Croft Brian. Biblical Church Revitalization: Solutions for Dying and Divided Churches.
Geanies House, Great Britain: Christian Focus, 2016.
Brian Croft's influence among the rising generation of those called to church revitalization can be seen in his Practical Shepherding suite of resources. Not only does he create podcast content, but he also maintains an encouraging social media presence with frequent reminders to pastors that - after they have done all they can - they can trust God. Further, his role at Southern Seminary's Mathena Center for Church Revitalization has brokered a direct impact among those training for the necessary task of shepherding among challenging churches. However, for many, their first introduction to Croft's story and counsel is through his book, Biblical Church Revitalization: Solutions for Dying and Divided Churches.
In the ecosystem of church revitalization resources, different texts set forth their own unique sets of emphases and suggestions. Croft's work is no exception. He takes pains to speak in principles, knowing that each individual situation and local church expression are so varied that a certain level of specificity is impossible to communicate through a book. Some counsel can only be mediated through personal relationships and mentoring.
However, Biblical Church Revitalization represents an essential contribution to this discussion. As such, it is likely most profitable to highlight the most salient and profound of Croft's observations.
Observation #1: The Pragmatist-Purist Distinction
Croft draws attention to two tendencies among revitalizing pastors. The first is to become unduly pragmatic. This tendency shows up in the impulse to give the church a "shot in the arm" by whatever means necessary. This often, however, downplays church health and commits many of the errors that got the church into the place of needing revitalization in the first place. Indeed, the history of many Southern Baptist churches (Croft's area of expertise and the subject of frequent references in the book) are not suffering because of a lack of a pragmatic spirit. Indeed, the opportunism and expediency of pragmatism has led churches to maintain bloated membership rolls and unsavory evangelism gimmicks alike over the past century.
Yet for many freshly minted seminary graduates, the tendency is not pragmatism, but purism. This myopia arises from good intentions, but leads to an abrupt shock for which the church is seldom ready. Croft by no means downplays biblical doctrine or practice, but maintains a wise approach to how quickly poorly discipled churches can accept even healthy change. Between the lines is the observation that churches that need revitalization are seldom in their situation because of a history of strong discipleship. And as a result, churches that have existed in a state of poor discipleship simply don't have the categories to see even good and biblical change as, well, good and biblical. Such new ideas will not only seem uncomfortable, but wrong and even unbiblical.
Observation #2: Resistance to Accountability
Croft observes that a mark of dying and divided churches is a tendency to resist deep accountability among its membership. He calls this a "feeling of entitlement." Church members resist conversations about public sin, believing that to do so is "out of bounds" or "judgmental," adopting the language of the outside and unbelieving culture. This mindset "prevents being involved in each other's lives where we can transparently engage one another as God designed" (80). What is the genesis of this problem? Croft suggests that it's a history of "unresolved conflicts." These promote distance between the very sheep who should be bearing one another's burdens. As the church ceases to function as it was designed, it dwindles in numbers and, as a short-term fix, seeks to fill its ranks with any willing, warm bodies. As such, a de-emphasis healthy church membership only accelerates the problem as likely unbelievers are welcomed into the fold and assured of their salvation. The role of the revitalizing pastor, then, is to help the church address unresolved conflicts, develop a biblical understanding of sin and accountability, thus beginning the difficult healing process.
Observation #3: A Dogged Confidence in God's Love for His Church
This observation isn't so much set forth by Croft as it is modeled in his writing. He suggests throughout the text that the revitalizing pastor must for his own spiritual well-being develop an abiding confidence in God's movement in and commitment to His church. Against the rising cynicism of this generation - the same cynicism that drives many to plant churches out of an abandonment of the established church - Croft frequently reminds the reader that God is still moving. The revitalizing pastor has permission to trust, for instance, that "there is spiritual life in all true followers of Jesus, regardless of how beat up and discouraged they may be." Moreover, because of this, "Christ still lives in them and is working to complete the work he began (Phil. 1:6)" (57).
Observation #4: The Pastor's Personal Growth
Last, but not least is the perennial truth that pastors must be particularly equipped through character, spiritual development, and brokenness in order to be used of God in a pastorate. However, Croft supplies some more specific traits that mark pastors who are extraordinarily set up to revitalize:
- Visionary Shepherd
- High tolerance for pain
- Respect and passion for the church's legacy
- Passion for multi-generational ministry
- A resourceful generalist
- Tactical patience
- Emotional awareness
- Spousal perseverance
Conclusion
Biblical Church Revitalization is a gift to pastors, not only because of its commitment to church health as a means of promoting new life, but because of its realistic approach to pastoring, learned by Croft's own scars. As such, the reader will neither feel pressure to "produce" a certain kind of result in a certain timetable, nor will he be pressured to compromise biblical fidelity as a pathway to "success."