Re:Vision

The Key to Transforming Your Church

by: Aubrey Malphurs, Gordon E. Penfold

• Format

  E-Book

  ISBN

  9781441220103

  Pub. Date

  Oct 2014

  SRP

  $23.00

  Buy

About

Still looking for the program, book, or sermon series that will turn your church around?
What if the answer to revitalizing your church is . . . you?

In a time when many pastors are jumping from church to church every few years as they search for the "right fit," churches are suffering from a lack of sustained leadership from pastors with a viable vision for ministry. Packed with field-tested advice, self-diagnostic tools, and surveys, Re:Vision takes you through a process designed to help you re-envision your role, create a culture for positive change, and recruit people to come alongside you as helpers and encouragers.

"Re:Vision serves as both a road map and a reminder for denominations, judicatories, networks, associations, and churches alike who are looking to reverse their decline and set out on a journey to revitalization."--Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources; author of Autopsy of a Deceased Church

"This book is a great addition to the church revitalization conversation. I will be recommending Re:Vision to the pastors in all of my coaching networks."--Nelson Searcy, lead pastor of The Journey Church; founder of www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com

"A fresh look at what it takes to restore churches from death to life, sickness to health, and decline to growth, based on the most up-to-date study of the characteristics of turnaround pastors. I believe it is destined to be the go-to resource for years to come."--Gary L. McIntosh, coauthor of What Every Pastor Should Know; professor, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

"Read this book. Then read it again. Then buy ten more for your pastor friends. Re:Vision is an epic work. You'll be so glad you read it."--Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor of Transformation Church; author of Limitless Life

Aubrey Malphurs (PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary) is the senior professor of leadership and pastoral ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary and founder of the Malphurs Group. He is the author of more than twenty books, including Developing a Vision for Ministry in the Twenty-first Century and Look before You Lead.

Gordon E. Penfold (DMin, Talbot Theological Seminary) is lead pastor of First Baptist Church in Holyoke, Colorado, and the director of Fresh Start Ministries, which focuses on bringing health and vitality to plateaued, declining, and conflicted congregations.

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Endorsements

"While the vast majority of churches in America are either plateaued or declining, Malphurs and Penfold show that hope should not be lost. Re:Vision serves as both a road map and a reminder for denominations, judicatories, networks, associations, and churches alike who are looking to reverse their decline and set out on a journey to revitalization."

Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, author of Autopsy of a Deceased Church

"As a coach to pastors, I understand the need for a step-by-step process that churches can use to cooperate with God in reaching their full redemptive potential. That's exactly what Aubrey Malphurs and Gordon Penfold have laid out in Re:Vision. This book is a great addition to the church revitalization conversation, and perfectly complements what I coach pastors around the world to do. I will be recommending Re:Vision to the pastors in all of my coaching networks."

Nelson Searcy, lead pastor of The Journey Church; founder of www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com

"Here are vital tools and perspectives for every leader involved in a church turnaround. Are you exploring whether you're the right person for a turnaround? Leading in the middle of a turnaround? Or coaching turnaround leaders? Don't approach any of those roles unarmed. This practical and biblical guidance will help you assess both the landscape and yourself."

Warren Bird, research director at Leadership Network and coauthor of many ministry books, including Next: Pastoral Succession That Works

"Re:Vision is a fresh look at what it takes to restore churches from death to life, sickness to health, and decline to growth. Their work is based on the most up-to-date study of the characteristics of turnaround pastors. I believe it is destined to be the go-to resource for years to come on what types of pastors are able to reverse the decline of churches."

Gary L. McIntosh, coauthor of What Every Pastor Should Know, professor, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

"When I think of Aubrey Malphurs, I think Jedi. Aubrey is the Yoda of church leadership and his coauthor Gordon is like Obi-Wan Kenobi. Read this book. Then read it again. Then buy ten more for your pastor friends and become Aubrey's and Gordon's Padawan learners so you too can become a Jedi! Re:Vision is an epic work. You'll be so glad you read it."

Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor Transformation Church, author of Limitless Life

"Malpurs and Penfold have de-mystified the church revitalization process without factoring out the necessary dependence on the Holy Spirit. They have provided principles and processes to follow. They have supplied evaluative tools for both the church and the pastor. And, most importantly, they have centered it all in Scripture and prayer. This will be a resource every pastor leading in a revitalizing effort will want to have."

Phil Stevenson, assistant district superintendent, Pacific-Southwest of the Wesleyan Church

"What leadership is to healthy and growing churches, vision is to effective leadership. Penfold and Malphurs have rightly targeted and identified the need for weary pastors and waning church leaders to team up around a renewed vision that will direct and align their energies and resources toward a revitalized church. What they present may well be the remedy for the declining direction of the church in America. Read it for yourself. Teach it to your leadership corps. Count on it to revitalize your ministry and Christ's church."

Rich Frazer, president, Spiritual Overseers Service International

"Integrating statistical analysis, biblical theology, and pastoral wisdom, Aubrey Malphurs and Gordon Penfold have compiled a marvelous work that will help leaders think through how to lead their teams to re-envision their leadership structures for the glory of Christ."

Kevin Peck, lead pastor of The Austin Stone Community Church

"Church planting is on the rise, but what about all the existing plateaued, dead, or dying churches in America that are in desperate need of revitalization? Is there hope for them? Very few pastors are turnaround leaders, yet the majority of churches in America are in desperate need of renewal. Most pastors don't know how to lead a church out of a downward spiral. Here's a book that will help pastors do just that--turn around a church."

Jim Tomberlin, founder and senior strategist, MultiSite Solutions; author of many books, including 125 Tips for MultiSite Churches

"In this invigorating, timely, and prophetic work, Malphurs and Penfold paint a necessary future picture for the American church. Not content to only describe and lament the decline of the American church, the authors provide marching orders for pastors, congregations, judicatories, and denominations. Substance is added to the picture as the authors provide processes useful to the pastor who desires to bring about the re-envisioning of a local congregation. Particularly encouraging is the call to pastors who may not be inherently temperamentally equipped to turn around a church to pursue personal reflection and development that God might use them to meet this need under the guidance of a coach/mentor. This turnaround pastor, judicatory leader, and denominational leader found himself challenged, encouraged, and further equipped in his roles."

Matthew Bohling, pastor for preaching and vision, Living Hope Presbyterian Church (PCA)

"Re:Vision acknowledges the state of the church, declining denominations, and what it takes to reverse those trends. Through quantitative and qualitative research, Malphurs and Penfold unpack the significance of pastoral vision and how it directly influences the heart, health, and future of the church. God uniquely wires his leaders, and this book will help leaders regain the momentum they need to revitalize the work God has called them to do."

Tami Heim, president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance

"Wow! This book should be required reading for every pastor and staff member in our churches. Aubrey and Gordon have produced a phenomenal user's manual for kingdom and church growth. They have covered all the bases plus brought into the mix of material behavioral requirements that are needed for the pastors. Every reader should be challenged to make personal changes that will allow God to use them in an extraordinary way as well."

Ken Bratz, owner, KBC Consulting

"In his usual practical tone, Aubrey has delivered yet another leadership book that adds tremendous value to church leaders. The research, real life stories, and reflection sections will help move you from ideas to implementation. Re:Vision is not only a great read, it's a great training tool."

Mac Lake, visionary architect, The LAUNCH Group

"This is a book pastors will return to again and again. Every pastor should read it and read it again when it is time to dream new dreams and lead toward the next season of ministry. This is a great book for a mentor and protégé to enjoy together."

David Bowman, executive director, Tarrant Baptist Association

"Malphurs and Penfold offer us their marvelous wisdom, creativity, practical analysis, and motivating vision--envisioning--with regard to pastoral leadership in the church. In this present situation in North America, there is much confusion over what could and should be done to lead churches toward health and growth. One thing we do know is that without vision--without envisioning--congregations slowly decline and die. This book is a treasure trove of down-to-earth, immediately usable advice for all of us called to lead the church today."

Charles Van Engen, professor of biblical theology of mission, School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary

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