Date
4-2017
Department
School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
Charlie Davidson
Keywords
Renewal, Revitalization, Small Groups
Recommended Citation
Chappell, Jeffrey, "Dead Bones Rising: A Strategic Plan for Revitalizing Declining Churches by Creating Small Groups" (2017). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 1382.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/1382
Abstract
Approximately, 1000 churches disappear from the Southern Baptist Convention database annually because of their dissolution. Scholars state that churches will continue to close at the progressive rate of 25% by the year 2030. The unacceptable denominational response is to plant a church, whether on a local, state, or national level, offering little support for declining or dead churches toward a renewal and revitalization effort. Research was acquired by surveying pastors whose churches belong to the Sandy Creek Baptist Association of the North Carolina State Baptist Convention. The thesis project employs quantitative and qualitative data available along with variety of published research. This project embraces a biblical perspective. The thesis project concludes with a plan for revitalizing declining churches via the Church Renewal Journey program of the Baptist State Convention.
