LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY A RATIONALE FOR AN INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCH TO CLARIFY ITS MISSION, ANALYZE ITS PROGRAM, PRIORITIZE ITS OBJECTIVES AND REVITALIZE ITS MINISTRY A Thesis Project Submitted to Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOcrOR OF MINISTRY By Richard T. Carns Lynchburg, Virginia March, 1993 LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY THESIS PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET 11 ABSTRACT A RATIONALE FOR AN INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCH TO CLARIFY ITS MISSION, ANALYZE ITS PROGRAM, PRIORITIZE ITS OBJECTIVES AND REVITALIZE ITS MINISTRY Richard T. Carns Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 1993 Mentor: Dr. William Matheny Reader: Dr. James Freerksen The purpose of this thesis project is to provide a rationale for the pastor of an independent Baptist church to lead his church into a revitalization program. The author selected the topic for two reasons: (1) Church stagnation/decline has become a spiritual disease of epidemic proportions and (2) The author pastored a church which was experiencing decline and viable strategies needed to be understood, accepted and implemented. The main body presents the reasons a church needs to clarify its mission, analyze its program, prioritize its objectives and revitalize its ministry. The appendices delineate the steps taken in the author's church to pursue the above objectives. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .............................................VI INTRODUCTION ..............................................1 Chapter 1. "WHY ARE WE HERE?" CLARIFYING TI-IE MISSION .........................7 The Local Church as God's Design The Local Church Having a Distinct Purpose The Local Church Identifying Its Purpose Through a Mission Statement 2. "HOW ARE WE DOING?" ANALYZING THE PROGRAM ......................... 21 The Common Reality of Church Stagnation and Decline The Common Reasons for Church Stagnation and Decline Analysis of the Present Church Program 3. "WHAT IS IMPORTANT?" PRIORITIZING THE OBJECTIVES ..................... 48 Vital Prerequisites to Consider in Prioritizing Objectives Vital Factors to Consider in Prioritizing Objectives 4. "WHERE DO WE BEGIN?" PREPARING THE CONGREGATION FOR MINISTRY .......73 A Prepared Leadership A Prepared Congregation CONCLUSION ............ , .................................. 101 IV APPENDICES A. The Material Used in Clarifying the Mission at First Baptist Church . 103 B. The Material Used in Analyzing the Program at First Baptist Church .................. .129 C The Material Used in Prioritizing the Objectives at First Baptist Church . 168 D. Some Initial Steps in Revitalizing the Ministry at First Baptist Church ...................182 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................. 185 VITA .....................................................192 v LIST OF TABLES 1. Source: Stedman, Body Life, 88 ........................... 14 2. Source: Allen and Brown, Church and Community Diagnostic Workbook, 68 ................................ .22 3. Source: Allen and Brown, Church and Community Diagnostic Workbook, 68. .. .24 4. The Five Essential Roles of a Pastor ....................... 51 5. Smart Goals ............................................53 6. Six Steps for Targeting Potential Market. ..................62 7 I. Listing of the New Testament Spiritual Gifts ................66 8. Spiritual Gifts Contrasted With Fmit of the Spirit. 66 9. How the Spiritual Gifts Work Together..................... 68 10. Process to Initiate Change. 77 11. Steps to Developing Leadership ...........................82 12. Typology on Size and Stmctural Characteristics. .84 13. Common Characteristics of Various Size Churches. 85 14. Baby Boomers, the Pig in a Python Effect. 97 VI INTRODUCTION The author is committed to the smcere belief that besides being a God-ordained organization, the local church is just as importantly an organism, that is, a living and vibrant body with Jesus Christ as its head. It IS the inherent nature of living orgamsms to grow, expand, thrive and bear fruit. Therefore, it should be the nature of the local church as well. The problem is that far too commonly churches are not growing, expanding, thriving or bearing fruit. It is estimated that 85 percent of the Protestant churches in America have reached a point of stagnation. For whatever reason, and there are a multitude of them, these churches have reached a plateau numerically, financially and spiritually, and find themselves spending all of their efforts to simply maintain the status quo. One of the reasons the alJthor has chosen this topic is because of the particular ministry to which God has caned him. He is the senior pastor of an old church in a changing neighborhood. The church had been in a downward spiral of decline for a number of years. In order to combat that decline and to move the church toward a pattern of growth, an effective strategy needed to be devised and implemented. It is the author's intent to delineate a rationale that could be helpful to other church leaders as they wrestle with the problems of stagnation and decline in their particular situations. Hopefully, some of the information, ideas and methodologies spelled out in this thesis will prove beneficial to others. 