Young Pastor's Guide: 5 Shifts to Revitalize Your Traditional Church

so you're a young pastor and you've got so you're a young pastor and you've got a traditional church right you didn't a traditional church right you didn't a traditional church right you didn't Church Plant you just inherited this Church Plant you just inherited this Church Plant you just inherited this congregation that's been around for a congregation that's been around for a congregation that's been around for a while what are your first moves to help while what are your first moves to help while what are your first moves to help see the church Thrive again or maybe see the church Thrive again or maybe see the church Thrive again or maybe Thrive for the first time let's dive Thrive for the first time let's dive Thrive for the first time let's dive [Music] [Music] [Music] in shouldn't young leaders simply plant in shouldn't young leaders simply plant in shouldn't young leaders simply plant new churches I mean isn't that a better new churches I mean isn't that a better new churches I mean isn't that a better idea well when I started out in min idea well when I started out in min idea well when I started out in min I began leading three small honestly I began leading three small honestly I began leading three small honestly dying traditional churches and it was a dying traditional churches and it was a dying traditional churches and it was a challenge I mean they hadn't grown in challenge I mean they hadn't grown in challenge I mean they hadn't grown in decades and I had to figure out exactly decades and I had to figure out exactly decades and I had to figure out exactly what to do and it was not easy uh what to do and it was not easy uh what to do and it was not easy uh however it is possible I had a leader I however it is possible I had a leader I however it is possible I had a leader I respected tell me when I explained the respected tell me when I explained the respected tell me when I explained the situation I've got these three little situation I've got these three little situation I've got these three little churches that can't afford a full-time churches that can't afford a full-time churches that can't afford a full-time Pastor so they hired me I was actually Pastor so they hired me I was actually Pastor so they hired me I was actually still in seminary at the time uh and I still in seminary at the time uh and I still in seminary at the time uh and I was affordable right I was I was getable was affordable right I was I was getable was affordable right I was I was getable I remember telling him we're going to I remember telling him we're going to I remember telling him we're going to rejuvenate these dying traditional rejuvenate these dying traditional rejuvenate these dying traditional churches and he told me look it's easier churches and he told me look it's easier churches and he told me look it's easier to give birth than raise the dead in to give birth than raise the dead in to give birth than raise the dead in other words cut your losses uh just go other words cut your losses uh just go other words cut your losses uh just go plant a church but I told them look I plant a church but I told them look I plant a church but I told them look I believe in a God who specializes in believe in a God who specializes in believe in a God who specializes in Resurrection and you know what those Resurrection and you know what those Resurrection and you know what those churches would go on to grow we would churches would go on to grow we would churches would go on to grow we would leave the original historic buildings leave the original historic buildings leave the original historic buildings within 5 years move to an elementary within 5 years move to an elementary within 5 years move to an elementary school build a brand new facility then school build a brand new facility then school build a brand new facility then we transition into a non-denominational we transition into a non-denominational we transition into a non-denominational church which by the time I left had an

church which by the time I left had an church which by the time I left had an attendance of over a thousand and was uh attendance of over a thousand and was uh attendance of over a thousand and was uh really a church where three or 4,000 really a church where three or 4,000 really a church where three or 4,000 people called The Church home so people called The Church home so people called The Church home so transformation is possible I believe in transformation is possible I believe in transformation is possible I believe in a God who specializes in Resurrection a God who specializes in Resurrection a God who specializes in Resurrection and that's what I think you can see too and that's what I think you can see too and that's what I think you can see too in your mid so on that note I want to in your mid so on that note I want to in your mid so on that note I want to look at the numbers before I show you look at the numbers before I show you look at the numbers before I show you exactly what to do if you're in that exactly what to do if you're in that exactly what to do if you're in that situation where you're a young Pastor situation where you're a young Pastor situation where you're a young Pastor leading a traditional church I want you leading a traditional church I want you leading a traditional church I want you to think about the number for a moment to think about the number for a moment to think about the number for a moment because it is a good question like why because it is a good question like why because it is a good question like why doesn't everybody just plant a new doesn't everybody just plant a new doesn't everybody