Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!
AKA Core Commitments of RL

• By
• Dr. Tom Cheyney

www.BoomerangChurchs.com Facebook Church
Revitalization Network
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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• If a man chooses to build a tower, he first must
  count the cost.
• Luke 1428

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Every church interested in revitalization must
  have a commitment to a / the process of
  revitalization!
• If you are the church revitalization leader
  and you are not committed to the time necessary
  to achieve church revitalization and health, then
  perhaps another member of your church ought to
  lead the process.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• A Commitment to the Revitalization Process
• Revitalization must receive priority in the
  church calendar if it is going to be revitalized.
  
• Ministry does not stop for sure, but it does mean
  that in order to allow church leadership to
  participate, the events surrounding
  revitalization are given high priority for the
  duration of the church revitalization process.
• Church revitalization becomes a known and valued
  experience. It is a worthwhile investment for
  leaders and laity alike. Laity feel that their
  ideas and suggestions are being heard and actions
  are being carried out.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• A Commitment to the Harvest
• Revitalization challenges churches and leaders to
  health and effectiveness. Revitalization leaders
  are committed to making more and better
  disciples.
• A Harvest commitment challenges the leader to
  examine his churches local community and discover
  its unique calling for ministry.
• Revitalization leaders challenge their people to
  prayerfully consider their role in the harvest.
  The challenge is one of labor. Jesus told His
  disciples to pray that the Lord of the Harvest
  would send out laborers for the Harvest.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• A Commitment to Growth
• Healthy things grow. Growth requires change.
  Change is an issue of obedience.
• Revitalization calls a church leader to greater
  obedience and conformity to the will of God for
  the local church. Obedience is a call to
  personal change.
• Those leading a local church towards
  revitalization bear the responsibility to lead
  the church to fulfill the mandates of scripture.
  The Great Commission (Matthew 28) and the Great
  Commandment (Matthew 22) are foundational to the
  Church revitalization process.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• A Commitment as a leader to (Abiding)
• Reaffirmation of a commitment to align ones life
  and ministry with the authority of the
  scriptures.
• Renewed commitment to intercessory prayer and to
  spiritual appraisal of the issues and concepts
  surfaced in the revitalization process.
• Commitment to participate in leading the church
  to a greater focus on and personally become
  involved in the harvest.
• Commitment to implement the agreed upon
  initiatives that are agreed upon in the church
  revitalization process.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Commitment to Share the Vision and keep the
  church connected to what is happening
• Remember our call is not to invent future but to
  discover what God is doing.
• Our call is to align ourselves with his purposes
  in the expansion of Gods kingdom.
• The ability to articulate a clear, practical,
  transformational vision which answers the
  question, "Where are we headed?"

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Commitment to Bring About Healthy Change-
• Change builds upon an urgency and vision for a
  new community.
• There must become this feeling of holy discontent
  where the gap between the current realities and
  Gods ideal plan are heightened.
• Churches are prone to insular thinking and a
  denial of reality.
• There is a great need for building a sense of
  urgency and a healthy momentum for change.
• Healthy preparation is directly connected to a
  healthy outcome. Shared ownership is a
  prerequisite to change.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Commitment to Influence the Culture where the
  church is located

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Commitment to Develop Influencers within the
  revitalized church-
• Influencer is anyone who is able to exercise
  significant influence over the people, the focus
  or the future of a church, ministry, or
  organization.
• Many people within any given church hold the
  power. While some is positional influence there
  are those who have collective influence which
  trumps those with positions every time.
• Influencers can change congregational behavior by
  supporting or boycotting ministries, withholding
  resources, or using their influence to influence
  votes.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Commitment to Develop Influencers within the
  revitalized church- (These powerbrokers are the
  single most important shaping factor in the
  history of the church).
• Influencer Types
• Opinion setters those who hold the power
  because of visible influence in decision making.
• Gatekeepers some hold power by keeping things
  from happening, preventing issues from being
  aired or addressed. Tenure is often a way a
  gatekeeper exercises control.
• Understanding an influencers frame of reference
  can be the key to helping him become a positive
  part of the future direction.

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Seven Types of Influencers within Your Church!

