Regional Partnering Networks: Revitalizing Struggling Churches

1. P – artners E – ncouraging R – evitalized C - hurches

2. Regional Partnering Networks • A process – connect larger, healthier congregations to smaller, struggling congregations for up to 18 months.

3. Regional Partnering Networks • Triage – Some churches are not good candidates for HKC, they need immediate, intense attention like an ER patient.

4. Regional Partnering Networks Food for thought: "The church is made up of disciples. If you revitalize anything, it's the disciple ... only the disciple is viral--not a church"--Bob Roberts, Jr. (From an article titled, "Revitalizing the church? I don't think so!") http://www.glocal.net/blog/comments/revitalizing-the-church-i-dont-think-so/

5. Are declining churches worth the effort? “What exactly am I trying to rescue in attempting to revitalize this church? You should only revitalize a church out of care for its present members and excitement about its future potential, not because of its institutional glory in the past”—J.D. Greear, http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/category/revitalization/page/2.

6. Regional Partnering Networks • Resource larger churches for leadership help • Churches may act as a sole partner, or provide episodic assistance to help with particular events and needs (VBS, revivals, block parties, etc.)

7. Regional Partnering Networks • Help provide a small leadership team for struggling churches • Help assess local leadership needs • Help provide temporary lay leaders • Plan to partner for about 18 months

8. Regional Partnering Networks • Help put together a calendar of events for the struggling church. The calendar could include: • Assessment • Prayer walking community • Hosting summer mission teams • Saturation of the community to discover new "constituents" • Attractional events (block party, Fall festival, clothing give-aways, etc.) • Revival • VBS • Regular leadership training • Facility TLC (maybe with M-team help) • Regular evangelistic outreach

9. Regional Partnering Networks • Meet regularly with a regional leadership team to provide guidance for the process. Goals: • Help regain intentional focus of NT principles • Help restore joy • Help raise the level of excitement • Help break out of the maintenance mentality • Listen and provide guidance and direction • Facilitate a process of renewal and better health • Help raise up "indigenous leaders" • Help develop an evangelistic strategy • Help improve the quality of discipleship

10. Regional Partnering Networks Obstacles: • Unwillingness • Denial • Pride • Unhealthy “ownership” of local churches • Franchise mentality (lack of kingdom-mindedness)

11. Regional Partnering Networks Needs: • Database of needs and cooperating churches • More trained lay leaders and bi-vocational pastors

12. Regional Partnering Networks Group discussion from 9-6-2012: • Have church set goals • Develop achievement markers • AMs can help with discovery and connections • Cross Associational partnerships may help with situations where there is “history” between local churches

13. Regional Partnering Networks Group discussion from 9-6-2012: • What criteria can be used to establish what constitutes a “struggling church”? • Churches can partner for events or for a long season • Goal: to pursue Great Commission, not the past • Establish positive attributes of healthy churches • Stressing cooperation is key

14. Regional Partnering Networks Group discussion from 9-6-2012: • What ways are the churches struggling? • Ensure partners are healthy • Enlist churches to be involved in a pilot program