The Church Revitalization Podcast – Episode 257
In an era of rapid societal change and shifting cultural norms, many churches find themselves struggling to maintain relevance and vitality. However, some congregations continue to thrive, growing both spiritually and numerically. What sets these healthy churches apart? While there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for church growth, certain habits and practices consistently emerge among vibrant, mission-focused congregations.
These practices, when implemented intentionally and consistently, can help transform the culture and effectiveness of any church, regardless of size or denomination. By focusing on clear communication of mission, values-driven decision-making, strategic discipleship, compelling vision-casting, and consistent monitoring of strategies, churches can create an environment conducive to spiritual growth and community impact.
Let’s delve into these five habits and discover how they can be applied to foster a healthier, more vibrant church.
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Regularly Say the Mission Out Loud & Leverage Stories to Drive the Point
Healthy churches don’t let their mission statements gather dust on a website or bulletin board. Instead, they make a habit of regularly communicating their mission to the congregation. However, simply repeating a slogan isn’t enough. Effective churches bring their mission to life through storytelling.
By sharing real-life examples of how the church’s mission is impacting individuals and the community, leaders help members connect emotionally and intellectually with the church’s purpose. These stories might include testimonies of life change, examples of community outreach, or accounts of how church initiatives are making a difference.
For instance, rather than just stating a goal to “reach the community,” a church might share a story about a local family that found support through the church’s food pantry, or how a youth mentoring program is changing lives. These narratives help members see the mission in action and understand their role in fulfilling it.
Consistently weaving these mission-focused stories into sermons, announcements, and church communications keeps the mission front and center. It reminds the congregation why they exist as a church and inspires them to actively participate in living out that mission in their daily lives.
Integrate Core Values into Everyday Decisions
Every church operates based on a set of core values, whether they are explicitly stated or not. These values are the underlying beliefs and principles that guide decision-making and behavior within the church. Healthy churches recognize the importance of intentionally shaping and reinforcing positive core values while identifying and eliminating negative “anti-values” that may hinder their mission.
The key is to move beyond simply listing values on a website or wall plaque. Instead, church leaders should actively integrate these values into the everyday decision-making process at all levels of the organization. This means consistently asking, “Does this decision align with our core values?” when considering new initiatives, solving problems, or allocating resources.
For example, if a church values evangelism, decisions about budget allocation, volunteer recruitment, and program development should reflect this priority. Similarly, if teaching scripture is a core value, it should influence choices about curriculum, leadership development, and even the structure of worship services.
It’s equally important for leaders to be aware of and actively work to eliminate “anti-values” – unhealthy practices or attitudes that may have crept into the church culture over time. This might involve addressing issues like gossip, exclusivity, or resistance to change.
By consistently basing decisions on healthy core values and addressing negative behaviors, churches can gradually transform their culture. Over time, these values become deeply ingrained in the church’s DNA, shaping not just official policies but the day-to-day interactions and attitudes of the entire congregation.
Offer Clear Next Steps for Involvement
Thriving churches understand that growth and engagement don’t happen by accident. They make it a habit to provide clear, actionable pathways for everyone who walks through their doors. By consistently offering well-defined next steps, these churches remove barriers to involvement and help individuals progress naturally in their faith journey.
The key to this habit is making sure that everyone, from first-time visitors to long-time members, always knows what is recommended for deeper engagement. This clarity eliminates confusion and hesitation, making it easier for people to take that next step in their spiritual development.
The beauty of this approach is that it allows for personalized growth without making the process feel overwhelming. By breaking down involvement into manageable steps, churches can help individuals progress at their own pace while still feeling connected to the larger community.
Moreover, by making next steps a regular part of church communication, congregations create a culture of continuous growth. Members come to expect and look forward to new opportunities to deepen their faith and involvement.
On the surface, this could simply drive participation, but participation isn’t the goal. Spiritual development is. Churches must be careful and strategic in ensuring that the ministries of the church actually help people develop and not just take up time on their calendars.
By consistently offering clear pathways for involvement, churches not only facilitate individual growth but also build a more engaged, committed congregation. This habit ensures that no one falls through the cracks and that everyone has the opportunity to find their place in the church community and grow in their faith journey.
Host Vision-Casting Moments
It’s important to keep people excited about the future. Make it a habit to regularly share brief, forward-looking updates about where the church is heading. These vision-casting moments are not formal strategic meetings, but rather organic, inspiring glimpses into the church’s future that keep everyone engaged and aligned.
The key to effective vision-casting is making it a natural part of the church’s rhythm. Instead of relying solely on annual “vision Sundays” or lengthy presentations, these churches weave vision into various aspects of church life. This approach keeps the vision fresh in people’s minds and helps them see how their individual contributions fit into the bigger picture.
These moments might take place during Sunday announcements, where a leader shares a quick update on a new initiative or celebrates a milestone towards a long-term goal. They could appear in newsletters, highlighting how recent events are moving the church closer to its vision. Small group leaders might incorporate vision discussions into their meetings, helping members see how their group’s activities align with the church’s broader goals.
By hosting these regular vision-casting moments, churches create a sense of momentum and purpose. Members feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves, which can increase engagement and commitment. It also helps prevent the vision from becoming stale or forgotten, as it’s consistently reinforced in various contexts.
This habit also fosters a culture of transparency and shared ownership. By regularly updating the congregation on the church’s direction and progress, leaders build trust and invite participation. Members feel more connected to the church’s mission and are more likely to invest their time, talents, and resources in bringing the vision to life.
Do a Weekly Review of Strategy Progress
Healthy churches maintain momentum and focus by regularly reviewing their strategic progress. This habit involves conducting weekly check-ins with ministry leaders and key volunteers to assess how current activities align with the church’s overall goals and mission.
These strategy reviews don’t need to be lengthy, formal meetings. Instead, they can be brief, focused discussions that keep everyone aligned and moving in the same direction. The key is to shift the conversation from day-to-day operations to the broader strategic picture.
During these reviews, leaders might discuss progress on key initiatives, share stories of impact from the past week, and identify any obstacles that need addressing. It’s also an opportunity to align upcoming activities with strategic priorities and celebrate wins, recognizing team members’ contributions.
By consistently holding these reviews, churches ensure that their strategies don’t become static documents but remain living, breathing guides for ministry. It helps prevent teams from getting bogged down in urgent but less important tasks, keeping the focus on activities that drive the church’s mission forward.
For example, a children’s ministry leader might share how a recent event contributed to the church’s goal of reaching young families. Or a small group coordinator could discuss progress on launching new groups to support the church’s discipleship objectives.
Implementing this habit of weekly strategy reviews keeps the church’s goals and mission at the forefront, ensuring that every ministry area is actively contributing to the overall vision of the church.
A.J. Mathieu is the President of the Malphurs Group. He is passionate about helping churches thrive and travels internationally to teach and train pastors to lead healthy disciple-making churches. A.J. lives in the Ft. Worth, Texas area, enjoys the outdoors, and loves spending time with his wife and two sons. Click here to email A.J.