According to the North American Mission board, between 70% and 90% of churches are in need of some form of revitalization. That is only within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Many more outside of the SBC are also experiencing this reality. For the sake of our discussion though, that means that between 70% and 90% of SBC churches are plateaued, declining or dying. How does that impact pastors? It means that the majority of aspiring or existing pastors will serve their ministry within this 70% and 90% margin of churches.
In response to this statistic, many books have been written, podcasts have been recorded, and talks have been conducted about what to do. Churches are encouraged to update their music, begin outreach programs and think creatively to reverse this trend and turn their dying church into one that is thriving. But even if churches do undergo a positive step in the right direction, many still end up plateauing or even dying just a few years later, requiring revitalization again. Therefore, the question is, what sustainable efforts can be taken to bring renewal and sustain renewal in a declining church? Let me suggest that a church start by prioritizing expositional preaching. Here are three reasons why.
First, expositional preaching points to one common authority. There will be several thoughts within a declining and/or dying church as to who gets to decide what to do next. Some will cringe at the thought of any sort of change, whereas others are about changing everything. A simple directive would be to start by seeing what God has said about how his church should look. For example, several years ago we began to update the church covenant at my church. There was one part in the existing covenant that promoted a legalistic mindset. The only way we were able to move forward was through many church members desiring to only confirm what the Word of God says as we began to let go of legalistic mindsets. This change only came about through upholding the preaching of God’s Word as primary in our worship gatherings. For when the Word of God is preached, then it is clear that God should be the one directing the church.
Second, expositional preaching leads to one unified body. If the hermeneutical center of the scriptures is Jesus Christ, then through expositional preaching, it is His gospel that will begin to take center focus within a church. A shift in priorities will begin to take place as members are transformed from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor. 3:18). Now, this won’t happen overnight, but with patience, the preaching of God’s Word will lead to changed hearts where people will begin to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side-by-side for the faith of the gospel (Phil. 1:27). From here, preferences will begin to slowly fade into the background allowing people from every economic, cultural and generational background to find a home as Christ takes center stage within the church.
Third, expositional preaching inspires one outward focus. As God’s Word is seen as the authority in people’s lives and they grow in unity with their fellow believers within the church, focus moves away from themselves as individuals to collective members in God’s kingdom. For now, the Word of God isn’t something that is simply known and understood, but through faithful, expositional preaching, it becomes something that must now be proclaimed. Through consistent expositional preaching, members will begin to see, with clarity, the lostness of their friends and family members. This will lead to greater desires to see the gospel go out beyond the walls of the church. This desire must be accompanied by prayer and evangelism, but expositional preaching will help to shape the content of the church’s prayer and the drive for the church’s evangelism.
It has been said that pastors shouldn’t make any major changes to a church in the first year. Yet one change that can occur immediately is how the church views the preaching of God’s word. Will it take center stage or be seen as a background activity? For sustainable renewal, the clear, expositional preaching of God’s Word must take priority. For it is through His Word that God will renew His church and further His name.