Nine Reasons I’m Hopeful for Church Revitalization and Replanting in North America

Episode #027
February 8, 2018
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A church revitalization movement is sweeping across North America, and I’m encouraged about the hopeful direction in which many churches are moving. Today we cover nine reasons for this encouragement.

Today’s Listener Question:

FROM ARTHUR

Jonathan sometimes jokingly refers to you as the Church Mortician, but you also often call yourself an obnoxious optimist. So let’s hear about some of the positivity. What about church revitalization and replanting gives you hope for the future of the church in North America?

Episode Highlights:

  • Perfunctory and routine prayer is not a good example of corporate prayer.
  • The more we get into routines in the church, the less we focus outward.
  • A church about me, myself, and I is not really a church at all.
  • Until there is a rekindling of evangelism, there will be a dearth of healthy churches.
  • Good theology results in works and obedience.

The nine reasons I’m hopeful are:

  1. A new wave of corporate prayer.
  2. A rekindling of evangelism.
  3. A balance between theological and practical.
  4. The waning of worship wars.
  5. A heightened emphasis on church revitalization.
  6. A surge of re-birthed churches.
  7. A renewal of meaningful membership.
  8. A concerted focus on impacting the community.
  9. Balanced views of numbers.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

Submit Your Question:

Do you have a question about church revitalization or replanting for us to use on the podcast? Visit the podcast page to submit your question. If we use it on the show, you’ll get a copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church and Reclaiming Glory.

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