Sam Rainer defines revitalization in this way. “It is a process by which a church becomes healthier overtime.” My question is how are you defining a healthy church? There are various definitions of a healthy church depending on who you are talking to. Some would say a growing church, while others would highlight a church that has a full sanctuary on Sunday. I have even heard some say it is a church that has little or no conflict. I would agree all of these are signs of a healthy church but are not characteristics of one. I have been using the definition being used by the IMB for many years that is not an exhausted list but one that captures the essence or a healthy church. The Missionary Task: Forming a Healthy Church. [1]
Here are the twelve characteristics the IMB have identified that mark healthy churches in every context.
The IMB goes on to say in the article that the “IMB has identified twelve characteristics of a healthy church that guide our efforts. These attributes are not a checklist to reach a destination but rather a description of the innate traits of a sustainable church. They are essential for church health.”[2]
Defining you target is the first step in achieving true revitalization. Our heart at the Catawba Valley Baptist Association is to help every church grow in all areas of health for the advancement of the Gospel and the Gory of God.
[1] https://www.imb.org/2018/11/06/missionary-task-healthy-church/
[2] [2] ibid
Books to Read:
Church Revitalization Checklist by Sam Rainer
Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom Rainer
Anatomy of a Revived Church by Thom Rainer