{"id":785125,"date":"2022-08-30T05:00:07","date_gmt":"2022-08-30T10:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/?p=785125"},"modified":"2022-08-29T14:38:46","modified_gmt":"2022-08-29T19:38:46","slug":"2-critical-attitudes-in-leading-a-church-revitalization-effort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/2-critical-attitudes-in-leading-a-church-revitalization-effort\/","title":{"rendered":"2 Critical Attitudes in Leading a Church Revitalization Effort"},"content":{"rendered":"

If I were to ask church revitalization pastors what attitudes are critical to their effectiveness, I\u2019m sure I\u2019d hear several options: hopefulness, stick-to-it-ness, faith, patience, wisdom, and so forth. All of these really do matter, but two other attitudes are just as critical\u2014if not more so. Both are found in the book of 1 Corinthians.<\/span><\/p>\n

You know that the Corinthian church had more than its share of problems. They were divided. They should have been growing but weren\u2019t. They allowed open sin in their midst. They were suing each other. They were abusing their freedoms, arguing over the best spiritual gifts, misusing the Lord\u2019s Supper, and disrupting worship. They were even debating the resurrection. If ever a church needed revitalization, the Corinthian church was that church.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss, though, what Paul said about the church:<\/span><\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> <\/span>He thanked God for them (1 Cor 1:4-9).<\/b> God had given them grace, gifted them, and established their testimony in Christ. The God who started this work in them would complete it. They were quite messy, but they were still God\u2019s people\u2014and Paul thanked God for them. Actually, he did it always. He did not cease in expressing gratitude for them.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. He loved them (1 Cor 16:24).<\/b> In fact, Paul closed this letter with one of his most intimate closures: \u201c<\/span>My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.\u201d As one writer described this ending, \u201c<\/span>Despite everything, there is not the slightest doubt that Paul regarded the Corinthians with tender affection. So he finishes his letter by sending his love to all the members of the church.\u201d\u00b9<\/span>\u00a0Paul genuinely loved this bunch of messy people.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, Paul \u201cbookends\u201d this first letter to the Corinthians with \u201cI thank God for you\u201d and \u201cI love you\u201d\u2014and in between he says, \u201cY\u2019all are an absolute mess.\u201d The problems in the church were numerous and serious, but gratitude and affection still characterized Paul\u2019s heart. He addressed the issues even while affirming this chaotic church in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do these attitudes of gratitude and love matter in church revitalization?<\/span><\/p>\n