The Church Stimulus Package
Jump Start Your Ministry and Revitalize Your Church
by
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Pastors are often hired by or appointed to congregations that are numerable, spiritually, and physically in decline, with the membership shambled, divided and scattered. At a time such as this you will need to unveil a stimulus package to jump-start the congregation and revitalize the work. Strengthening your work and encouraging the involvement and cooperation of the congregation should be the pastor's priority from the day the call is accepted or the appointment received. (p.1)
A congregational assessment is an economic stimulus plan that you and your congregation can agree upon which will foster cooperation and participation. It will encourage stimulation which will result in revitalization for your spiritually shambled ... congregation. (p.1)
Planning, organizational structures, and leadership styles are ordained of God and essential for church revitalization. The Scripture gives countless illustrations of God's interest in the plans and organizational structures for His people. Moses' motis operandi illustrates the ineffective structure he had established to govern the congregation of Israel; which kindled Jethro's concerns and motivation which eventually led him to Moses with suggestions for a completely new organizational structure. (p.2)
God also demonstrates a great deal of interest in the planning, of organizational structures, and leadership styles for the New Testament church, “such as the installation of the first official or deacon board in Acts chapter 6. As the church grew in number Paul spent a great deal of time establishing organizational policies and structures to keep the church effective. (p.3)
Only when the membership are given the opportunity to participate in clarifying the mission of their church, in creating the plans to achieve that mission, and in finding their place in carrying out those plans will a declining, dilapidated and dying church be revitalized and resuscitated. When the membership knows that they are valued, appreciated, and loved your church will be on the move toward revitalization. (p.3)
November 1988 Reverend Washington was appointed to Biggers and Providence AME churches in Manning SC. Upon arrival he found Biggers physical plant dilapidated, run down, and depressing. (p.3) Through the media of remaining positive, listening, valuing, appreciating, and loving the people he was instrumental in leading that congregation in spiritual and physical revitalization; the consequences resulting in a new worship center to serve the present age. (p.4)
Before he could reap any benefit from his work and labor of love John was transferred from Biggers and providence AME Churches in Manning SC to Macedonia AME Church in Cope, SC. Run down and depressing, is not sufficient to describe the scene upon arrival. The inner pain was piercing as he peered at that dilapidated House of God. For the first time since his first appointment in 1972 by bishop Decatur Ward Nichols, Rev. Washington, felt the bitter pain of Christian Ministry. (pp.3&4)
Approximately 6 Months later the author was instrumental through the process of remaining positive, listening, valuing, appreciating, and loving the people touched the heart of that congregation and they had begun cooperating and participating in the spiritual and physical revitalization of Macedonia. They had become so revitalized and fired up until they had met and agreed to send the pastor and his wife out of town for a week and upon their arrival two Sundays later the only thing that remained standing of the sanctuary what once was the dining area. The officers said that, they were leaving section standing because it was the original church and we could use it for worship until the construction was completed. Following their surprise and explanation all pastor Washington could manage to do was glow within and smile without. Oh, the joy he felt at that moment far surpass the depression felt his 1
November of 2000 The Right Reverend Henry Allen Belin Jr. in the concluding moments of the Central Annual Conference at Trinity AME Church in Manning SC surprisingly and without notice dropped an ecclesiastical smart bomb on the author. The bishop had read 66 of his 68 appointments; ...then the author heard his name coming from Bishop Belin mouth through the PA system, “John Washington” concluding with “Union AME Church.” Surprised by what he heard, the author made his way to the platform thinking it just a joke immediately discover it was no joke.
Upon his arrival at Union AME Church the author's first Sunday was more challenging than ever before. That congregation was obviously in decline. The building was in need of repair and antiquated. There were cracks in the outer bricks walls along the West side of the sanctuary, extending from the foundation to the roof. (p.7)
It was exactly18 months from the day the author walked into Union AME Church for his first sermon that he was leading the congregation from it where he did the call to worship and during the alter call as the worshippers got up from the alter/chancel was led in a procession to the New Sanctuary where everyone went to the alter first and then to their new pew in their new sanctuary. The order of worship was continued and the pastor delivered his first sermon in the newly erected 1.5 million dollars sanctuary, with projection system, interior and exterior surround sound system, computer lab, with a computer built into the 3 story, 3 compartment, 8 feet long custom made pulpit with built in computer system with the projection equipment controls built in. Yes in just 18 Months Union had moved from a 75 seats dilapidated building to a 500 seats sanctuary, with all of the amenities of a modern day metropolitan church. (p.9)
Three appointments in a row the author had experience major set backs and disappointments in his ministry. Yet, each time he excelled more than the time before. How did he do it? By determination; the author was determined to remain Christ like by being positive, listening to the people, placing merit and value on their thoughts and suggestions, appreciating their differences and disagreements, and loving them through it all. (p.9 &23)
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About the Book
Whether you are a pastor, seminary student, minister, Christian education specialist, or lay person this book is a complete source for assisting and guiding you through the steps of creating The Church Stimulus Package that Will Jump Start your Ministry and Revitalize Your Church; numerable, physically, and financially. This book gives you all the tools you need to revitalize a stagnant declining ministry. Offering proven methods, the author shows you how to create, conduct, and implement a Congregational Assessment tailored to your church particular problem or problems. Covering everything from analyzing your congregation's resources to overcoming obstacles and problems, this realistic, hands on guide will definitely Jump Start Your declining Ministry and Revitalize Your Church. The economy of the United States was in shamble; then on January 13, 2008 President Barack Obama unveiled a plan to revitalize the United States economy in the short-term with a stimulus package that he said will immediately inject billions into the economy. This book is a practical step by step resource based upon 38 years of experience, sound biblical foundation, and academic research. This book contains the prescription, is a must read, and will be useful for pastors sincerely interested in strengthening and revitalizing a church in decline numerable, financially, and or physically.
About the Author
After 38 years John has successfully served as pastor of 20 congregations. He has implemented and managed campaigns to stimulate, renovate, rebuild, and revitalized each congregation. He has sought and reclaimed thousands of members back into the churches. At nine of the appointments the members did major renovation to their sanctuary and grounds, four churches replaced dilapidated buildings with state of the art worship centers. Willie James Baxter, Presiding Elder of the Orangeburg District AME Church in South Carolina said about John's book, “This book will prove to be a helpful guide to pastors assigned to or hired by declining churches, seeking a step by step guide tailored to jump start the ministry and revitalized his/her new responsibilities.” John's currently the pastor of Mount Zion AME Church in Round O, SC and serves as Adjunct Professor in the College of Religious Studies at Southern Wesleyan University, and Limestone College in North Charleston and Yemassee, SC. John's credit of contributions to humanity includes serving as Hospice Chaplain, Mental Health Counselor; intergenerational mentor; Candidate for Sheriff of Colleton County; substitute public school teacher; County and City Police, Sheriff Deputy and Correctional Officer. He received The Exchange Club of Charleston, SC Award for Outstanding Service to the Community, For Professionalism and Excellence in Law Enforcement. In 2005 John was awarded his Doctor of Ministry (Summa Cum Laude) from Southern Christian University in Montgomery Alabama. Dissertation: Assessing the Attendance and Participation of the Members of the Union African Methodist Episcopal Congregation in Elloree, South Carolina. He also earned his Master of Divinity in Marriage and Family Therapy, Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy, and Bachelor of Science from Southern Christian University. Further studies were done at Allen University in Columbia, SC where he earned the Bachelor of Arts in Humanities.