideas, the conference also provided a safe environment for words of support. Lewis said he would encourage the frustrated and broken pastor by reminding him that he is in a great place for God to move mightily in the church. “The Lord uses our brokenness to bring about the blessedness of revitalization as the pastor responds with faith and dependence on the Lord,” he said.
Four years ago, Jason Lee was called to pastor Oak Grove Baptist Church in Spartanburg. The church is strategically located in a growing area, yet has not kept up with the growth around it. “This conference has encouraged me to continue to be faithful to what God is calling our church to do,” he said. Lee attended the conference with Larry Bates, a church deacon who also left with some ideas for change. “Our church expects our pastor to do way too much, and we need to support him more. I’m realizing our leaders need to take on more leadership, specifically with visitation,” Bates said.
Equipping new leaders is an important and ongoing aspect of successful leadership. Hunt said there are 10 people in the church for every one identified lay leader, so church staff should be continually identifying new leaders and working to develop them.
“We won’t reach North America until pastors equip and empower,” Harris said. “Then we will let loose an army like you’ve never seen.”
Jim Oliver, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Roebuck, said he appreciated Hunt’s passion and enthusiasm and was encouraged by what he learned through the conference. “It is important for me to be teachable,” Oliver said. “I have been at my church for 25 years. I am looking to the future and want to finish strong.”
— SCBC