The Basics of Church Revitalization & Renewal:

The Basics of Church Revitalization & Renewal:

Dr. Tom CheyneyFounder & Directional Leader

To get the app, you can go to the Google Play Store or the Apple Apps Store and search for Renovate Conference. You can download a copy of this presentation or subscribe to the Church Revitalizer Weekly Blog from Tom Cheyney.

The Emergence of a Solitary Key Leader for Church Revitalization

When looking to revitalize a church it is vital to see the hand of God raise up a the surfacing of a solitary key unrelenting as well as sure leader.

Think about the times within military conflicts where a key individual leader was able to bring out of a stalemate a resolution which eventually turned around the conflict and brought about a victorious solution.

How many Fortune 500 companies once they faced the need for new growth and vitality sought out a key self assured leader to bring them through the crisis and onto eventual growth?

The Emergence of a Solitary Key Leader for Church Revitalization

Eventually these strong assured and equipped leaders were being exalted for their willingness to face the challenges and return them to the age of vitality and success.

Like industry, often the emergence of key leader in a revitalized church is one who has vision and tenacity to see it through to accomplishment!

The Emergence of a Solitary Key Leader for Revitalization

Granted all churches have a certain degree of religious underpinnings which should actually lift us above the human actions of arguments, self-interests, and the like, but in the end churches are made up of people.

Even in Biblical times there was a tiny remnant that emerged and brought the Israelites out to safety and into the promised land!

There are other examples as well, but it appears to me that in every case the Lord God called upon, made powerful, taught, and encouraged a key solitary leader to revitalize the situation.


Moses, Nehemiah, Gideon, Paul and even Peter were examples of such emergence of a key solitary leader to revitalize a particular state of affairs.

Revitalization Lesson: Churches can and will thrive in vitality when the right individual leader comes into sight! Furthermore, the Lord God will assist church leaders who are willing to step forward, accept authority, learn key principles, keep on keeping on, and take responsibility.


Nothing is worse than church renewal programs which do not offer helps for unsticking a stuck church and fail to deliver results.

Remember that initially a key church revitalization is the surfacing of a solitary leader to lead a church through revitalization and into vitality.


I would err if I did not say from the outset that there are some churches that have been revitalized by outside forces such as a huge influx of new people into a community. During those infusions, usually no new leader leads the way but it just happens! Cultural shifts into ones ministry target area is one of the exceptions to the rule sort of thing. Be glad if that is happening to you and your church right now. If it is not then let’s continue further in the journey of Church Revitalization.

The Basics of Church Revitalization & Renewal

There Will Be Seven Basic Paradigm or Model Shifts for Church Revitalization

and Renewal

Let’s take a look!

Seven Paradigm or Model Shifts for Church

RevitalizationThere are Seven Paradigm or Model Shifts for Church Revitalization that addresses the current crises of leader quantity and quality:

1. A new goal of sustainable critical mass.


RevitalizationIn the next 15 years there will be a growing shortage of pastors willing to fill our churches, which have low renewal potential.

Within our denomination we have 6,000 Southern Baptist Pastors who leave their ministries each year. More than 200 pastors are fired each month. In one recent article from LifeWay there are 70,000 vacant pulpits in America.




2. A new methodology for rebirthing something new from the plateau and decline.


RevitalizationIn this new paradigm, we must implement a holistic process that gives strong and integrated attention to four dynamics for church renewal:

•Spiritual Transformation. Experiential union with Christ is the center of a truly transformational revitalization paradigm. We must move our developing church revitalizers from the sanctuary sitting in our worship centers and exchange their posture to walking our streets sharing Christ!


RevitalizationRelational Transformation

Developing church revitalizers need journey!

They need daily relationships with mature fellow revitalizers, role models, and examples. They need spiritual Paul’s – in the context of normal daily life and ministry. In the encouragement, support, challenge, teaching, discipline and accountability of these relationships, the shepherd’s character is built, marriages are strengthened and spiritual life is nurtured.


RevitalizationExperiential Transformation

Developing church revitalizers learn by doing and not only by listening.

Activity is the new norm not audience participation.

They are transformed through the fires of trail and pressure. The church revitalizer is stretched by challenging tasks that focus on church revitalization and renewal.


RevitalizationProclamational Transformation

Developing church revitalizers must work on new ways in teaching of the Word of God – in an engaging way, and woven into the ongoing daily realities of life, family and ministry.