just plant a new church and let the dying Church die for church and let the dying Church die for church and let the dying Church die for every new church planted in America every new church planted in America every new church planted in America today three traditional existing today three traditional existing today three traditional existing churches close their doors forever yep churches close their doors forever yep churches close their doors forever yep that's three churches closing for every that's three churches closing for every that's three churches closing for every new church planted and the majority of new church planted and the majority of new church planted and the majority of church closures are existing traditional church closures are existing traditional church closures are existing traditional churches congregations with deep roots churches congregations with deep roots churches congregations with deep roots and Rich histories who've just had a and Rich histories who've just had a and Rich histories who've just had a really hard time so if you think about really hard time so if you think about really hard time so if you think about that mathematically it makes sense to that mathematically it makes sense to that mathematically it makes sense to help rejuvenate those churches because help rejuvenate those churches because help rejuvenate those churches because there are way more of them than there there are way more of them than there there are way more of them than there are Church plants and I've worked with are Church plants and I've worked with are Church plants and I've worked with countless young leaders pastoring countless young leaders pastoring countless young leaders pastoring traditional churches who tell me you traditional churches who tell me you traditional churches who tell me you know I just started ministry at a know I just started ministry at a know I just started ministry at a traditional church what do I need to do traditional church what do I need to do traditional church what do I need to do a lot of people say well I'm going to a lot of people say well I'm going to a lot of people say well I'm going to Target the music I'm G to transform the Target the music I'm G to transform the Target the music I'm G to transform the preaching style uh we'll get some preaching style uh we'll get some preaching style uh we'll get some technology and get a nice uh LED screen technology and get a nice uh LED screen technology and get a nice uh LED screen and uh some lights and you know and uh some lights and you know and uh some lights and you know everything will be fine well clearly everything will be fine well clearly everything will be fine well clearly those are things you probably at some those are things you probably at some those are things you probably at some some point need to tackle but those are some point need to tackle but those are some point need to tackle but those are not the places you probably want to

not the places you probably want to not the places you probably want to start you can probably change all of start you can probably change all of start you can probably change all of that and miss most of what you need to that and miss most of what you need to that and miss most of what you need to focus on in fact the church could die focus on in fact the church could die focus on in fact the church could die I've seen it happen if all you're I've seen it happen if all you're I've seen it happen if all you're focusing on is the form uh you're going focusing on is the form uh you're going focusing on is the form uh you're going to make a mistake okay you can get a Tik to make a mistake okay you can get a Tik to make a mistake okay you can get a Tik Tock account but your Tik Tock account Tock account but your Tik Tock account Tock account but your Tik Tock account is going to attract people to a dying is going to attract people to a dying is going to attract people to a dying church that's kind of weird now because church that's kind of weird now because church that's kind of weird now because you've got all this technology all right you've got all this technology all right you've got all this technology all right so what I would do if you're a young so what I would do if you're a young so what I would do if you're a young leader is I would start to focus on five leader is I would start to focus on five leader is I would start to focus on five critical ships critical ships critical ships that I think traditional churches need that I think traditional churches need that I think traditional churches need to make to see genuine rebirth and to make to see genuine rebirth and to make to see genuine rebirth and sustainable growth so what's the first sustainable growth so what's the first sustainable growth so what's the first change you need to make well I would say change you need to make well I would say change you need to make well I would say number one Elevate the mission over the number one Elevate the mission over the number one Elevate the mission over the methods see walking into some methods see walking into some methods see walking into some traditional churches it feels like traditional churches it feels like traditional churches it feels like stepping in a museum you can literally stepping in a museum you can literally stepping in a museum you can literally smell a year you know you walk into a smell a year you know you walk into a smell a year you know you walk into a church it's church it's church it's like 1987 or you know in some cases 1948 like 1987 or you know in some cases 1948 like 1987 or you know in some cases 1948 right okay I mean churches just have right okay I mean churches just have right okay I