The Secret to Church Revitalization
I've had the privilege of walking alongside several pastors who are engaged in the complex but beautiful work of church revitalization. I've also served in congregations facing the same challenges, and I've noticed a critical piece of the revitalization process that often goes unmentioned.
Revitalization begins with asking people to step aside.
Declining churches naturally sift out those most open to change, leaving behind a high concentration of the most committed (and stubborn) individuals. Those open to change are more likely to have left, simply because of their openness to change. That means churches in decline can quickly become dominated by those who insist on control, and this desire for power is often rewarded by a church that needs them. The Church needs them in multiple committees, the Church needs their donations, and their advice. This need fuels their commitment to the church, sometimes in unhealthy ways.
Ask someone at a declining church if they would enjoy church if they no longer had to make decisions, and you'll quickly uncover if there are ulterior motives or unhealthy perceptions at play. Throw in a good mix of grief, scarcity of resources, and years of conflict, and it's no wonder churches feel stuck. The only way forward is to find leaders who are willing to approach the challenges with hope and remove those who won’t.
Anyone who’s been in church leadership for any significant amount of time can tell you about the leaders who needed to step aside. The reasons might include:
Resistance to change – Automatic "no" to new ideas, regardless of their merit.
Legacy entitlement – Long-term members or families believe tenure equals ownership.
Manipulative giving – Financial contributions are used as leverage to demand influence.
Chronic negativity – Consistently discouraging leaders or initiatives, often with phrases like "we tried that before."
Drama-stirring – Gossip, back-channel conversations, and personal attacks instead of open dialogue.
Avoidance of accountability – Resistance to job descriptions, evaluations, or agreed-upon expectations.
The list could go on. And let me be very clear: pastors and conference leaders are not immune to these tendencies. Look out for these red flags in your church—and in yourself.
Remember the story of Saul and David (1 Samuel 9–17). Saul seemed like the "ideal" leader: tall, handsome, and from the "right" family (1 Samuel 9:2). David, by contrast, was a shepherd boy, overlooked even by his own father (1 Samuel 16:11). Yet under the surface, it was David—"a man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14)—who would be celebrated in Scripture. What makes a good leader isn't appearance, charisma, or pedigree. It's how well you manage your heart and character. If you read Saul's story, especially his desperate attempts to cling to power after God had already moved on (1 Samuel 15:24–30), it's hard not to see a parable for many church leaders today, both lay and clergy. Saul's jealousy, fear, and obsession with control became glaring red flags that led to his downfall (1 Samuel 18:8–12). A church or a leader cannot flourish when those traits take root.
Nobody is perfect, and mistakes are inevitable. However, churches and organizations cannot move forward when red flags plague leadership.
It's impossible to move forward when every church decision comes with the fear of stepping on a landmine. Do you have people you have to be careful around, placating them or avoiding them, for fear they might explode and disrupt the good that's happening? When landmines are left unchecked, the church is already stuck. It doesn't matter how vital these leaders are to the church or how much they donate; revitalization is impossible if toxic influence is left unchallenged. No amount of coaching, marketing, or contemporary worship will make up the difference.
For those of us in the United Methodist Church, I have good news. Pastors do not work for the congregation. We are appointed by the bishop and supervised by district superintendents, but we are ultimately servants of God. The Book of Discipline says, “United Methodist clergy appointed to local churches are not employees of the local church, the district, or the annual conference… it is the responsibility of the clergy to be God’s servants” (Paragraph 143).
When things get tough, and a church member or conference leader is throwing you under the bus, remember who you work for.
And for those UM pastors reading this, remember that you are the chair of the nominations committee. As the chair of nominations, you are responsible for who’s placed in leadership. Whatever your polity looks like, it’s the job and responsibility of pastors to install the right leaders. Do what the Bishop said when you were ordained and “take authority.” Please don't leave it on the ground for anyone to trample. Pick it up and exercise it with grace, kindness, and integrity to “order the life of the church.”
The difference between a church with potential and a church stuck in decline has little to do with its money or resources. The real ticket is that those with potential have already done the hard work of saying "no" to the right people. With them out of the way, new life becomes possible.
Your church will never be the hands and feet of Jesus if the least Christ-like people in your congregation handcuff your decisions.
If you've never had to ask someone to step down from leadership or remove a disruptive influence, it's an essential skill for revitalizing churches and organizations. Thankfully, this is made easier with the right policies and processes. You will need to have clear policies for how leaders are appointed to their roles (including interviews and applications), clear expectations for that role (job descriptions), feedback loops for accountability and growth (regular evaluations), and a process for removing those who are causing harm (termination and removal procedures). A method for each of these is essential for not only paid staff but also for all significant leadership roles, including committee members, volunteers, and board members. Do this well and your church will be ready to grow.
Not sure where to start? Grab my book, The Progressive Planter. I spend half the book discussing the importance of building healthy systems, and the book comes with hundreds of free templates, including job descriptions, staff policies, organizational charts, and more.