We have a lot of potted plants around our home. All kinds of plants. Large ones, small ones, flowering ones, and lots of potted green plants. From time to time the potted plants don't look healthy anymore. We have given them lots of water and fertiliser, but the plants simply stop growing. In fact, they begin to wilt and die. Then we realise the problem: they need a new pot! We remove the old plants from the security of their old pot, trim back some of the roots, get some new soil, and repot the plant. It does not take long for the plant to find new life.
There are many churches that could use a new pot! We're not talking about bringing in the Better Homes and Garden crew and do some landscaping around the church (although it might be a great idea for some churches). We're talking about the church itself. It needs to be uprooted, trimmed down, and repotted to encourage new life. Let me explain what this might look like.
When churches begin they find their identity in their vision. There was a reason why the church began. Perhaps it was to reach a migrant community, or gather in people moving into the area, or establish a Christian community in an area where there were few churches. Everyone had an idea of what God wanted them to do and achieve. The church developed some strategies to implement their vision. And the church began to grow and with this growth came stability and vitality.
But as soon as a church reaches stability it begins to find its identity in its programs. Ministry happens from Sunday to Sunday and everything is dictated by activities and the calendar. What most often happens is that the church no longer is driven by its vision. Few people have an idea of where the church is heading. Little strategic planning happens. And the church begins to move ever so slowly from stable to stagnant. And soon the telltale signs begin to appear. Growth begins to wilt. People might drop off from attending church. Volunteers are harder to motivate. And decline begins to set in. It might take a while, but left unchecked the church will simply keep moving from decline eventually to death.
There are some options. When a church is stable, this is the optimum time for a church to revisit its vision. It needs to keeping asking itself, "What is God wanting us to do and achieve NOW?" The community needs might have changed. The spiritual culture inside the church might be different. A renewed vision for the current future needs to be articulated. Based on that renewed vision, new strategies are implemented, and this results in new momentum. Again the church finds its identity in their vision and the church will move to a new season of vitality and growth.
The other option is to reglect the telltale signs that decline has set in. In order to keep the programs running and the doors of the church open, the church will focus on its structures. Structures include staff, committees, boards, policies and procedures, finances, buildings, and the property. A survival mentality sets in. During this decline phase the church will move from stagnant to sick. The signs of vitality are missing and the church becomes more and more unhealthy. Death will follow as the church finally closes its doors.
But death does not have to be inevitable. The church could decide to do a repot. A rebirth. The longer a church remains in decline, the more difficult it will be to do a repot. But it is not impossible. Jesus, the Lord of the church, reminds us that "with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 Resurrection can occur. But radical change is required. Structures will have to be removed as the church is uprooted from the pot. Everything that is unessential to a ministry with a focus on outreach and expanding the kingdom is trimmed off. Key people are tasked with developing a REVISION, a renewed vision for the church that will reach the lost and gather in God's growing family. Along with the revision new strategies are implemented. Once again the church will find its identity in its vision. And the church will begin to discover new life!
Where is your church at? Are you growing? Are you stable? Stagnant? Or in decline? You gain nothing for underestimating your decline and there is no penalty for overestimating your decline. Do an honest evaluation. And take the steps required to keep your identity in your vision -- a vision that is focused on reaching the lost for Christ and seeing the gospel expand in your community. Don't allow anything to stand in the way of good gospel growth -- even if that means you need a new pot!