Churches, like people, age. Growing older isn’t a bad thing, (it beats the alternative!), but churches that age without adding new attenders won’t continue to grow old, they will die. All over America, churches are closing their doors because no one is attending anymore; the old attenders passed away and no one replaced them.
We don’t want our churches to die! So, what can we do?
Let’s bring New Life to Old Churches!
A “new” Pastor. I am not a proponent of automatically bringing in a new pastor when the church stops growing, although sometimes that is needed. But it’s better for the current Pastor to become, “new.” New vision, new passion, a new burden for the community…all these are characteristics of a Pastor that can lead new life for the church.
In other words, new life for the church begins with new life for the Pastor.
Pastor, if you desire a fresh wind to blow over the church you serve, start reviving yourself. You may be tired, you could be burned out, but as long as you’re the leader, God has spiritual refreshing for you.
New Leaders: Once again, it may not be a bad idea to recruit a new crop of local church leaders. But much preferred is when the old leaders get revived! If the leaders follow the example of their Pastor, they will enjoy times of spiritual refreshing and a return to their passion for the Lord. This passion must be more than a desire to do things the way they used to be done. This fervency must be for the presence of the Lord, compassion for the lost and a desire to reach the community. This passion must overpower our tendency to prefer the old ways.
“New” leaders will bring new life to an old church.
A new Vision. Slogans aren’t enough. A fresh coat of paint and planting new shrubs may be helpful, but this is not new vision. God has a fresh vision, a new dream for each season of the church. This is not to say that what God did in the church in the past was bad, but He hasn’t run out of fresh ideas. What innovative ideas, what creative new approaches may the Spirit be inspiring? What is God saying to the church about new ways to reach the people of the community? Here is a hint: find a need and meet it!
A new Pastor and new leaders will dream new dreams about a new church.
New Changes! This is the part that is hard for those who love the old church. The new church won’t look like the old church. The people who are drawn to a new church won’t necessarily look like those who’ve been around for years. There will be new families with new babies and new needs will arise. Old nurseries will be brought back to life. Old Youth Rooms will need to be renovated. Empty activity calendars will fill up. And old worship services will be revived with new people, new worship styles and new results. New members, new training, new volunteers, new ministries, new energy and new excitement!
An old church will become new when the old church attenders embrace the joy and beauty of newness in their church. They won’t refuse to adapt, they will lead the charge!
A new Pastor and new leaders and new vision and new changes will result in a new church! And the results will be new names written in God’s book! (Revelation 21:27)
Let’s bring New Life to our old churches!
Thoughts on Life and Leading 