Leading a turnaround church is tough.
Leading it after the previous leader experienced moral failure is even harder.
Doing it all at age 29 makes the story remarkable. Brent Ingersoll stepped directly from student ministry into the senior leader’s chair where he’s led the church to rapid growth and expansion in an area in which few churches are growing. Here’s Brent Ingersoll’s story.
Welcome to Episode 84 of the Podcast.
Guest Links: Brent Ingersoll
Links Mentioned in this Episode
3 Things You Can Do Right Away
In his late 20s, Brent became the lead pastor of a church that was on the decline after irreconcilable conflicts with the former pastor. From his experience, Brent walks us through the steps he took to develop a team, grow his ministry and hang on to faith in the process.
- Let God go to work. Brent was thrown into a situation where the only resource he had was God. When you’re in the midst of a difficult season, recognize that God will pour out His grace, and trust that He wants to do amazing things through you. Don’t try to rush through the turmoil or dust it under the rug. Let God do what He’s supposed to do. Brent says to “let the wrecking ball hit,” and once the dust settles, you’ll have a huge opportunity to make lasting changes. Your church will be listening, and they’re ready.
- Understand risks related to growth. Expect attendance to turnover, but don’t take it personally. People are going to leave, yet others will want to see what’s new. People are still finding Jesus, and their families are excited about it. Brent says he sees a lot of new generation Christians in his church, and word-of-mouth has been the biggest influencer. Give people something good to talk about.
- Embrace risk and trust God. Brent’s turbulent season allowed him to recapture a vulnerable level of open-handed faithfulness. Remember, you can only say yes to what God wants you to do, and success is as big of a test as suffering. Take hold of God and keep your hands open, not allowing yourself to lose faith in His will. Live within calculated risks where God has to show up. If there’s no place for God to show up and do something, you’re not exercising faith. Give Him the chance to work for you, because the pressure is on God. It’s His church.