mean churches just have that old Museum like feeling uh and in that old Museum like feeling uh and in that old Museum like feeling uh and in those churches often preservation those churches often preservation those churches often preservation Trump's purpose methods have become more Trump's purpose methods have become more Trump's purpose methods have become more sacred than the mission now I'm not sacred than the mission now I'm not sacred than the mission now I'm not saying history doesn't matter I walked saying history doesn't matter I walked saying history doesn't matter I walked into three very historic churches one into three very historic churches one into three very historic churches one dated back to 1840 they all had stained dated back to 1840 they all had stained dated back to 1840 they all had stained glass they were beautiful facilities glass they were beautiful facilities glass they were beautiful facilities that dated back to the 19th century and that dated back to the 19th century and that dated back to the 19th century and history matters okay I even I personally history matters okay I even I personally history matters okay I even I personally have a degree in history but no have a degree in history but no have a degree in history but no congregation can let the methods of the congregation can let the methods of the congregation can let the methods of the past past past become more sacred than the mission that become more sacred than the mission that become more sacred than the mission that is eternal and that's the first lesson

is eternal and that's the first lesson is eternal and that's the first lesson you've got to kind of walk your you've got to kind of walk your you've got to kind of walk your congregation through so the question congregation through so the question congregation through so the question becomes what do you do well what you becomes what do you do well what you becomes what do you do well what you want to do is you want to honor the past want to do is you want to honor the past want to do is you want to honor the past without living in it I learned that from without living in it I learned that from without living in it I learned that from a Disney imagineer and if you think a Disney imagineer and if you think a Disney imagineer and if you think about Disney I mean you know Mickey about Disney I mean you know Mickey about Disney I mean you know Mickey Mouse is over a hundred years old they Mouse is over a hundred years old they Mouse is over a hundred years old they have masterly preserved Walt's Vision have masterly preserved Walt's Vision have masterly preserved Walt's Vision but they're continually innovating how but they're continually innovating how but they're continually innovating how they deliver it the theme park that you they deliver it the theme park that you they deliver it the theme park that you walk into today is not the theme park walk into today is not the theme park walk into today is not the theme park that you walked into 20 years ago so that you walked into 20 years ago so that you walked into 20 years ago so your methods should serve your mission your methods should serve your mission your methods should serve your mission not the other way around so here's the not the other way around so here's the not the other way around so here's the warning you need to keep in mind okay warning you need to keep in mind okay warning you need to keep in mind okay churches that love their methods more churches that love their methods more churches that love their methods more than their mission will die so the first than their mission will die so the first than their mission will die so the first thing you're going to focus on is thing you're going to focus on is thing you're going to focus on is Mission over methods Mission over Mission over methods Mission over Mission over methods Mission over methods okay here's the second thing you methods okay here's the second thing you methods okay here's the second thing you need to focus on embrace the truth don't need to focus on embrace the truth don't need to focus on embrace the truth don't dilute it there's a growing drift toward dilute it there's a growing drift toward dilute it there's a growing drift toward diluting the message of the Gospel in a diluting the message of the Gospel in a diluting the message of the Gospel in a lot of dying churches um it's it's just lot of dying churches um it's it's just lot of dying churches um it's it's just the truth if you're a traditional Church the truth if you're a traditional Church the truth if you're a traditional Church maybe there's been a little bit of maybe there's been a little bit of maybe there's been a little bit of gospel dilution now when Jesus becomes a gospel dilution now when Jesus becomes a gospel dilution now when Jesus becomes a way to God not the way to God the world way to God not the way to God the world way to God not the way to God the world begins to wonder well what do you really begins to wonder well what do you really begins to wonder well what do you really stand for right think about it this way stand for right think about it this way stand for right think about it this way if you were to convert to Buddhism you if you were to convert to Buddhism you if you were to convert to Buddhism you know if I was I would want to become a know if I was I would want to become a know if I was I would want to become a Buddhist not like a diet Buddhist or a Buddhist not like a diet Buddhist or a Buddhist not like a diet Buddhist or a Buddhist light or you know if you're Buddhist light or you know if you're Buddhist light or you know if you're converting to Islam or to Judaism converting to Islam or to Judaism converting to Islam or to Judaism wouldn't you want to go all in it's like wouldn't you want to go all in it's like wouldn't you want to go all in it's like I want to know what the real thing is I want to know what the real thing is I want to know what the real thing is don't dilute it for me and when church don't dilute it for me and when church don't dilute it for me and when church leaders dilute the gospel leaders dilute the gospel leaders dilute the gospel the message loses its power it's not the the message loses its power it's not the the message loses its power it's not the gospel anymore so biblical conviction is

