RESTART - A Process for Changing Church Culture

In the Scriptures, the word 'rebirth' refers to new life, a change of heart, a new beginning, a fresh start (see John 3:3,6).  This is our desire, not just with individual lives but with entire congregations. Our desire is to see every congregation experience renewed life in order to carry out The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39) and the Great Commission." (Matthew 28:18-20).

Restart Defined

A restart church is a congregation “stuck” in an unhealthy mode due to a lack of knowledge and positive direction. With the goal of church health and changing church culture, a process of Prayer, following God’s Call, Orientation, Assessment, Training, Church Development Plan and Coaches & Mentors is followed, resulting in a “re-launch” of the congregation to reach new people and connect with their community. While this is a church strategy to revitalize, it uses a number of large launch church planting principles. .Just like a relaunch church, the best time for this strategy to be implemented is during a pastoral transition. When the superintendent, pastor, church board and church members all come together in agenda harmony to make the future of the church different than the past and the present is a wonderful restart time.

Relaunch / Restart – 4 Key Terms: “Praise be to God…He has given us 1) new birth into a 2) living hope through the 3) resurrection of Jesus Christ 4) from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

Critical Question: "How does a church determine when it needs to relaunch its ministry, compared to when it needs outside intervention with outside resources involved to restart its ministry?"

Answer: That is based on where the church is at on the church life-cycle and how long of a period of time the church has been steeped in decline and a non-growth mode.  Also it is important to assess whether a non-missional mentality has been embraced by influential church leaders and whether or not the church has the capacity to achieve what we call “critical mass” on its own.  The further down on the life-cycle the church is and the longer the congregation has had a non-growth, unhealthy mode, usually the more drastic the steps are needed for a restart.  A restart church assessment slide to illustrate what we are talking about is below.

Restart Church Assessment slide.jpg

WHAT STEPS DO WE RECOMMEND IN A REstart?

We recommend the District Mission Strategy Team, in consultation with the District Superintendent, develop policies and procedures to assist restart churches to move forward toward becoming a healthy, multiplying church. Every church faces different issues based on where the church, the pastor and the congregation is at in its development. Churches also have different resources available to assist in the restart process. 

The guidelines below are NOT the complete plan for each restart church.  They are instead offered as a place to begin conversations with pastors, church boards and church members. We are able to move forward more effectively when we have resources to use in restart church situations. We do not desire to start with a blank sheet of paper and spend hours in discussion before taking next steps.

It is important to engage ALL parties from the beginning, in the restart process as you develop strategies for working with a particular congregation.  People are always “down” on what they are not “up” on; clear communication is important! The process of restart in a congregation should never be rushed. Building agenda harmony with a majority of influential leaders in the congregation will help establish the steps to be taken by the pastor, church board, District Superintendent, Mission Area Leader, Mission Strategy Team, etc.  

CONSIDERATIONS FOR A REstart CHURCH 

1. We encourage the district to work in partnership with MULTIPLYNAZ to develop its training orientation for “Restart Churches,” fit to the district context. The development of the training orientation for use by the superintendent or other district leaders is what prepares the implementation of this ministry within a local church.

2. We initiate the restart process in a local church after much prayer and analysis by the entities involved in the process.  Depending on the district, this may include: 

1) the Pastor
2) the District Superintendent
3) Church Board members
4)  the Congregation
5) Mission Area Leader
6) District Mission Strategy Team

3. We suggest the Pastor should be completely aware of and committed to all aspects of assessment, prayer and planning involved in the restart process. The Pastor makes the Church Board aware of the process, provides initial education and leads them to invite the District Superintendent or another District Leader to the church for a restart presentation.

4. Early on, honest conversation must occur between the District Superintendent and the Pastor and an honest assessment should be made to determine and confirm whether or not the current pastor should be the Lead Pastor of the church after the church has been restarted (par 126.1). If the current pastor continues in his/her role, the assessment should include how weekly church operations and thinking will be different after the restart process is completed, compared to current church thinking and operations.

5. The complete restart process should be communicated to both the Church Board and church members in an open meeting by the District Superintendent (or a trained district leader).  All forms of questions are encouraged throughout the presentation from everyone.

6. An Intercession Team from the local church is then mobilized by the Pastor and the Church Board.  The entire church, led by the Pastor and the Church Board, commit to pray for God moments and spiritual breakthroughs throughout the restart process.

7. The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene talks about a “Local Church in Crisis,” which can be negative in focus and process.  By contrast, the restart church process can be positive in both focus and process when done appropriately.  Our desire is not that restart be imposed on a congregation.  Instead our prayer is that restarting will be embraced by the Pastor, Church Board and influential leaders in the church, practicing corporate sanctification and the teachings of Jesus (John 12:24) for the future health and growth of God’s Kingdom.

THE REstart process

To officially begin the restart process, the Pastor and Church Board meet with the District Superintendent to implement the following and the Board agrees to the following:

  1. Seek approval from the General Superintendent and the District Advisory Board to proceed with the ReStart process.  (par 126.1)

  2. Once received, all Church Board positions in the restart church are set aside for a period of time, depending on the length of time needed in the restart process. It is agreed the restarting of the congregation for a healthy future becomes more important than any existing ministry or current church activity.

  3. The District Superintendent appoints a restart leadership team that acts as the church board for the congregation during the restart process. This may include leaders from both inside and outside the current congregation.

  4. All current church programs and ministries are evaluated by the District Superintendent and the restart leadership team.  Only programs and ministries that will assist in the restart process are retained.  Other programs and ministries are put on hold, for future evaluation. Some ministries may be potentially reimplemented after the restart process is complete, others may not.

  5. All leadership and ministry positions within the church are evaluated by the District Superintendent and the restart leadership team.

  6. The District Superintendent and the restart leadership team determine which positions continue to function and which ones should be set aside for the time being with persons being redirected into ministries that assist the restart process.

DEVELOPING THE RESTART PLAN

The appointed restart leadership team of the church should familiarize itself with the resources available from MULTIPLYNAZ Resources for restart churches. The entire team is asked to participate in any district training events provided for restart churches and from this training begins to build their restart plan.

1. The restart leadership team is the group responsible to put together and prepare the restart church development plan. The restart development plan is then submitted to the Mission Strategy Team of the District for feedback. On many districts a formal restart presentation is required for approval.

2. In developing the restart strategy and plan, the restart leadership team would ask a district qualified restart coach to assist them.

3. A copy of the restart strategy is given to the restart coach and they are asked to hold the church accountable for the restart plan’s implementation at regularly scheduled restart meetings.

4. For churches using an attractional model of ministry, a “private worship” phase is begun, a restart grand opening date is set, and the planning for all needed ministries for the restart of the church is implemented.

5. By definition, restart churches do not have the necessary leadership and resources to achieve their mission. This is why the district steps in to provide knowledge, direction, outside leadership and sometimes additional finances. The restart process may also include involvement by other churches to bring the church’s ministry to higher levels of effectiveness.

6. The restart church moves into its next ministry season when it “has fulfilled the interventions set in place” (par 126.2).  The process is closed by the majority vote of the District Advisory Board and approval of the General Superintendent (par 211.4).

The essential difference between a relaunch church and a restart church is that the restart church does NOT have the necessary leadership and resources needed to achieve its goals in the restart process.  The intervention of the superintendent and district leaders provide knowledge, direction and accountability.

Some churches following this strategy have totally transformed their church culture in powerful ways. One such church is The Table located in Joliet, Illinois. Pastor Nate Smith is now leading this process, revitalizing the ministry of the former Joliet First Church. You can find out more about the church by visiting their website.