In this episode of the Revitalize My Church podcast, host Bart Blair interviews Pastor Jim Brown of Grace Community Church in Goshen, Indiana. Pastor Jim shares his experiences leading the church over the past 28 years, from when he first arrived as a young pastor to a congregation of just 60 people, to the thriving multi-campus church it is today with over 2,600 attendees.

Pastor Jim reflects on the importance of maintaining a balance between ministry and family life, noting his structured lifestyle while still prioritizing time with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He recounts how he first came to Grace Community Church as a student at Grace Theological Seminary, and how the small, aging congregation took a chance on him as a new pastor.

When Pastor Jim arrived, the church was in decline with an older congregation. He recognized the need to shift the church's focus towards prayer, evangelism, and reaching out to the local community. By personally engaging in the interests and activities of the community, such as becoming a NASCAR fan and coaching youth sports teams, Pastor Jim began to connect with people and lead them to Christ.

As the church grew and began to welcome new believers, Pastor Jim emphasized the importance of creating a welcoming environment for those who were far from God. He shares how he would intentionally mention and celebrate new attendees during the service, helping the congregation to embrace and accept them, even if they initially seemed out of place.

Pastor Jim also discusses his approach to preaching, always keeping in mind that there are likely people in the room who are not yet followers of Jesus. He stresses the importance of crafting sermons that speak to both the saved and the unsaved, using relatable illustrations and avoiding Christian jargon that may alienate new believers. He encourages pastors to view their churches as "greenhouses" where the gospel is shared, and to trust that God will send seekers to congregations that faithfully proclaim the truth.

Reflecting on pivotal moments in his ministry, Pastor Jim shares how he nearly resigned when the church had grown to the point where he no longer knew everyone personally. He struggled with the realization that he could not maintain the same level of relationship with each member, but ultimately felt God calling him to empower and release other leaders to help shepherd the growing flock.

Another defining moment came when Pastor Jim's wife struggled with the pain of seeing long-time church members move on to other congregations. Pastor Jim reassured her that she was his top priority and that he was willing to leave ministry if it became too much for her. This affirmation of their marriage helped them navigate the challenges of pastoral life.

Throughout the conversation, Pastor Jim emphasizes the importance of keeping the focus on Jesus and not taking things personally when people leave or reject the church. He encourages pastors to remember that the pain they feel in those moments is a small reflection of the pain God feels when people reject Him.

When asked about his own leadership development, Pastor Jim shares his love for reading and his goal of reading 50 books per year. He also stresses the importance of staying connected to the local community by reading the hometown newspaper and praying for the needs he finds there. Pastor Jim follows a variety of Christian leaders and resources to continue growing and

In this inaugural episode of the Revitalize My Church podcast, hosts Bart Blair and Nathan Bryant discuss the importance of unity within the local church, especially as it relates to church revitalization. Drawing from biblical passages such as Psalm 133, the hosts emphasize that unity among believers leads to a spiritual anointing that enables the church to move forward in its mission.

The conversation highlights the challenges that pastors and church leaders face when attempting to lead their congregations through renewal without first building unity. The hosts stress the significance of communicating the need for change effectively, whether the pastor is new to the church or has been serving there for an extended period.

Nathan introduces the concept of "five big rocks" - a five-step process designed to help churches navigate the challenges of revitalization. The first and foundational "rock" is unity, followed by leadership, team, plan development, and plan execution. The hosts emphasize that the initial focus should be on aligning the church's vision and agreeing on the need for change rather than determining specific strategies or details.

To achieve unity, the hosts recommend a phased approach to communication, starting with the core leadership team and progressively moving outward to key stakeholders and influencers before presenting the vision to the entire congregation. This process should involve multiple meetings at each level, allowing individuals time to process the information and ask questions.

The hosts also discuss potential obstacles to unity, such as complacency, skepticism, fatigue, and the speed at which leaders attempt to implement change. They stress the importance of maintaining unity through a strong prayer process and inspiring the congregation through a compelling vision rather than simply dictating changes.

The episode concludes with a preview of the next topic in the series - leadership - and an invitation for listeners to subscribe to the podcast and visit www.revitalizemy.church for additional resources.

Welcome to our brand new show.

In this episode you’ll get to know Nathan and Bart and learn a bit about why we decided to start this podcast. After you listen to this one, jump right over to Episode 1!