gospel anymore so biblical conviction is gospel anymore so biblical conviction is more powerful than theological more powerful than theological more powerful than theological compromise in fact there was a recent compromise in fact there was a recent compromise in fact there was a recent study done that showed that churches study done that showed that churches study done that showed that churches that are a little bit stricter on that are a little bit stricter on that are a little bit stricter on Doctrine tend to do better than churches Doctrine tend to do better than churches Doctrine tend to do better than churches that are looser and all you have to do that are looser and all you have to do that are looser and all you have to do is look across the American landscape is look across the American landscape is look across the American landscape and you'll see lots of churches that are and you'll see lots of churches that are and you'll see lots of churches that are sort of wishy-washy theologically now sort of wishy-washy theologically now sort of wishy-washy theologically now that doesn't mean you need to be mean that doesn't mean you need to be mean that doesn't mean you need to be mean that doesn't mean you need to be cruel that doesn't mean you need to be cruel that doesn't mean you need to be cruel that doesn't mean you need to be abusive that doesn't mean you need to be abusive that doesn't mean you need to be abusive what it does mean is that the gospel is what it does mean is that the gospel is what it does mean is that the gospel is the gospel the truth is the truth Jesus the gospel the truth is the truth Jesus the gospel the truth is the truth Jesus is the way not a way you can be very is the way not a way you can be very is the way not a way you can be very accommodating to people who have accommodating to people who have accommodating to people who have different views but if that conviction different views but if that conviction different views but if that conviction is at the heart of what you do you're is at the heart of what you do you're is at the heart of what you do you're going to see a lot more progress because going to see a lot more progress because going to see a lot more progress because you're being the authentic church and you're being the authentic church and you're being the authentic church and authentic churches biblically are the authentic churches biblically are the authentic churches biblically are the churches that are growing right now and churches that are growing right now and churches that are growing right now and there's a good reason for that third there's a good reason for that third there's a good reason for that third Point don't let belief squash Faith okay Point don't let belief squash Faith okay Point don't let belief squash Faith okay I know this sounds like heresy but often I know this sounds like heresy but often I know this sounds like heresy but often what you have left in a traditional what you have left in a traditional what you have left in a traditional church is people who believe and that's church is people who believe and that's church is people who believe and that's wonderful okay good you believe you wonderful okay good you believe you wonderful okay good you believe you believe in God that's great but it's not believe in God that's great but it's not believe in God that's great but it's not enough often debate in traditional enough often debate in traditional enough often debate in traditional churches is characterized by positions churches is characterized by positions churches is characterized by positions of what is culturally right and wrong or of what is culturally right and wrong or of what is culturally right and wrong or what is liberal versus what is what is liberal versus what is what is liberal versus what is conservative or some Doctrine or conservative or some Doctrine or conservative or some Doctrine or interpretation people are very interpretation people are very interpretation people are very passionate about so if you into very passionate about so if you into very passionate about so if you into very conservative traditional churches conservative traditional churches conservative traditional churches they're like we're all about these rules they're like we're all about these rules they're like we're all about these rules are you going to Liberal traditional are you going to Liberal traditional are you going to Liberal traditional churches and they're like well we just churches and they're like well we just churches and they're like well we just believe in these things right now what believe in these things right now what believe in these things right now what gets lost in the process is that you're gets lost in the process is that you're gets lost in the process is that you're focused on Doctrine you kind of lost focused on Doctrine you kind of lost focused on Doctrine you kind of lost faith right faith is trust it's faith right faith is trust it's faith right faith is trust it's believing God for something rather than

