What Happens When a Church Exhausts Itself on Fighting

Some churches have the uncanny ability to prolong infighting for decades. Other congregations get to a point where the fighting creates collective exhaustion. Thom and Sam discuss what happens when a church stops fighting because everyone is tired.

• • When the fighting stops, the church is not necessarily starting to get healthy again.

• • Two groups form: those who decide to leave defeated and those who stay and become apathetic.

• • In most cases, the church takes a reputation hit in the community.

• • Pastor churn and staff church begin because few in the church want to volunteer or have any responsibilities.

• • A new pastor can get permission to lead change, but change does not happen because too few people will do what is requested.

• • The way out is through a renewed outward focus in six-month increments. Most exhausted churches can do only one thing at a time.

Resources

• California Baptist University Pre-College Credit

• “Extraordinary Hearing: Preparing Your Soul to Hear from God” by Greg Pruett

• Tyndale House Publishers

• The Hope Initiative

• The Complete Membership Class Toolkit

• Get your FREE tool! Attendance Growth Projector

• Check out the Church Answers Christian bookstore! Shop curated, trusted resources for Christian life and ministry.

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