Is there hope for dying or stuck churches? Yes, there is.
Brian Wangler has led four stuck or dying churches into dramatic growth. One church grew from 5 to 100 in a village of 400. He led another church to over 1000 in attendance.
Here’s how it happened.
Welcome to Episode 76 of the podcast.
Guest Links: Brian Wangler
Chicago’s First Church of Nazarene
Links Mentioned in this Episode
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
Leading Change Without Losing It by Carey Nieuwhof
The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) by Seth Godin
3 Things You Can Do Right Away
They say it’s easier to give birth than raise the dead, but Brian gives church leaders hope, encouragement and confidence that churches on their last limb are still full of potential and have room to grow.
- Look for life in churches, leaders and your surroundings. Don’t zero in on attendance numbers; they can put limitations on your overall outlook. Look at your potential to reach. Where do you see life? Bring it out within your church, within leaders and within the area you’re serving. When you get your chance to put your arm around someone, especially those trying to find themselves in ministry, you’ll see there are things the Lord will do that you can’t do yourself. You’ll find someone who has that fire and that light, and encouragement from you can be imperative.
- Blow up your barriers. There has to be a shift of mindset and a shift of methods. What are you thinking now, and what are you going to do differently? The time to get ready for your next barrier is not when you get there, but the minute you blow through the last one. If you wait, you’ll find yourself overwhelmed and stuck.
- Pursue opportunities to learn. When you expand past your comfort zone, give yourself the opportunity to learn from those who are different than you. Part of what happens in ministry is that we tend to get isolated. We put on a face and “put on” wherever we have to go, and we don’t get a chance to seek help and evaluate our current status. “There have been times when I’ve gained more credibility on my misses than my success,” Brian says. When you look at what you represent, you want to build a leadership culture that will continue to evolve.