believing God for something rather than believing God for something rather than simply believing God you need to believe simply believing God you need to believe simply believing God you need to believe God but you need to believe God for God but you need to believe God for God but you need to believe God for something it's an act of living faith something it's an act of living faith something it's an act of living faith not something that you know just some not something that you know just some not something that you know just some doctrine that you're resurrecting from doctrine that you're resurrecting from doctrine that you're resurrecting from 50 years ago so if you're really going 50 years ago so if you're really going 50 years ago so if you're really going to see renewal it's going to take Faith to see renewal it's going to take Faith to see renewal it's going to take Faith you've got to train people to trust in a you've got to train people to trust in a you've got to train people to trust in a living God God what do you want to do in living God God what do you want to do in living God God what do you want to do in this generation God what do you want to this generation God what do you want to this generation God what do you want to do in with this mission okay belief if do in with this mission okay belief if do in with this mission okay belief if you're just holding up to some you know you're just holding up to some you know you're just holding up to some you know doctrinal statement that somebody doctrinal statement that somebody doctrinal statement that somebody developed 852 years ago can get in the developed 852 years ago can get in the developed 852 years ago can get in the way of Faith saying God what are you way of Faith saying God what are you way of Faith saying God what are you doing in this generation what are you doing in this generation what are you doing in this generation what are you calling our church to do so you really calling our church to do so you really calling our church to do so you really want to elevate faith and sometimes you want to elevate faith and sometimes you want to elevate faith and sometimes you know that belief is just about know that belief is just about know that belief is just about preferences they're not even preferences they're not even preferences they're not even particularly theological they're just particularly theological they're just particularly theological they're just like we like these songs or we like you like we like these songs or we like you like we like these songs or we like you know we like this architecture um you know we like this architecture um you know we like this architecture um you got to get faith above just what you got to get faith above just what you got to get faith above just what you believe yes you know even the demons believe yes you know even the demons believe yes you know even the demons believe in God and they shudder right we believe in God and they shudder right we believe in God and they shudder right we read that in scripture you got to get read that in scripture you got to get read that in scripture you got to get people to trust God and Trust means people to trust God and Trust means people to trust God and Trust means usually leaving what is familiar for a usually leaving what is familiar for a usually leaving what is familiar for a different future so you want to elevate different future so you want to elevate different future so you want to elevate trust fourth Point stop calling trust fourth Point stop calling trust fourth Point stop calling ineffectiveness faithfulness I hear this ineffectiveness faithfulness I hear this ineffectiveness faithfulness I hear this all the time it kind of drives me crazy all the time it kind of drives me crazy all the time it kind of drives me crazy all right leaders claiming we're small all right leaders claiming we're small all right leaders claiming we're small because we're faithful okay let's be because we're faithful okay let's be because we're faithful okay let's be clear size and faithfulness are not clear size and faithfulness are not clear size and faithfulness are not correlated you can be large and faithful correlated you can be large and faithful correlated you can be large and faithful or small and Unfaithful or you can be or small and Unfaithful or you can be or small and Unfaithful or you can be large and Unfaithful and you can be large and Unfaithful and you can be large and Unfaithful and you can be small and faithful but small does not small and faithful but small does not small and faithful but small does not mean that you're the remnant holding on mean that you're the remnant holding on mean that you're the remnant holding on and you're the only ones who really have and you're the only ones who really have and you're the only ones who really have it right okay the real question isn't it right okay the real question isn't it right okay the real question isn't about size it's about impact and