2. A new methodology for rebirthing something new from the decline.

3. A new ministry design developed from church assessment and leader assessment.


RevitalizationChurches in decline and pastors of declining churches both need an Church Revitalization assessment.

Shepherds need to know what the strengths and obstacles of the church may be and the church needs to know if the skill sets necessary for a turnaround are within the leaders ability to learn or possess already.




2. A new methodology for rebirthing something new from the decline.

3. A new ministry design developed from church assessment and leader assessment.

4. Church Revitalizers embracing and building new Revitalizers.


RevitalizationWithin this new paradigm, Church Revitalizers face the personal responsibility for embracing and building new Revitalizers as a core part of what it means to be a leader. This shift alone has the potential to raise up a new army of missional pastors equipped for the task of revitalization and renewal.



5. Churches building new revitalizers.


RevitalizationBiblically, the primary place for the development of new church revitalizers is the local church or a cluster of local churches.

Some of the benefits of churches building revitalizers

are:Multiplication. The church-based revitalization approach provides a paradigm or model that can be multiplied virtually endlessly with every local church or cluster of churches providing a church revitalization-learning environment for their new leaders. If every local church would build only one or two new leaders for church renewal, the quantity crisis would be over!


are:Holistic development. The church renewal learning process becomes considerably more effective since the local church provides the spiritual, relational and practical context for the development of the church revitalizer.


are:The right people receive training.

The emerging revitalizer and existing church pastor who need training the most are those who are already engaged in renewal ministry.

With the training focused in the church we move from training the wrong individuals to training and equipping the right people.


are:Flexibility. When it comes to church revitalizer

development, “one size” does not fit all.

Around the world, Church Revitalizers from a vast variety of cultures, backgrounds, experiences, education levels, need to be fostered.

Our renewal approaches must be flexible and customizable. In addition, the environment is rapidly changing around the church today so flexibility in our approaches to renewal is required.


are:Self-supporting, self sustaining and self propagating

The local church or cluster of churches, provide the financial support for the learning process, thus maintaining both responsibility for and control of the development of its own emerging church revitalizers. The church must also become self-sustaining so equipping future revitalizers for the work of the ministry is essential. Then the local church must become self-propagating in its effort to regrow the work of the Lord in their setting.


are:Ongoing skill sets and life long revitalizer development.

The equipping and training is not limited to a certain period of time, but continues throughout the church revitalizers lives. Leaders are built over lifetimes!


are:Effective evaluation.

Members of the local community who know the emerging church revitalizer and who work with him on a regular basis are the best ones to help him both establish clear goals for his development and evaluate his growth toward those goals.



5. Churches building new revitalizers.

6. A Move from a Church Growth Paradigm to a Restored Emphases on a Biblical Paradigm


RevitalizationRevitalization Lesson: "Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first..." (Rev. 2:5).

That is the three-fold emphasis of the paradigm: Remember...Repent... Recapture the first things.

Developing An Intentional Church Revitalization

Paradigm A PARADIGM is a way of thinking. When our lives come into alignment with Romans 12:2, our way of thinking gets re-aligned with God’s thoughts and ideals.

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

The Cost of Church Revitalization

(The Revitalizers Price)

He must be willing to work hard!

He must be willing to supplement inadequate training.

He must be willing to put his leadership on the line.

He must be willing to share leadership.

He must be willing to have members he can’t pastor.

He must be willing to stick it out.

The Cost of Church Revitalization

(The People’s Price)

They must be willing to provide dollars for growth!

They must be willing to follow a growth leader.

They must be willing to give time and energy to help with growth.

They must be willing to sacrifice fellowship with a large crowd at first!

If the lost are to be found and added to the church renewal effort, a price must be paid by both church revitalizer and people.

Jesus paid the first price through His suffering and death on the cross.


Faithful Church Revitalization never comes cheaply. Whatever the cost, reaching and finding lost men and women must be seen as the will of the Master and the “Call to arms” of His church.


To get the app, you can go to the Google Play Store or the Apple Apps Store and search for Renovate Conference. You can download a copy of this presentation or subscribe to the Church Revitalizer Weekly Blog from Tom Cheyney.

The Basics of Church Revitalization & Renewal:

Dr. Tom CheyneyFounder & Directional Leader


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The Basics of Church Revitalization & Renewal: