RENEWAL
Church Revitalisation Along the Way of the
Cross
By John James
10 Publishing. 130 pages, £6.99
ISBN 978 1 911 272 076
John James has been used by God to help to relaunch and turn around a dying church. Crossway Church in Northfield, Birmingham is located in a tough area and was on its last legs in 2009. Now it is more than viable and has seen modest growth.
There are many churches across our country which are in need of new life and this is an excellent book to point the way. It is excellent because it is both firmly rooted in Scripture and is written out of first-hand experience. Here we find not just theory but practice from a seasoned campaigner.
Process of revitalisation
The chapters of the book take us through the process involved in revitalisation. It begins with the need for a wake-up call, then takes us through grasping the vision, building enthusiasm and faith in God, negotiating the minefield of coping with change which all (old and young) find difficult, and on to a realistic attitude to the sacrifice and hard work involved. Revitalisation includes seeking to reach lost people, recognising the need to change, producing healthy churches tailored to the cultural context and, often, partnering with other gospel churches. I particularly liked the authenticity of the chapter concerning what to expect. Here are the headings: Expect it to be long term; Expect it to be low key; Expect it to be hard, but (hallelujah!) Expect to grow.
Objections answered
Objections to revitalisation rather than church planting from scratch are addressed in a balanced way. There are a number of challenges to encourage stronger churches to leave their comfort zones and to get involved in partnering and helping to raise up the weaker congregations. I think John James has done the church a mighty service in producing such a helpful revitalisation handbook.
