Revitalizing the Declining Church with Dr. Desmond Barrett

Karl Vaters writes: How good is your church doing at greeting and keeping guests? If you're like a lot of churches, you know you could do better.I talked with Desmond Barrett about how small churches can do a better job at reaching, welcoming, and keeping guests. Desmond is the author of Helping Small Churches Win Guests: Preparing to Increase Attendance, which is a short, but very practical book that pastors will find great benefit in.Desmond and I talked about:How to reimagine the church facility from the parking lot to the pewWhy sharing updates about facility improvements is attractive to guestsWhy so many pastors and church leaders resist doing what needs to be doneWhy “we just need to attract young families” is never the answerThe good news that new Christians are not looking for programs, they're wanting to live on missionKarl's Books mentioned in the podcasts:De-sizing the Church Small Church Essentials

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Disruption clarifies the vision.2. Disruption clarifies the mission.3. Disruption clarifies and creates opportunity.4. Disruption clarifies and establishes principles to serve the community.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode:1. Limit the scope.2. Limit the time.3. Limit the ask.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode:1. Celebrate the win.2. Counter negative feelings.3. Create a pattern of connection.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode:Pattern 1: Praying to God about the need.Pattern 2: Petition God about the need.Pattern 3: Power of self-given over to God.Pattern 4: Praise given to God.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode:1. Small revisions2. Small improvements3. Small details matter

Revitalizing Connections found in this episode: 1. Curate to fit the neighborhood the church is in.2. Narrow the focus of partnerships and programs to fit the era the church has entered. 3. Embrace the uncertainty that the church is in to find the certain plan that God has.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode:1. Create a culture of care.2. Cultivate relationships overtime.3. Caring through community connection. 4. Comprising the next chapter of ministry.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Learn to Listen 2. Last to Speak 3. Length of Time 4. Lean Into Conversations 5. Loss is Win/Win

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: Developing a bus or tuck ministry. 1. School bus to Compassionate Ministry Center 2. Food Truck for Jesus. 3. Thrift Store on Wheels.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Quit being negative at where you find yourself. 2. Quit focusing on only Sunday morning and focus on all days of the week. 3. Quit blocking change, and encourage it. 4. Quit saying, 'we can't' and change your language to 'we can!'

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1.  Adapt or fall behind. 2. Envision, then do it. 3. Read the Word. 4. Movement shifts through mircosteps. 5. Position yourself through a commitment to your health.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1.  Whatever you do, move forward. 2. Whatever you do, move fast. 3. Whatever you do, move further.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Average is an extraordinary opportunity to serve the community. 2. Average is moving the church above where it finds itself today to serve God. 3. Average is obeying a God call through your ministry and life.

Revitalization rewards found in this episode: 1. What you accomplished this year is enough. 2. What you've dreamed is still achievable, keep pressing forward. 3. What moves you becomes what you move forward.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Slow down and enjoy the experience. 2. See people and not numbers in the pew. 3. Stay messaged focused in every way. [1]https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-the-womb/202412/a-guide-to-manage-the-holidays-with-self-care-and-balance [1] Smith, Harold . The Quotable Bresee. Kansas City, Missouri , Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1 Jan. 1983.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Inaction is action 2. Leadership matters 3. Vision without proper oversight leads to disorientation

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Deviated from the mission. 2. Reinvented but did not reinvest. 3. Lacking a cohesive plan.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Be Persistence. 2. Be Patient. 3. Be a Problem Solver. 4. Be a Pattern Thinker. 5. Process the past, current, and dream of the future.

Revitalizations Reward found in this episode: 1. Share compassion with all who are affected. 2. Spirit-led decisions will not free you from the demands or the disgruntled. 3. Serve with excellence until the end.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1.  Disagree with respect. 2. Commit to the outcome and follow the process. 3. Limit the ‘I told you so' attitude.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Understand the problem. 2. Capture the vision. 3. Be willing to implement the next steps.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Compassionate Directness 2. Community Partnership 3. Compromise Success Article referenced in the podcast's Huffington, A. (2020, December 4). Compassionate directness: the cultural value That's the ultimate competitive advantage. Thrive Global. https://community.thriveglobal.com/compassionate-directness-cultural-value-ultimate-advantage-arianna-huffington/

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Prepare a new way forward. 2. Prepare now not later. 3. Prepare to follow God.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode. 1. The reality of change. 2. Do not stop innovating.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Evaluate all needs 2. Plan now and for the future 3. Parlay success in one area to sustain the momentum

1. Develop a friend group outside of the church. 2. Develop worth in your passion not your commitment. 3. Develop a team that will carry forth the vision. 4. Develop a sense of accomplishment outside of your main calling.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Review 2. Reevaluate 3. Recognize 4. Reenergize 5. Reconnect

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Not my call but yours 2. Not my church but yours 3. Not my community but yours

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Develop a strategic plan 2. Keep your focus on God's vision for the local church 3. You are not a lone ranger Christian New Book: By Dr. Desmond Barrett Helping the Small Church Win Guests: Preparing To Increase Attendance https://a.co/d/7hCh4s0

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: Five key suggestions for long-term planning that have helped other churches: 1. Pray and Ask 2. Go and Find 3. Obey and Do 4. Be and Act 5. Bless and Maintain

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Pause from the busyness of ministry to see where God's ministry is needed. 2. Pray for opportunities to serve people, places, and for future partnerships. 3. Participate where God leads the local church to reach the neighborhood around the church.

Revitalization rewards found in this episode: Step 1: Identify the problem for improvement. Step 2: Analyze the current situation for quality. Step 3: Create opportunities or systems through new solutions. Step 4: Evaluate the effectiveness of the improvement. Step 5: Celebrate the improvement but continue to review.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Repairing the cracks with Christ 2. Restoring visionary leadership 3. Reminding others of the value of the neighborhood

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Ivory Tower Leader 2. White Board Leader 3. Consensus Leader 4. Compassionate Leader 5. Community Leader Check out the Poll if you are Spotify user

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Soft Evangelism 2. Intentional Evangelism 3. Inspired Evangelism

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Innovate to lead the church forward. 2. Innovate to reach new people. 3. Innovate to capture God's direction.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: One Call System, QR Codes, Email Newsletter, Social Media Groups, and Instant Directory

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Flee from the turmoil to find peace in a new place. 2. Fight for position and power in the face of pushback. 3. Reconfigure your leadership to meet current and future needs in the church.

Revitalization rewards found in this episode: 1. Commit to a greater vision. 2. Commit to each other. 3. Commit to foundational view of serving other as Christ.

Cycle of Revitalization : Stabilization, Strategize, Strategic, Sustain, Success

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: Lesson 1: Create a space for open conversation Lesson 2: Create a space for discussion Lesson 3: Create a space for all

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Reinvest in the church's infrastructure to prepare for future activities and guests.  2. Repair community relationships through connections. 3. Restore the focus from self to the Savior.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Embrace the change that comes with growth. 2.Embrace the challenge to become a better you. 3. Embrace the character-building that will help you become the best you.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Review the facility from an inspector's perspective. 2. Develop a plan to begin to solve the problems. 3. Stay focused and do not chase the fire. 4. Review where you can cut to invest.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. The past is the hero. 2. The past dictates the future.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Focus on what works locally. 2. Focus on who you are trying to reach. 3. Focus on the core values of the church

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Target frustrations to attain fruit, not fault. 2. Seek a way forward from loss.

Revitalization Rewards found in this episode: 1. Dream what could be. 2. Dream what is. 3. Dream what will be.