what we did to get our priorities right, creating a climate of change

I received my bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University, a great school with, up until recently, I believe the worst record football record of any NCAA Division 1 school. Several years ago now, they brought in a coach named Bill Snyder, who turned the program around to one of the top programs in the nation, but it wasn’t easy. Kansas State football’s only claim to fame was runner-up (read: losing team) in the Independence Bowl in 1982. That was the lone trophy in the trophy case. Not anything to brag about. What Coach Snyder did was to change a mindset, the mindset of the team, the school and the opposing schools K-State was going to play, from being seen as perennial losers to consistent winners, a team not of patsies but one to be feared and respected. Coach Snyder’s task was monumental to say the least, but one he accomplished with amazingly well.

What does this have to do with the church I serve? I stated previously how we had been in a 14 year slide in attendance. CrossRoad (formerly Calvary Baptist Church, the name change is a subject for another time) had a number of difficult issues we went through, attempting to change worship styles, one failed name change, infighting, bickering for the leadership of the church, and finally, an embezzlement that took place over a four year time period. The embezzlement really took its toll, and the blame game and accusations flew everywhere. We were struggling just to survive.

Watching what Coach Snyder did to turn around a football team, I decided the first thing we desperately needed to do was get some victories, no matter how little they might be. We needed to win, and the church needed to see themselves as winners not losers just trying to keep the church doors open. We needed a climate where change was not just acceptable, but expected.

Graduation

Today is the 8th grade graduation at our Christian school. I've had the privilege of meeting with the class monthly during the year, and have thoroughly enjoyed the interaction. Being a youth pastor at one time, I still love the time spent with youth, and relish the time with them. Tonight I'm going to speak (ever so briefly!) on challenge, what it is and how to use it. I'll write more about turning a church around tomorrow. God bless

I read an alarming statistic that’s stuck with me: 85% of churches in the U.S. are either plateaued or dying. There is no way I wanted to be a part of that stat. George Barna, wrote in The church Report this week that “the number of unchurched adults (in the US) continues to grow by nearly a million people a year.” It would seem that the Church (as the body of Christ) is losing the battle of what we were called to do, bring others into a relationship with Christ. I never wanted to be a part of the status quo, or the “let’s just hang on till Jesus comes crowd.” I believe Jesus’ statement that the Kingdom forcefully advances, and forceful men take hold of it. I want to make a difference, not only in this world, but in the lives of people, people in the area God has called me. Hence, the desire to turn a church around. As I read in many church growth books, and heard from so many church leaders, we had to get back on task, and the task was to make disciples of nations. It’s all about evangelism, winning people to Christ, and if we don’t have that as the priority, we’re not doing church right.

Next: What we did to get our priorities right.

Why turnaround?

I've been at my current church for 14 years, 7 1/2 as youth pastor and six plus as the Senior pastor. The church had been in a 12-14 year slide downward in attendance when I started, and was over $1.1 million in debt. The attendance on a Sunday was around 160-170 then. I began a study on turnaround churches, those churches that were established, had their "hey day", and went into decline. I began by reading George Barna's book, "Turnaround Churches." I then talked to other pastors, listened, and tried to get a hold of any books on church growth I could get, attempting to apply them to our situation. In Barna's book, he wrote about the emotional toll it would take on a pastor (and I should add, to the pastor's spouse, too!) to turnaround a church very set in it's ways. What I thought I would do is share some of my victories as well as defeats, pitfalls and triumphs in turning a church around. Hence the name, "turnaround." Why was the word "brave" added to the beginning? Because "turnaround" was taken as a blog name. And for two other reasons, 1. I love the movie, Braveheart, it speaks to me every time I watch it, and 2. it takes bravery to buck the status quo in a church and turn it around. More later.

I've finally gotten started after months of waiting, thinking, and mostly, hesitating, waiting for just the right time. It's finally the right time. As one professor said to me, "sometimes you have to do something, even if it's wrong." Hopefully, I've done something, and it's not wrong!