Slaying the Dragons of Church Revitalization: Dealing with the Critical Issues that are Hurting Your Church

Do you believe in dragons? There are some dragons running all over today's declining churches. This past summer a popular movie about a friendly dragon made quite a splash. But when you think about it most dragons are not the loveable ones we see in the movies. When I was in seminary, a book came out speaking of well-intentioned dragons as problem people within our local churches. Now some thirty plus years later, I write this book, Slaying the Dragons of Church Revitalization: Dealing with the Critical Issues that are Hurting Your Church! I use the term not to target difficult individuals but rather in my treaties to seek to conquer - or slay as it were - those many critical issues which are destroying the declining church in need of revitalization and renewal. Why write a book on the critical issues facing churches that are in need of revitalization and renewal? It is not a surprise to most church members today that the church of the western hemisphere is in grave trouble. The new century presents some great and exciting challenges to the Christian Church. We are living in a day where seemingly everything around us is growing except us, the churches where we attend. Our last census showed us that America is growing. Our schools are full of children and youth. Even in our colleges and universities the attendance is on the rise. However, in one southern state our total church membership is down more than 22%, Sunday School attendance is down 24%, baptisms are down 28%, and the number of those joining the church by ways other than baptism is down 37% over the past fifteen years! I would say that now is the time for church revitalization and renewal! With the turn of the twenty-first century sustained growth within our churches is an intermittent exception while decline seems to be more of the pronouncement. The rank and file of our churches appears powerless to assemble the strength that is needed to get the church growing again. The need for training today's minister with the tools and skill sets necessary to combat this rampant plateau and decline is crucial. Slaying the Dragons of Church Revitalization: Dealing with the Critical Issues that are Hurting Your Church, has sought to present the most critical issues for renewal. I understand that there are possibly a lot more that have come to your mind. There were three more that I still pray about should I have included them within this manuscript. However, these were the issues that, while universal in nature, are the most relevant to many church revitalizers and their individual situations. As you journey forward from this book towards revitalization, what you have thought about from these pages will help you and prove instrumental. Assess where you are in each of these critical issues and then allow the Lord to work on you and your church as you diligently work to overcome the ones that are dragging down your church. Be bold. Seek the Lord in His holy place each day. Be wise as a church revitalizer. Be courageous in your leading of others. And remember to love the Lord our God as He indeed will direct your path. God Will Revitalize His Church!