1 Explanation of the Problem This thesis will address the matter of stagnation and decline within churches. The reason is the impropriety of this very common problem. This is an issue of major importance because it results m God's work languishing, God's people becoming discouraged, communities being untouched with the gospel of Jesus Christ and multitudes of souls being lost for eternity. An attempt will be made to help enable local churches answer the following questions: (1) "Why are we here?" - to clarify their God-given mission. (2) "How are we doing?" - to analyze their present program. (3) "What is important?" - to prioritize their objectives. (4) "Where do we begin?" - to prepare the congregation for revitalization of ministry. With the general understanding that the local church IS an organism that in the normal course of things should grow, church leaders commonly give little attention to creating the proper environment conducive to growth. The author's purpose in this paper is to can leaders to examine particularly the internal environment of their churches, evaluate that environment and begin to make the changes necessary to best provide opportunity for growth. As stated earlier, many churches are in decline or at best m a holding pattern of stagnation. Ralph Neighbor's statistics are startling: "33 percent of all churches in America never grow past fifty members and another 33 percent never pass 150 members before they stagnate. Another 28 percent never pass 350 members, 2 leaving only 5 percent to grow past the 350 mark. "1 Those statistics are a staggering indictment of the ineffectiveness of local church ministry in America. In view of these facts, it seemed wise to this author to investigate and formulate a workable strategy to help local churches begin to revitalize their ministry. There are certain parameters to the investigation of this thesis. Specifically, though the above questions could cover an exceedingly broad area of discussion, the following limitations win be observed. First, there will be no attempt to investigate nor interpret the factors involving the external environment around the church, While recognizing the validity and importance of such a study, the author believes it is such a vast topic it could well become a thesis in and of itself. This paper will limit itself to investigating the internal mechanisms of a church and suggesting alterations that would most effectively enhance revitalization. Second, it is not the intent of this paper to be exhaustive in its treatment of each subject, but rather to discuss the rationale and consider tentative strategies in several areas. This would allow each church to make application to its particular situation, The intent IS not so much to lead through revitalization as it is to lead to revitalization, that is, to bring a church to the beginning steps. Third, this thesis does not intend to be an exegetical investigation of pertinent Scripture, but rather a practical survey of a workable methodology. 1 Ralph Neighbor, New Wineskins For Future Churches, audiotape lecture presented at Columbia Bible College chapel (Columbia, S.C.: Columbia Bible College Bookstore, 1986). 3 Fourth, helpful charts, graphs, diagrams and questionnaires may be included in the text if appropriate or may be relegated to various appendices at the end of the paper. IVlethodology The author intends to research this thesis through several avenues. First, a study will be undertaken of numerous books written on this and related topics. This material win be gleaned from several universities to which the author has access and from his personal library. Second, a number of other theses which address similar concerns will be examined. These theses will come from several different universities and seminaries, which· assures a variety of approach and broadens the perspective. Third, applicable class notes and classroom discussion from Doctor of Ministry courses taken by the author and which have been helpful in this area will be reviewed. Fourth, pertinent articles from various periodicals win be examined. Fifth, certain procedures the author has used advantageously his own pastorate will be explained and evaluated. Sixth, the author will take note of his observations of other churches, their