about size it's about impact and about size it's about impact and Effectiveness and so you got to ask Effectiveness and so you got to ask Effectiveness and so you got to ask yourself are we Faithfully maximizing yourself are we Faithfully maximizing yourself are we Faithfully maximizing our impact with the resources that God our impact with the resources that God our impact with the resources that God has given us small can be strategic has given us small can be strategic has given us small can be strategic there's nothing wrong with small Church there's nothing wrong with small Church there's nothing wrong with small Church vast majority of churches are small but vast majority of churches are small but vast majority of churches are small but in Effectiveness should never be in Effectiveness should never be in Effectiveness should never be baptized to become faithfulness don't baptized to become faithfulness don't baptized to become faithfulness don't let people get away with calling let people get away with calling let people get away with calling ineffectiveness faithfulness it's like ineffectiveness faithfulness it's like ineffectiveness faithfulness it's like well we're the only ones left you know well we're the only ones left you know well we're the only ones left you know we're faithful it's like maybe you're we're faithful it's like maybe you're we're faithful it's like maybe you're just ineffective okay you want to gently just ineffective okay you want to gently just ineffective okay you want to gently point that out as a pastor you want to point that out as a pastor you want to point that out as a pastor you want to be kind but it's like hey we're being be kind but it's like hey we're being be kind but it's like hey we're being called to something else here we're called to something else here we're called to something else here we're being called to a future finally number being called to a future finally number being called to a future finally number five replace criticism with curiosity five replace criticism with curiosity five replace criticism with curiosity there is a persistent suspicion in there is a persistent suspicion in there is a persistent suspicion in traditional particularly small dying traditional particularly small dying traditional particularly small dying churches in that culture that growing churches in that culture that growing churches in that culture that growing churches you know the church down the churches you know the church down the churches you know the church down the road that's that's big they sold out road that's that's big they sold out road that's that's big they sold out okay that's what people believe it's okay that's what people believe it's okay that's what people believe it's like we're just critics of anybody who's like we're just critics of anybody who's like we're just critics of anybody who's succeeding we're just critical because succeeding we're just critical because succeeding we're just critical because here's what they did right they watered here's what they did right they watered here's what they did right they watered down their teaching they've embraced down their teaching they've embraced down their teaching they've embraced entertainment they've compromised their entertainment they've compromised their entertainment they've compromised their values so often small churches feel values so often small churches feel values so often small churches feel defensive and then they get very defensive and then they get very defensive and then they get very critical of churches that are growing critical of churches that are growing critical of churches that are growing now here's a radical idea and this is now here's a radical idea and this is now here's a radical idea and this is what we did at those three little what we did at those three little what we did at those three little churches instead of getting critical we churches instead of getting critical we churches instead of getting critical we got curious we went out I went out and got curious we went out I went out and got curious we went out I went out and then I started bringing literally at then I started bringing literally at then I started bringing literally at some points busloads of people to to some points busloads of people to to some points busloads of people to to talk to church leaders and to meet talk to church leaders and to meet talk to church leaders and to meet Christians whose lives have been Christians whose lives have been Christians whose lives have been transformed in these churches I mean transformed in these churches I mean transformed in these churches I mean okay instead of criticizing it let's all okay instead of criticizing it let's all okay instead of criticizing it let's all get in a bus and let's go visit this

get in a bus and let's go visit this get in a bus and let's go visit this church and let's go figure out what church and let's go figure out what church and let's go figure out what they're doing right because clearly they're doing right because clearly they're doing right because clearly they're reaching people right and what they're reaching people right and what they're reaching people right and what we discovered when we got there is we discovered when we got there is we discovered when we got there is authentic deep conversion stories that authentic deep conversion stories that authentic deep conversion stories that rival anything in church history because rival anything in church history because rival anything in church history because what I learned and and what the people what I learned and and what the people what I learned and and what the people that I have the privilege of serving that I have the privilege of serving that I have the privilege of serving learned is when you stop criticizing learned is when you stop criticizing learned is when you stop criticizing other Christians motives and start other Christians motives and start other Christians motives and start learning from their successes everybody learning from their successes everybody learning from their successes everybody wins and not everything translated to wins and not everything translated to wins and not everything translated to our context but I'll tell you it really our context but I'll tell you it really our context but I'll tell you it really really helps so those are five things really helps so those are five things really helps so those are five things that I hope are really going to help you that I hope