Date

8-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Leadership (PhD)

Chair

Andy Wood

Keywords

revitalization, church revitalization, church growth, Christian leadership, retirement community, senior adults

Disciplines

Christianity | Practical Theology

Abstract

Eighty percent of churches in the United States are either plateaued or declining. Across all denominations, as many as 7700 churches permanently close their doors each year. Pastors of once-vibrant churches transition to survival mode rather than continuing to build their churches. However, there are bright spots where a declining church reverses the downward trend and begins a renewed cycle of growth. This case study examined church growth and revitalization of Southwest Community Church (the name has been changed to protect the identity of the participants), a revitalized church in a dedicated retirement community. For this research, revitalization has been defined as reversing the downward trend in membership and attendance and increasing membership at a rate that replaces members and attendees lost from all causes by at least five percent per year for the past five years. A 55+ retirement community is defined as a community where no residents are allowed below the age of 55. The theory guiding this study is Rainer’s (2020) theory that churches on a downward trajectory need to make the decision to either change or die. The study sought insights into leadership styles, spiritual guidance, and numerical expansion through understanding the lived experiences of the pastors, lay leaders, and congregation members who have experienced the revitalization of SWCC. A qualitative case study research design was used, combining phenomenological methods involving on-site interviews with a select sample of members of the SWCC community with in-depth study of documents and artifacts found at the site.

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