One of the roles of the Renew Montana Network is to help churches assess their spiritual health. Our measurement tool is designed around nine indicators of spiritual maturity. There are three identities (worshipper, family, missionaries), three foundations (gospel, scripture, prayer), and three structures (leadership, membership, discipleship). Each of us must be continually renewed in each of these areas. Are you … Read More
The Revitalization/Replant Window
The following article is from The Resound Network, a ministry of the Missouri Baptist Convention. It provides some important information on revitalization and replanting. To print a PDF of this article, click here. Seasons of growth, plateau and decline are present in almost every church at some point in its history. For some churches a season of decline could lead … Read More
Leading and Revitalizing with Hope
This is a season in which we place much emphasis on hope, and rightly so. Jesus is the hope of the world! This is also a theme that must permeate every aspect of our ministry. It must be sensed by our church family in the way we lead, the manner we preach, and demonstrated in how we serve. Hope is … Read More
Revive Us, O Lord
Did you know that for the first time, less than 50% of Americans are a member of a local church and the trends show a steady decline. The data also reveals that only 30% of Americans have ever had anyone personally share the Gospel with them. Roughly 90% of American believers have never shared the Gospel with anyone. It’s astonishing. We … Read More
The Exhibit Hall, New Orleans
At the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in New Orleans this spring, our MTSBC team met hundreds of people. We shared our God stories and asked people to pray for Montana. Our hope is that from this engagement, the Lord will call church planters, pastors, and ministry partners into the harvest fields of Montana. We had Montana swag to give as mementos, and … Read More
Building a Healthy Ministry Culture
As a young adult, I loved Jesus and truly believed that those who loved and served Jesus would function with joy, enthusiasm, unity, and a Kingdom mindset. I was so naïve. On the outside, all appeared well in my local church. There was the illusion that we all had the same heartbeat for Gospel ministry, but when it came to … Read More
Resounding the Glory of God
One of the benefits of our partnership with the Missouri Baptist Convention is access to their revitalization tools and team. They call it the Resound Network. It is a movement of pastors and churches who partner with regional leaders to engage in a revitalization process. The Resound Network is passionate about infusing new life into churches so that they resound … Read More
Advance the Mission by Developing Leaders
As I interact with pastors, I often see the weariness in their eyes of advancing the mission of the church with little to no team. As we discuss the value of investing in others, the key factors are often time and quality control. It’s true that it takes more time to equip and develop a team than it does to … Read More
Pitfalls in Ministry
A pitfall is an unexpected danger or difficulty. Pitfalls are hidden or camouflaged, so one can come out of nowhere. Therefore, on the trail or walking through life, caution is needed. This imagery is true in ministry, as well. Despite knowing they exist one must be on the lookout. It’s also helpful to have an extra set of eyes to … Read More
Responding to the Historic Flooding in Montana
When the waters of Rock Creek began to surge across its banks into homes and businesses in Red Lodge, Montana, the members of the Church of the Rockies began to respond. At first, it was neighbor helping neighbor, checking on one another and offering aid. Then, the Red Cross arrived. The church family quickly began to volunteer to be the … Read More