Mike Puddicombe Church revitalization is not a program you adopt or a strategy you download. It is a spiritual journey that requires honesty, courage, and a willingness to change. Before a church can move forward toward renewed health and mission, it must first ask some hard questions.
These questions are not meant to discourage you. They are meant to help you discern readiness—both in leadership and in the congregation as a whole. Revitalization does not fail because churches lack ideas; it fails because churches are not prepared for the kind of change renewal requires.
Here are eight questions every church should prayerfully consider before stepping into revitalization.
1. Do You and Your People Carry a Burden for the Lost?
Revitalization always begins with a holy dissatisfaction. Healthy churches are not primarily concerned with survival, comfort, or preserving tradition—they are burdened by the spiritual condition of people who are far from God.
Ask yourself honestly:
- Do we grieve over lost people in our community?
- Do we long to see lives transformed, not just attendance maintained?
- Has a leader emerged who is willing to guide the church toward renewal?
Without a genuine burden for the lost, revitalization becomes little more than institutional maintenance.
2. Has Your Congregation Shown a Willingness to Step Out in Faith?
Renewal requires movement—and movement requires faith. Churches that resist all change, even small experiments, often struggle to move forward.
Stepping out in faith doesn’t mean reckless change. It means being willing to:
- Try new approaches to ministry
- Release methods that no longer serve the mission
- Learn from failure rather than fear it
A congregation that refuses to step out in faith will eventually settle for stagnation.
3. Do You Have a Vision for Your City and Region?
Revitalized churches lift their eyes beyond their own walls. They develop a clear sense of calling for their community, city, and region.
Ask:
- Why has God placed this church here, in this location, at this time?
- What needs exist around us that God may be calling us to address?
- Are we shaping ministry around mission—or around convenience?
Vision fuels perseverance. Without it, even good efforts lose direction.
4. Is Your Congregation Spiritually Mature Enough to Discern God’s Movement?
Revitalization is not driven by trends—it is guided by discernment. Spiritually mature congregations learn to listen for God’s leading rather than react emotionally to change.
Spiritual maturity shows up when people:
- Pray before reacting
- Seek unity rather than control
- Trust God even when outcomes are uncertain
Immature churches often confuse personal preference with spiritual conviction. Mature churches learn to follow God together.
5. Has Your Congregation Practiced a Generous Spirit?
Generosity is a spiritual indicator. Churches that are renewing tend to be open-handed—with time, energy, finances, and grace.
Generosity asks:
- Are we willing to give, not just preserve?
- Do we invest in ministry beyond ourselves?
- Do we celebrate what God is doing, even when it stretches us?
A stingy spirit—financially or relationally—often signals deeper resistance to change.
6. Are You Willing to Risk?
Revitalization always involves risk. Playing it safe may feel wise, but safety has rarely produced renewal.
Risk does not mean abandoning wisdom. It means acknowledging that:
- Faithfulness does not guarantee comfort
- Obedience often involves uncertainty
- Growth requires letting go of control
Churches that refuse all risk usually choose slow decline instead.
7. Does Your Congregation Have a Genuine Kingdom Mindset?
A kingdom-minded church understands that God’s work is bigger than one congregation. It celebrates what God is doing beyond its own programs, traditions, or history.
Kingdom thinking asks:
- Are we more concerned about God’s mission than our reputation?
- Do we cooperate rather than compete?
- Do we measure success by faithfulness, not nostalgia?
Revitalization accelerates when a church stops asking, “What do we want?” and starts asking, “What does God desire for His kingdom?”
8. Are You Willing to Invest Resources Toward Renewal?
Renewal costs something. Time. Energy. Money. People. There is no revitalization without investment.
This doesn’t mean reckless spending—it means intentional alignment:
- Investing people where mission matters most
- Funding priorities that reflect vision
- Letting go of ministries that drain energy without producing fruit
Churches reveal their true priorities not by what they say, but by where they invest.
A Final Encouragement
These questions are not a checklist for perfection. They are a framework for discernment. No church answers every question perfectly—but honest reflection creates space for God to work.
Revitalization begins when a church is willing to look in the mirror, tell the truth, and trust God enough to take the next faithful step.
So ask the questions.
Pray deeply.
Listen carefully.
Because when a church is truly ready, renewal is not only possible—it is inevitable.