The stages of the Renew Montana build upon one another as a church chooses to take the next step. Our hope is that the tools of the Renew Montana Network will enable pastors to contextualize a church revitalization process at each stage.

 

Renew

1. Embrace – A Renew Montana Champion will explain the process.

   • 40 Days of Prayer for Spiritual Renewal

     • Small Group discussion guides

     • Worship service integration

• Read Flickering Lamps: Christ and His Church by Henry & Richard Blackaby

• Pastor-led sermon series

• Six-week study with small group discussion guides

1. Evaluate – Pastor Personal Health Assessment with Regional Renew Champion

   • Enter a Pastor Care Cohort with your family to build trusting relationships

   • Experience an Oasis Retreat for respite and refreshing

   • Join the Renew Montana Network for monthly prayer gatherings

   • Ministry Coaching with Regional Renew Champion

     • Encouragement and support for establishing strategic goals (personal/church)

     • Falling in Love with Jesus (AGAIN) by David Jackson

2. Empowered – Pastor-led church revitalization with support of the Renew Montana Network

 

Revaluation

1. Discover – A Renew Montana Champion from your region will explain the process.

   • Complete Church Health Survey based on nine healthy church targets.

     • Identifies: Worshipper, Family, and Missionary

     • Foundations: Scripture, Gospel, and Prayer

     • Structures: Discipleship, Membership, and Leadership

• Complete a Community Survey to discover the makeup and needs of your community.

1. Evaluate – Renew Montana Champion will review the findings with observations.

2. Empowered – Pastor-driven revitalization with relevant data from surveys and observations.

 

Revitalization

1. Explore – A Renew Montana Champion will guide church leaders in the process.

• Organize a Church Summit for congregational input into the church revitalization process.

• The Renew Montana Champion will review the findings of the church health assessment and community survey with the church, field questions and make observations.

• What is the life cycle of the church?

• What are the vital signs of the church?

• What are the strengths, weaknesses, observations, and threats (SWOT)?

• The Renew Montana Champion will use discovery questions to engage the church.

• What is the heart of God for the lost?

• What does it mean to be a disciple?

• What are unique ways the church can engage community?

1. Recommendations – The Renew Montana Champion will guide the church to chart a path forward.

   • The outcomes of the Church Summit will determine priorities and goals.

   • The church creates action steps.

2. Implementation – The Renew Montana Champion supports church with resources and coaching.

 

Replant

When a church determines they no longer have the capacity to be a healthy church, the membership determines their next steps. This may include giving property and assets to a local SBC church, their association, or to the MTSBC for future church planting. The disbanding members are encouraged to form a prayer group for a future church. In some cases, a missional community is created to prepare the “spiritual soil” of the community for a future work.