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I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples. (John 15: 5, 7-8 CSB)

Every church has a life cycle that begins strong and grows. But over time, the church will plateau and eventually decline. Just like every believer finds moments in their life that they need a Fresh Start, a church that is plateaued or declining needs to discover a renewed vision and purpose. The verse above reminds us that we need to stay “connected” with God. Just like a person can wander away from God’s path and His plan for them, so can the church. If this is your church, maybe it needs a “Fresh Start”.

36 “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind., 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself., 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” (Matthew 22:36-39 CSB)

In order to have a fresh start, the church needs a…

  • Fresh heart – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
  • Renewed focus on loving the community – “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

In partnership with your local Associational Missionary Strategist, we will assist you in assessing your church and discover your best path forward. Your local AMS and Louisiana Baptists can assist you in three ways:

  • Provide assessments to discover your current reality and develop a plan to lead your church to return to God’s purpose and plan for your community.
  • Provide direction for putting the right team together in your church to lead the process.
  • Provide ongoing support through tools, resources and coaching for the best possible outcome.

Fresh Start will guide your congregation to either:

Revitalize:
  • Retool – Maybe your church has lost their passion for God, one another, and your community. A fresh start may mean rediscovering your churches’ purpose and vision and “retooling” the structure, systems and leadership toward your renewed purpose and vision.
  • Refocus – As years go by and plateau moves to decline, it is time for the leadership and the church to refocus. Fewer people, fewer leaders and fewer resources force the church to rethink what they are doing. When a church continues to do the same things they have always done and getting very little results. It’s time for a change.
RePlant or Restart:
  • Restructure – At this point, new resources and a new vision is required. The DNA of a dying church has set in and most likely cannot be reversed. It is time for desperate measures. The church needs help. They don’t have the people, the leadership, or the resources to do this on their own. They need to restart.
  • Release – The inevitable has happened. Money has run out and very few people are hanging with the church. There is not much more to do than to close the church. The One True Church and the Kingdom of God will never die or go away, but sometimes local churches do. It is time to replant. It’s time for new leadership, new people, and a new vision to come in and reach the community for Christ.

Use the form below to begin the conversation to discover the best path forward for your church.

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For more information, email Sean Keith, or call 318.449.4227.