• Encourager Ability to affirm people and
  process.
• - Blocker Struggles with changes and
  methodologies or change.
• - Resister Reacts with Skepticism and doubts.
• Vocalizer Able to articulate issues and
  express insights.

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Seven Types of Influencers within Your Church!

• Innovator Drawn to the new and untried.
• - Defender Speaks on behalf of the existing.
• - / Maintainer Desires the enhancement of the
  current state.

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Seven Tips in Working with Church Powerbrokers

• Rejection of your evaluation of the current
  situation and need for change. (Your response
  Ask for their specific help in clarifying the
  evaluation.)
• Change perceived as little or no improvement on
  the present. (Your Response Recast the vision
  as a new step with origins in the past).

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Seven Tips in Working with Church Powerbrokers

• Change is not consistent with values and past
  experience. (Your response Find the threads
  that are consistent and emphasize them.)
• Change is too difficult church is not ready.
  (Your response Break vision into bite-size
  steps and accomplishments).
• An inability to communicate the advantages of the
  innovation. (Your response Use story telling
  about the end result of the vision).

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Seven Tips in Working with Church Powerbrokers

• Powerbrokers not consulted before attempting to
  make changes. (Your response Test the
  change before implementation and gain feedback.
• Perception of destroying the organization rather
  than enhancing it. (Your response Discussion
  what will not change while new changes occur).

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Possesses the ability to build teams (Ten
  Characteristics of an Effective Revitalization
  Team)
• Focused Mission or goal of team clearly defined
• Informal Climate of team is comfortable and
  relaxed.
• Participative Much discussion all encouraged to
  participate.
• Listening God questioning, summarizing and
  synthesizing

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Possesses the ability to build teams (Ten
  Characteristics of an Effective Revitalization
  Team)
• Open discussions Freedom to express various
  points of view.
• Clear roles Clear expectations of each team
  member.
• Shared leadership Formal leader, but functions
  can shift.
• Style diversity Broad spectrum of team player
  types.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Possesses the ability to build teams (Ten
  Characteristics of an Effective Revitalization
  Team)
• External Input Developing of outside
  relationship.
• Self-evaluation Periodic review of effectiveness.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Able to manage the conflict that will surface
  during church revitalization
• Conflict will occur as revitalization leaders
  seek to bring about change. Remember that God
  causes all things to work together. There is
  purpose even in conflict.
• God builds greater spiritual authority through
  conflict.
• Conflict and problem solving are not synonymous,
  however every conflict requires problem solving
  skills at some point.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Able to manage the conflict that will surface
  during church revitalization
• Conflict defined
• Conflict is a problem to be solved that includes
  personalities and emotions which have lined up in
  opposition to each other. In fact, a conflicted
  situation usually contains multiple problems.
• Four Steps to problem solving define the issues,
  explore the options, plan the solution, and take
  action to ensure results.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Able to manage the conflict that will surface
  during church revitalization
• Consider the possible agendas the following
  people of your church might have
• Core Family member
• Lead Pastor
• New Attenders
• Remaining Staff
• Denominational leaders

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Able to manage the conflict that will surface
  during church revitalization
• The three types of conflict which often occur in
  your church
• Conflict avoidance Refusal to acknowledge and/or
  deal with conflict.
• Conflict hibernation Hidden below the surface,
  peaceful, but problems will resurface later with
  greater intensity if left unresolved.
• Conflict crisis Eruption crisis due to
  unresolved agendas.

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Four categories in which ministry conflict can
  surface during church revitalization
• Leadership Style issues of expectations
• Relationships and personality issues of
  people
• Vision and faith issues of leadership
• Need for and pace of change issues of growth

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Develops the ability to build a cohesive
  leadership community
  (Five Areas of Focus)
• Leadership
• Personal Support Encouragement
• Skills Training
• Expand Vision
• Apprenticing -

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• One more bonus
• Next slide

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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!

• Creating A Synergy of Energy
• This is a time, which calls for a critical
  mass of transitional church revitalization
  leaders who will commit to creating a synergy of
  energy within their circle of influence so new
  levels spiritual success can be reached.

Will You Be One!
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Qualities of a Church Revitalization Leader!
AKA Core Commitments of RL

• By
• Dr. Tom Cheyney

www.BoomerangChurchs.com Facebook Church
Revitalization Network