Church Planting and Revitalization

Why You Can’t Change Your Church (Part 1 of 4)

By Bobby Jamieson | 08.22.2014

How can you change your church when you’re not the pastor?

When Can You Change Your Church? (Part 2 of 4)

By Bobby Jamieson | 08.22.2014

I pray God would give you wisdom to discern how best to serve, strengthen, and unify your local church, regardless of how you may or may not be able to change it.

“We’re Here for the People Who Will Come”

By Matt Schmucker | 06.18.2014

In January of 1993 I found myself at Capitol Hill Baptist Church having just received the resignation of the pastor (his sin disqualified him from continuing on in the pulpit).  … keep reading…

Church Reform When You’re Not (Necessarily) the Pastor

By Greg Gilbert | 06.16.2014

All these come from my own experience as one of several men who have worked to reform Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville.  I don’t claim universality for any of … keep reading…

Leadership Interview with Mark Dever

Planting Churches in Hard Places

By M. Dever, M. Spandler-Davison, M. McConnell | 05.02.2014

What does it take to plant churches among the urban poor? What role do women’s ministry and mercy ministry play?

The Math Doesn’t Work: Why the Future of Church Planting is Bi-Vocational

9Marks | 9Marks Journal: Lay Elders: A User’s Guide—Part 2 | 01.03.2013

Countless church plants fail for lack of funds. So instead of throwing a Hail Mary, why not explore a new model instead?

The Story of Sojourn Network

By Daniel Montgomery | 9Marks Journal: Wanted: Apostolic Pastors | 05.08.2012

How can a church raise up and sustain pastors who are faithful over the long haul? That’s a question Sojourn Network is trying to answer.

Leadership Interview with Mark Dever

Revitalizing a Church

By A. Davis, M. Dever | 05.08.2012

Andy Davis, a pastor in North Carolina, recounts the stirring story of his church’s revitalization.

Leadership Interview with Mark Dever

Church Planting and Pastoral Ministry

By D. Patrick, M. Dever | 11.29.2011

Darrin Patrick shares about the struggles of planting a church, leading his family, engaging culture, and more in this personal and wide-ranging interview.

Book Review: The U-Turn Church, by Kevin Harney and Bob Bouwer

Review by Brian Croft | 9Marks Journal: Revitalize: Why We Must Reclaim Dying Churches—and How | 10.28.2011

Here are a few ways this book can help pastors who are reforming churches, as well as cautions you will want to consider as you read.

Pastors’ Forum: Do’s and Don’ts of Church Reform

By B. Johnson, G. Kell, M. Dever, M. Lawrence, M. McKinley, T. Anyabwile | 9Marks Journal: Revitalize: Why We Must Reclaim Dying Churches—and How | 10.28.2011

What to do—and what not to do—in the midst of church reform.

Five Unexpected Lessons in Church Revitalization

By Brian Croft | 9Marks Journal: Revitalize: Why We Must Reclaim Dying Churches—and How | 10.28.2011

The gospel can not only build a local church, but rebuild it also—sometimes in surprising, unexpected ways.

Five Factors that Brought Life to a Dying Church

By J. D. Greear | 9Marks Journal: Revitalize: Why We Must Reclaim Dying Churches—and How | 10.27.2011

Only God brings life to dead things. But here are some lessons I learned that I believe contributed to our church’s revitalization.

What Makes a Church Reform Possible?

By John Folmar | 9Marks Journal: Revitalize: Why We Must Reclaim Dying Churches—and How | 10.27.2011

When a church is transformed, the gospel surges forward as the community is confronted with a genuine corporate witness for Christ.

A Roadmap for Church Reform

By Greg Gilbert | 9Marks Journal: Revitalize: Why We Must Reclaim Dying Churches—and How | 10.27.2011

Here’s a short roadmap on the road to church reform that might help you keep your bearings as you move forward.