Topics That Must Be Addressed in Church Renewal
Mike Puddicombe Every church revitalization journey needs a clear beginning point.
One of the most common traps churches fall into is confusing talking about renewal with actually beginning renewal. It is far easier to attend meetings, form task forces, and discuss ideas than it is to take the first concrete steps toward change. Without realizing it, leadership teams can spend months—or even years—talking about “what we are going to do” while very little actually changes.
At some point, a church must decide: this is the moment we move from conversation to action.
If renewal is going to take root, there are several key areas that must be honestly addressed.
1. The Need for New Initiatives
Renewal requires more than refining what already exists. While healthy traditions should be honoured, declining churches cannot rely solely on past successes.
New initiatives create fresh energy, signal openness to change, and communicate to the congregation—and the community—that the church is serious about engaging its present reality. These initiatives do not need to be large or expensive, but they must be intentional and aligned with the church’s mission.
2. The Need for New Entry Points
Many churches assume Sunday worship is the primary—or only—way people will connect. For most communities today, that assumption no longer holds.
Renewal requires creating new entrance points where people can belong before they believe. These pathways allow relationships to form, trust to grow, and curiosity about faith to develop naturally. Without new entry points, churches limit their ability to reach people who would never initially attend a worship service.
3. Updating Existing Ministries and Programs
Not every ministry that once bore fruit is still effective.
Renewal demands a careful evaluation of current programs—not to criticize the past, but to discern present effectiveness. Some ministries need updating, some need re-imagining, and some may need to be lovingly released. Holding onto programs simply because “we’ve always done it this way” often drains energy that could be redirected toward mission.
4. Caring for New and Existing Participants
Growth without care leads to disengagement.
As renewal begins, churches must consider how they will care for both new participants and long-time members. This includes intentional pathways for connection, spiritual support, and pastoral care. Healthy renewal strengthens the entire body, not just those who are newly engaged.
5. Long-Term Disciple Development
Renewal is not simply about attendance or activity. It is about forming faithful, mature disciples.
Churches must clarify how people grow spiritually over time. What does discipleship look like in this congregation? How are people encouraged to deepen their faith, live it out in everyday life, and pass it on to others? Without a long-term vision for disciple development, renewal efforts remain shallow and unsustainable.
6. Present and Future Staff Equipping
Leaders cannot guide the church where they themselves are unprepared to go.
Renewal requires equipping both current and future staff with the skills, support, and clarity needed to lead change. This includes theological grounding, emotional resilience, leadership development, and a shared understanding of the church’s mission. Staff health and alignment are essential to sustained renewal.
7. Maturing and Mobilizing the Laity
Renewal does not happen through clergy alone.
A revitalizing church intentionally matures its people in faith and actively enlists them in the work of ministry. This means moving members from spectators to participants, from consumers to contributors. As the laity grow spiritually, they become the primary agents of renewal within the church and beyond its walls.
8. Releasing What Has Become Dead Weight
One of the hardest—but most necessary—steps in renewal is identifying what is no longer serving the mission.
Some activities, committees, or programs may consume time and energy while contributing little to renewal. Letting go of these areas is not failure; it is stewardship. Releasing dead weight creates space for new life to emerge.
From Talk to Faithful Action
Church renewal always begins with a decision: we will move from discussion to obedience.
Addressing these areas does not guarantee immediate growth, but avoiding them almost guarantees continued decline. Renewal takes courage, clarity, and persistence—but it always begins with honest assessment and a willingness to act.
The question every church must eventually answer is this:
Are we ready to begin—not just talk about—renewal?