Revitalization is difficult work and requires a mindset that understands that growth takes time and is not always automatic. Today we unpack the reasons why mindset is so important to successful revitalization.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM DAVID
I am graduating with an MDiv from SEBTS in May and wanting to pursue a ThM and then PhD in Christian Leadership under a mentor here Dr. Chuck Lawless. I have been doing Revitalization for 15 years so I am older than your average seminarian and I worry about the mindset of these young men as they graduate. When they leave here from Wake Forest they will not be pastoring churches like the big, healthy ones they attend so how do we train up these young men so they do not go into local churches that need revitalization and get discouraged and set the church back instead of helping it move forward?
Episode Highlights:
- We need to open our eyes to the reality that is around us.
- When you go into a revitalization context, you need to understand that it will be difficult.
- Open your eyes to what God’s resources are for your church. He has provided everything you need.
- Revitalization-focused pastors need to have a long-term view. It doesn’t happen overnight.
- You need to have the same mindset for revitalization as you would if you were going on the international mission field.
- You need a growth mindset when headed into a revitalization situation.
The keys to a positive mindset in revitalization we cover are:
- The reality of 2 Kings 6:17
- Curmudgeons need not apply
- The important study by Carol Dweck in Mindset
- Fixed vs. growth mindset
- Mindset is easier at the visionary and strategic level, but tougher at the tactical level
- The importance of the long-term view
- Preparing your family for the mindset
- The mindset of unconditional love
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
- ChurchReplanters.com
- Mindset by Carol Dweck
- ChurchAnswers.com
- Replanter Assessment
- Find more resources at the Revitalize & Replant page at ThomRainer.com
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.