are really going to help you that I hope are really going to help you and yes you know get the lights change and yes you know get the lights change and yes you know get the lights change your preaching you know change the music your preaching you know change the music your preaching you know change the music etc etc set up that social media account etc etc set up that social media account etc etc set up that social media account but if you start to tackle things like but if you start to tackle things like but if you start to tackle things like that you're going to see real progress that you're going to see real progress that you're going to see real progress so if you are a young Pastor a NextGen so if you are a young Pastor a NextGen so if you are a young Pastor a NextGen leader and there's a lot to leave you leader and there's a lot to leave you leader and there's a lot to leave you with a few steps today first reflect on with a few steps today first reflect on with a few steps today first reflect on this okay maybe grab your phone jot down this okay maybe grab your phone jot down this okay maybe grab your phone jot down one belief you hold about your church one belief you hold about your church one belief you hold about your church that needs a fresh perspective or maybe that needs a fresh perspective or maybe that needs a fresh perspective or maybe it's not a belief you hold maybe it's a it's not a belief you hold maybe it's a it's not a belief you hold maybe it's a belief they hold and that needs a fresh belief they hold and that needs a fresh belief they hold and that needs a fresh perspective second thing you can do is perspective second thing you can do is perspective second thing you can do is don't go this alone build your support don't go this alone build your support don't go this alone build your support Circle seek out a community of Circle seek out a community of Circle seek out a community of like-minded leaders who are navigating like-minded leaders who are navigating like-minded leaders who are navigating similar challenges uh and then the third similar challenges uh and then the third similar challenges uh and then the third thing is strategically learn and grow thing is strategically learn and grow thing is strategically learn and grow commit to diving deeper learn learning commit to diving deeper learn learning commit to diving deeper learn learning something new this month because the something new this month because the something new this month because the change honestly it starts with you as a change honestly it starts with you as a change honestly it starts with you as a leader all right if you're inheriting a leader all right if you're inheriting a leader all right if you're inheriting a traditional Church they've been in that traditional Church they've been in that traditional Church they've been in that pattern for years if not decades so the pattern for years if not decades so the pattern for years if not decades so the change is probably going to start in you

change is probably going to start in you change is probably going to start in you and then spread to a few other leaders and then spread to a few other leaders and then spread to a few other leaders and then spread out from there now I and then spread out from there now I and then spread out from there now I have something called The Art of have something called The Art of have something called The Art of leadership academy and I think it's a leadership academy and I think it's a leadership academy and I think it's a great place for you to accomplish the great place for you to accomplish the great place for you to accomplish the second and the third objective uh that second and the third objective uh that second and the third objective uh that is community and also learning and is community and also learning and is community and also learning and growing it's a great place for you to growing it's a great place for you to growing it's a great place for you to find tons of resources that we produced find tons of resources that we produced find tons of resources that we produced for you and the importance is picking for you and the importance is picking for you and the importance is picking one and then committing to action and one and then committing to action and one and then committing to action and you're going to have an incredible you're going to have an incredible you're going to have an incredible Community here's the hope the Community here's the hope the Community here's the hope the traditional Church's greatest days could traditional Church's greatest days could traditional Church's greatest days could still be ahead so could the church still be ahead so could the church still be ahead so could the church you're leading their greatest days could you're leading their greatest days could you're leading their greatest days could still be ahead but that future belongs still be ahead but that future belongs still be ahead but that future belongs to those willing to change to change to those willing to change to change to those willing to change to change everything except their core message and everything except their core message and everything except their core message and their mission the question isn't whether their mission the question isn't whether their mission the question isn't whether traditional churches can Thrive again traditional churches can Thrive again traditional churches can Thrive again it's whether they will be willing to it's whether they will be willing to it's whether they will be willing to make the shifts necessary to do so and make the shifts necessary to do so and make the shifts necessary to do so and these five shifts will get you started