2. Why Study Comeback Churches?  The statistics on churches are alarming – Many churches are flat to declining 10 9.5 10 9  We want to help churches “come back” after a decline  Using biblical principles  Learn from the experiences of others

3. The Study Method The BIG question: What principles from Comeback Churches could guide pastors and churches down the path of revitalization?

4. The Study Method  Examined 324 comeback churches – That experienced renewed growth after a period of decline – Increased membership and increased baptisms

5. The Study Method  Using surveys and phone interviews  Criteria for a “comeback church”: – Experienced 5 years of plateau or decline since 1995 – Followed by significant growth over the past 2 to 5 years Membership to baptism (conversion) ratio of 35:1 At least a 10% increase in attendance, per year

6. Biblical Churches  Scriptural authority  Biblical leadership  Preaching and teaching  Ordinances  Covenant community  Mission

7. Missional Churches  Do what missionaries do, regardless of the context – Join God on His mission – Study and learn the culture – Proclaim the good news – Be the presence of Christ – Contextualize biblical life and church for that culture

8. Missional Churches  Are incarnational  Are indigenous  Are intentional Missional Matrix: Christology, Ecclesiology, Missiology

9. Spiritual Churches  What are some barriers to spiritual growth? – Self-focused leaders and churches – Experiencing God’s discipline – Lack of radical faith/reliance – Doing instead of being the church – Watering down the gospel/truth

10. Spiritual Churches  What are some barriers to spiritual growth? – Distracted from our first love – Ineffective disciple-making – Irrelevant ministry – PRIDE

11. Why Become a Comeback Church? “We don’t want our church to die. We’ll do what it takes.” A church needs…If it is… Refocusing Stagnant in size (needs a clear focus on outreach) Reenergizing Declining in size (deal with internal issues and begin to reach its community again) Restructuring Experienced substantial decline (large internal changes and a new outreach strategy) Restarting Near death (restart with new leadership or become a new church) Change Less More

12. “Dirty Baker’s Dozen” Churches 1.Institutionalized 2.Voluntary association 3.Unintentional 4.“Us four and no more” 5.“We can’t compete” 6.“Decently & in order”

13. “Dirty Baker’s Dozen” Churches 7.“Square peg in a round hole” 8.“Time-warp” 9.“Tidy” 10.“My way or the highway” 11.“Chaplaincy” 12.The “company” 13.“Play it safe”

14. Staging a Comeback  The people have to be part of the turnaround - Acts 6:1-5  Decide on a course of action – Nehemiah 2:11-18  Proactive leadership – 1 Timothy 3:1

15. Rising with Leadership  Comeback leaders took the initiative for change  Challenge excuses  Pray Matthew 9:37-38 Regularly & Passionately

16. Rising with Leadership  See the harvest— Matthew 9:36-38  Model evangelistic passion  Share the ministry  Make choices about how to invest your time

17. Rising with Leadership  Give away non-ministry tasks  Use time intentionally  Spend more time on “people” stuff  Communicate a clear and compelling vision  Comeback leaders multiply themselves

18. Three Faith Factors  What happened spiritually to impact such change?

19.  Comeback leaders know that change takes place as the church is renewed spiritually.

20. Three Faith Factors 1.A renewed belief in Jesus Christ and the mission of the church, 2.A renewed attitude for servanthood, and 3.A more strategic prayer effort.

22. One pastor commented, “That’s what brings a focus and determines your actions and how you spend money. Find out what God is calling you to do—and do it.”

23. Getting back on mission  Renewal: knowing Jesus more fully and loving the church and its mission more passionately.

24. Loving Jesus  Comeback leaders helped people know and experience the reality of Jesus Christ in their lives.  Churches became more motivated to overcome a slow or no-growth mentality.

25. Loving the Community  Comeback leaders helped churches grow in love with the community through their preaching, teaching, and praying.

26. Loving the Community  Too many pastors love someone else’s community.

27. Loving the Lost  Comeback churches helped their churches grow to love the lost.

28. Asking the hard questions:  When is the last time I have led someone to Christ?  What has been our attendance over the past five years?  How many visitors have we had in the past year and the year before that?  When is the last time this church baptized someone from outside the existing church family?

29. Loving the Lost  Comeback leaders turned their churches outward.  Most Christians don’t like lost people.

30. Servant Attitude  Comeback leaders led their churches to develop the same passion, having a heart for service.

31. Overcoming Preferences  Comeback churches led people to care more about their communities than their preferences.

32. “What year is it here?”  Every church is living in some era. The issue is whether it aligns with the reality of the era where the gospel needs to be proclaimed.

33. Having the attitude of Christ Jesus  Comeback churches don’t focus exclusively on their own spiritual maturity or demand their preferences.

34. Actions of Service  Comeback leaders model and promote acts of service.

35. Strategic Prayer  Comeback churches are praying churches.

36. 1 Thessalonians 5:17  “pray constantly”

37.  “Prayer is a learned behavior. Nobody is born an expert at it. No one ever masters prayer.” (John Ortberg)

38. Prayer – Major importance  An increased emphasis on prayer was a major factor of importance to these comeback churches.

39. Praying as a Leader  Comeback leaders lead their churches to pray for things that matter.

40.  “What happens in revivals is not to be seen as something miraculously different from the regular experience of the church. The difference lies in degree not kind. In an outpouring of the Spirit, spiritual influence is more wide spread, convictions are deeper and feelings more intense. But all this is only a highlighting of normal Christianity.” (Iain Murray)

41. Goal setting  Comeback leaders made plans.  13 percent of comeback churches selected setting goals as most important.

42. Making no plans for growth…  results in little or no growth every time according to comeback leaders.

43. Relationships and Reconciliation  Many comeback leaders saw the value of reconciling relationships.  Some leaders directly addressed reconciliation issues and allowed wounded congregations time to heal before moving forward with growth plans.

44. Faith Factors Matter “Spiritual initiatives are vital; especially prayer, fasting, forgiveness and reconciliation.” (Leadership Journal)

45.  Comeback leaders know that church transformation is a spiritual business.  Only God can move a church from sickness to health.

46. Worship and Preaching Matter  Comeback churches valued worship – Identified their mood of worship as celebrative (96%) and orderly (95%)  Discovered their passion for God and His mission by examining their worship

47. Worship and Preaching Matter  Comeback churches came in all different styles  Generally more contemporary than traditional

48. Musical Selections Musical Selection in Comeback Churches ContemporaryTraditional Hymns Praise Choruses 59% 75% 90%

49. Worship Moods 96% 95% 84% 69% 62% 35% 17%15%14% 2% 1%

50. Evangelism Principles 1.Our greatest motivation for evangelism is our own relationship with God 2.Live like a messenger of God in this world 3.Organize for evangelism using multiple methods 4.It takes a whole church to win a community

51. Evangelism Principles 5.The whole church has to embrace the mandate for evangelism 6.Create an environment in which spontaneous and planned evangelism can take place 7.Recognize and purposefully plan for “doors of entry” to the church

52. Connecting People  People need community  People need stability  People need commitment  People need discipling

53. Connecting Through Small Groups  Recognize and respond to a need for biblical unity and community  Use the small group system to identify and train leaders  Add, replace and start new classes or groups

54. Connecting Through Small Groups  Create more space to expand the number of small groups  Move slowly & deliberately in empowering small group leaders

56. Comeback Churches  How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can Too  By Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson

57. Questions?