This year, God has used the resources of contributing scholars of the Mathena Center for Church Revitalization to train and equip pastors– both current and future – for more faithful service to Christ’s bride. Here are a few of our most popular resources from the past year.
As a bi-vocational pastor you feel the reality of your unique burdens and embrace the opportunities of your unique position. In this helpful article Spencer Harmon shares four basic, and obvious rhythms you can , and should implement as a bi-vocational pastor.
In part two of this series “When is a Church Revitalized” Pastor-Theologian P.J. Tibayan answer two pivotal questions. First, what is Church Revitalization? and secondly, when is it complete? He then unpacks the truth that a Revitalized Church is a Christ-Shaped and Christ-Centered Church.
The work of church reform can look a little like a jungle when you’re in the thick of it. Where do I go from here? Where do I even start? What do you do first? What should you ignore? What’s the goal I should be working toward?
Christ's sheep are vulnerable. Piper was right: Leaders must be willing to stand in the breach and protect the flock. This will always involve the basics: preaching the gospel faithfully, and shepherding God's people willingly, humbly, and tenderly through a myriad of circumstances. But it will also require courageous choices over many years, and that will inevitably produce hardship. Pastors, let us hold fast to the promise that such faithful shepherding will be rewarded when the Chief Shepherd appears with that unfading crown of glory (I Pet. 5:1-4).
Herein lies the essential lesson for all pastors laboring in the work of revitalization. Jesus is with you! He is your shield in that deacons’ meeting. He is there when you are publically rebuked. He is compassionate when your mistake or failure in a decision harms the church. He is sad when his sheep attack you because they do not understand and are afraid. He is your defender when wolves in the church try to harm the sheep. The Chief Shepherd will never abandon his shepherds!
Who do we think that we are? Who does the community think we are? Who are we really? These questions must be answered in the work of Church Revitalization. Before a church understands the need for Church Revitalization they need to know who they are. Here William D. Henard shares practical tips to find your church’s identity.
